Swabian Alb Geopark

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UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb , Nusplingen fossil site

The UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb is the “Jurassic Geopark” among the UNESCO Global Geoparks. The fossil-rich deposits of the tropical Jura Sea contain sites of global importance. There Friedrich August Quenstedt laid the foundations for the global subdivision of the Jurassic period .

location

The Swabian Alb Geopark is located in Baden-Württemberg and covers the entire area of ​​the Swabian Alb. It covers a total area of ​​around 6,200 km², which extends over a length of around 200 km and an average width of 40 km from the Upper Rhine to the Nördlinger Ries in a south-west-north-east direction.

Support and organization

The UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb is established by the registered association Geopark Schwäbische Alb e. V. managed. Members of the association are the ten districts of the Swabian Alb, the Swabian Alb Tourism Association, the municipality of Steinheim am Albuch and the Industrieverband Steine ​​und Erden Baden-Württemberg e. V. (ISTE), Foundation for Education and Culture Abtsgmünd, Municipality of Beuren and City of Schelklingen. A working committee is formed from the members. The task of the working committee is to develop and implement projects and measures for the Geopark Swabian Alb. It consists of the chairman, the managing director and one representative each from the group of full members. To advise the organs and members of the Geopark on technical issues, the Board of Directors appoints an advisory board, which is composed of an interdisciplinary structure according to the tasks of the Geopark.

Awarded as a Geopark

The landscape of the Swabian Alb offers insights into 200 million years of geological history and is the result of an eventful geological past. That is why the area was designated a National Geopark in 2002. Two years later, in 2004, it was named a European and Global Geopark and thus membership in the European and Global Network of Geoparks, which is supported by UNESCO. In 2015, the Geopark Swabian Alb was officially named a “ UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb”.

The term “Geopark” is used to describe areas that have a particularly rich geological heritage. In addition to protecting this heritage and communicating geological topics in the context of environmental education, sustainable regional development as well as scientific research within the park are among the tasks of a geopark.

prehistory

As the most cave-rich landscape in Germany, the Swabian Alb offered the animals of the Ice Age special habitats, which the Stone Age people also used for themselves. They contributed to the fact that the Swabian Alb can be regarded as one of the cradles of human culture.

Significant finds and works of art of mankind are the almost 40,000 year old Venus from the Hohlefels in the Ach Valley, the Lion Man from the Hohlenstein in the Lone Valley or the horse, the mammoth and many other figurines from the caves in the Ach and Lone Valley.

Randecker Maar volcanic crater

Natural space

The Swabian Alb has a large variety of different forms of karst landscape - in addition to the numerous karst caves, these are sinkholes , tufa formations, karst springs and dry valleys. Volcanism also plays a role in the UNESCO Geopark Swabian Alb. About 18 million years ago, many volcanoes erupted there, which can still be seen in the landscape. 15 million years ago a meteorite impact led to the formation of the Steinheim Basin , the central hill of which is still clearly visible.

Geological and archaeological sights in the Geopark are:

Dripstone Charlottenhöhle

Show caves

The Swabian Alb is the region with the most caves in Germany. The Ice Age caves are where mankind's oldest works of art were found. In addition to the twelve show caves, there are also numerous natural caves, so-called "wild caves".

Geological nature trails

Numerous nature trails have been set up in the Swabian Alb Geopark:

  • Geological trail "In the realm of the sea angels", Nusplingen , Zollernalbkreis
  • Green path in Härtsfeld, Neresheim , Heidenheim district
  • Kalktufpfad in Wiesaztal, Reutlingen- Gönningen , Reutlingen district
  • Karst hiking trail at the Tiefenhöhle, Laichingen, Alb-Donau-Kreis
  • Mining path, Aalen- Wasseralfingen , Ostalbkreis
  • Geological nature trail to the meteor crater Steinheimer Becken, Steinheim am Albuch , Heidenheim district
  • Historienweg Veringenstadt, Sigmaringen district
  • Neandertalerweg Lonetal, Rammingen- Lindenau , Heidenheim district
  • Geological nature trail around the oil shale, Schömberg , Zollernalbkreis
  • Tour “Stones in the City” Ehingen, Alb-Donau-Kreis
  • Inzigkofen rock nature trail , Sigmaringen district
  • "Lebendige Lauchert" educational trail, Veringenstadt , Sigmaringen district
  • Volcanic crater circular route Münsingen-Apfelstetten, Reutlingen district
  • Soil nature trail “Hidden Horizons - Soils on the Albtrauf”, Beuren , Esslingen district
  • Primeval Sea Path Gerstetten , Heidenheim district
  • Geological nature trail Schwäbisch Gmünd , Ostalbkreis
  • Hengen sinkhole path, Bad Urach- Hengen , Reutlingen district
  • Geology educational trail Eislingen , district of Göppingen
  • Gustav-Strömfeld-Weg Metzingen-Neuffen, Metzingen , Reutlingen district
  • Geopfad Wiesensteig , district of Göppingen
  • Urweltpfad Bolheim, Herbrechtingen , Heidenheim district
  • GeoWanderweg Balingen- Zillhausen , Zollernalbkreis

Fossil sites

The Swabian Alb Geopark is world-famous for its wealth of fossils. In the fossil discovery sites in Dotternhausen, Nusplingen and Holzmaden, those interested can use a hammer and chisel to search for them. Some quarries are also open to visitors to collect fossils.

Landscape tours

For those interested, there are numerous offers on the Alb from qualified landscape guides for walks, hikes and bike tours on the various geo-themes of the Geopark.

Geopark information points

Across the Swabian Alb there are around 50 local and regional museums that cover a wide variety of geological and archaeological areas. Some of them belong to the 26 Geopark information points, which provide information about the function of a Geopark and the international networks.

Geopoints

In addition to the 26 Geopark information points, which provide information on the various topics in the Geopark, visitors throughout the Swabian Alb repeatedly come across boards indicating " Geopoints ". These mark geological highlights, but also interesting individual objects, the meaning of which only becomes apparent after a closer look. "Geopoints" are important components of the visitor management concept of the UNESCO Geopark Swabian Alb, since 2016 32 outstanding geotopes have been awarded (as of July 2020). In the medium term, at least 10 “geopoints” should be identified in each of the 10 districts.

Web links

Commons : GeoPark Schwäbische Alb  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Nature trails in the Geopark , on geopark-alb.de, accessed on May 3, 2016.
  2. ↑ Geopark information points and Geopoints. In: geopark-alb.de. Retrieved September 24, 2019 .