Geiselstein (Vogelsberg)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Geiselstein , formerly called Grisselfels , is an approximately 19 million year old basanite rock formation on the Taufstein ( 773  m above sea  level ), the highest point in the Vogelsberg low mountain range . It is located near Lanzenhain in the Vogelsberg district in Hesse . The bizarre and about 20 m high formation is located between the 700 and 705 m contour line ; The highest point in the urban area of Herbstein lies on it, at 720  m . The rocks are overgrown with bushes.

Geographical location

Geiselstein summit

The Geiselstein rises in the nature park Hoher Vogelsberg in the wooded area of ​​the natural area Oberwald . Almost 2 km north of the summit of the Taufstein, it is located in the far west of the urban area of Herbstein in the district of Lanzenhain , which is 4.2 km east-northeast. To the west below the rock formation runs the border to the city of Schotten with the village of Breungeshain 4 km to the southwest . To the north is the Lautertals municipality with the Eichelhain district 4.5 km to the north-east and the Ulrichstein area to the northwest with Feldkrücken, 4.5 km to the north-west . A section of the Ellersbach, a tributary of the Old Hasel , flows west below the rocks ; the main tributary Nidda rises slightly beyond it . The summit of the Sieben Ahorn ( 752.7  m ) is located about 1000 m west-northwest of the rocks .

geology

The Geiselstein is an approximately 20 m high, north-south oriented, wall-like, 40 to 50 m wide dyke (passage) , which protrudes from its surroundings over a length of over 200 m.

The rock formation consists of geomorphologically informative, elongated basanite plates, which at the southern end of the rock cliff fall flat to half-way to the east-northeast. It represents a breakthrough along the volcanic Wilhelm Schottler as hostage stone column designated formation , which fall from the rock stone west of Engelrod ( Lautertal to) Altenburg ( 616.8  m ) southeast of Kaulstoß ( Scots runs).

From a mineralogical point of view, this block and column summit - which Willi Schulze describes as the “most beautiful passage-shaped breakthrough in the Oberwald (of the Vogelsberg)” - is a basanite with a fine-grained to dense, porphyry structure. It consists of nepheline - leucite - basanite and has a high proportion of magnetite (magnetic iron stone). In the partially vitreous base material, clinopyroxene intruders occur in particular . There are also olivine sprinkles less than 1 cm in size and small amounts of plagioclase , nepheline and analcime .

Because of its high magnetite content, the Geiselstein is also known as the "North Pole of the Vogelsberg" : Therefore, the needle of a compass located on site does not align itself with the arctic magnetic pole (also: magnetic north pole) of the earth, but with the rock formation.

nature

Protected areas

The Geiselstein is located in the northeast of the nature reserve In der Breungeshainer Heide ( CDDA -Nr. 81991; designated 1974; 64.37  hectares ), in the fauna-flora-habitat- area Hoher Vogelsberg (FFH-Nr. 5421-302; 38.6136  km² ) and in the bird sanctuary Vogelsberg (VSG no. 5421-401; 636.4497 km²).

flora

The plant life around the stone run the hostage stone is made of natural maple stocks , with beech , ash , elm , maple and mountain ash are mixed. Beeches take a back seat in favor of sycamore maple. Ferns in large numbers surround the rock. In early April, the area around the hill is criss-crossed with flowering March cups .

Traffic and walking

About 1000 m southwest past the Geiselstein runs the state road  3291, which connects Feldkrücken in the northwest with the Taufstein and the Hoherodskopf in the southeast; The Niddaquelle hikers' car park is on the road . There and past the rock formation, the Vogelsberg Höhenrundweg , marked with a green “H” , is a premium hiking trail from the Vogelsberg extra tours . The European long-distance hiking trail E3 runs about 350 m southeast of the rock between the Taufstein and Lanzenhain . The volcanic ring Vogelsberg of the Vogelsberger Höhen-Club leads widely around the formation .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h "6 - Geiselstein" in: Geotope im Vogelsberg , last accessed on November 22, 2014, on hlug.de (PDF; 3.35 MB)
  2. ↑ a b c Map services of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation ( information )
  3. ↑ Wilhelm Schottler: The Vogelsberg ... (see section literature )
  4. ↑ Willi Schulze: Gießener Geographical Excursion Guide (see section literature )

See also

literature

  • Willi Schulze and Harald Uhlig (eds.): Gießener Geographischer Excursionsführer , Volume 3, Gießen 1982
  • Bauschmann, Braun, Helfrich: The Vogelsberg in color , Kosmos travel guide to nature, Stuttgart 1980
  • Wilhelm Schottler: The Vogelsberg - note sheet of the Hessian Geological State Institute in Darmstadt , 5th episode, 18th issue, Darmstadt 1937
  • Hessian State Office for Environment and Geology: The Vogelsberg - Geotopes in the largest volcanic area in Central Europe , ISBN 978-3-89026-359-5

Coordinates: 50 ° 32 '0.7 "  N , 9 ° 14' 34.6"  E