List of geotopes in the Donau-Ries district

This list contains the geotopes of the Swabian district of Donau-Ries in Bavaria . The list contains the official names and numbers of the Bavarian State Office for the Environment (LfU) as well as their geographical location. This list may not be complete. Around 3,400 geotopes (as of March 2020) are recorded in the Bavarian geotope register. The LfU does not consider some geotopes suitable for publication on the Internet. For example, some objects are not safely accessible or may only be entered to a limited extent for other reasons.

Surname	image	Geotope ID	Municipality / location	Geological unit of space	description	Area m² / extension m	geology	Digestion type	value	Protection status	comment
Malmscholle Rauhe Birk E from Ebermergen	more pictures	779A001	Harburg position	Riesalb	The morphologically distinctive Malmscholle was ejected during the Ries impact and severely brecciated. The gravel formation can be seen at several former mining sites around the hilltop.	3600 120 × 30	Type: Gravel (impact), ejecta (impact), rocky dome Type: Limestone	Slope crack / rock wall	precious	Natural monument
Former Suevitbruch SE from Amerdingen		779A005	Amerdingen position	Riesalb	There are two types of suevite formation here: dark and glassy in the north, light, low-glass suevite with a high proportion of sediment in the south, deepened like a channel. The break is largely under water, the walls have grown together, the surface of the material is weathered or weathered. Overall, the break is difficult to access.	650 130 × 5	Type: Rock Type: Suevite	Quarry	precious	Natural monument
Crystalline breccia outcrop in Meyer's cellar		779A006	Nördlingen position	Nördlinger Ries	At the Meyers Keller tavern there is weathered, brown-colored crystalline breccia (bulging of the inner crystalline ring, approx. 6 km from the center of the crater). A little to the south lies a decayed outcrop of sedimentary breccia. The basal conglomerate of the Riessee freshwater limestone is found in the hanging wall.	72 12 × 6	Type: sequence of layers, ejecta material (impact), inner wall (impact) Type: calcareous conglomerate, breccia	embankment	especially valuable	Landscape protection area
Former Quarry E from Gosheim		779A008	Huisheim position	Riesalb	The quarry is located on the eastern rim of the crater. As a result of the impact of the impact event, the thick-banked limestones of the White Jurassic Beta and Gamma are in overturned form.	4800 120 × 40	Type: Gravel (impact), ejected material (impact) Type: Limestone	Quarry	precious	Landscape protection area, FFH area, nature park
Ries limestone on the Galgenberg near Nördlingen		779A009	Nördlingen position	Nördlinger Ries	The chunky freshwater limestone hump is an erosion residue of dolomitic freshwater limestone, which was the filling of the crater basin formed after the impact. The massive limestone can be traced back to algae reefs, which formed primarily on the protrusions of the inner (crystalline) crater rim.	200 20 × 10	Type: Rock type, rocky dome, inner wall (impact), karst horizontal cave Type: Limestone	Quarry	precious	Natural monument, landscape protection area
Outcrop N of Langenmühle		779A011	Maihingen position	Nördlinger Ries	At the Langenmühle rock material used to be mined for gravel extraction for local needs. Upcoming is broken granite and paragneiss. It is material from the basement, which was raised from the subsoil of the Ries crater by about 400 m and today forms part of the inner wall. In more deformed areas, polymictic crystalline breccia with a small amount of sediment is pressed in like a duct. A second outcrop (Langenmühle II) is about 200 m to the southeast. In this outcrop, which is similar in itself, Keuper rocks also appear (colorful breccia). A square-meter sanded area in the outcrop wall allows glimpses into the brecciated crystalline rocks. Both outcrops are on the Geo-Lehrpfad Klosterberg Maihingen and are signposted.	240 60 × 4	Type: gravel (impact), ejecta material (impact), inner wall (impact), rock type: crystalline breccia, granite gravel, gneiss gravel	Gravel pit / sand pit	especially valuable	no protected area
Impact rocks NW of Wengenhausen	more pictures	779A012	Marktoffingen position	Nördlinger Ries	In the southeast part of the former quarry, there are strongly fissured crystalline rocks, which are covered by several meters of crystalline breccia. In the northern part of the quarry lies freshwater limestone of the Ries lake above the crystalline breccia. Shatter cone-like figures could be seen in the underlying rocks. The geotope was awarded the seal of approval Bavaria's 100 most beautiful geotopes and is explained on site with an information board. Further information at www.lfu.bayern.de/geologie/geotope_schoensten.	800 50 × 16	Type: sequence of layers, gravel (impact), ejecta (impact), inner wall (impact) Type: limestone, crystalline breccia	Quarry	especially valuable	Landscape component	Bavaria's most beautiful geotopes No. 30
Quarry NE of Hainsfarth	more pictures	779A013	Hainsfarth position	Nördlinger Ries	On the east side of the quarry, the (very uneven) deposits of glass-rich suevite on colorful breccia are excellently exposed. The colorful breccia here consists mainly of reddish and brownish Keuper and Dogger rocks. Between the suevite and the colorful breccia there is a thin transition zone with fine-grain suevite. The geotope was awarded the seal of approval Bavaria's 100 most beautiful geotopes and is explained on site with an information board. Further information at www.lfu.bayern.de/geologie/geotope_schoensten.	7500 150 × 50	Type: Standard / Reference Profile, Ejecta Material (Impact) Type: Suevite, Breccia	Quarry	especially valuable	no protected area	Bavaria's most beautiful geotopes No. 9
Riesseekalke am Büschelberg SE from Hainsfarth	more pictures	779A015	Hainsfarth position	Nördlinger Ries	The most impressive outcrop in the Riesseekalk lies on the sports field near Hainsfarth. The algae reef that was formed at the time of the Riessee is preserved in the massive limestone pillars up to 5 m high. Layers of lime appear between the pillars. The same rock is exposed in another quarry east of the sports field. The geotope was awarded the seal of approval Bavaria's 100 most beautiful geotopes and is explained on site with an information board. Further information at www.lfu.bayern.de/geologie/geotope_schoensten.	4000 200 × 20	Type: Standard / Reference Profile, Animal Fossils, Crater Rim (Impact) Type: Limestone	Quarry	especially valuable	no protected area	Bavaria's most beautiful geotopes No. 63
Castle rocks in Wallerstein		779A016	Wallerstein position	Nördlinger Ries	The mighty freshwater limestone towers as Härtling over the Ries level by approx. 70 m. The porous, mostly massive limestones were created by artesians rich in limestone, e.g. Sometimes under clay and lake water cover.	2000 50x40	Type: Rock type, rocky dome, karst horizontal cave , inner wall (impact) Type: limestone	Slope crack / rock wall	especially valuable	Natural monument
Former Sand pit N of Megesheim		779A017	Hainsfarth position	Nördlinger Ries	The detail shows the development phase of the ream after the impact. A diagonally layered alternation of coarse and fine-clastic material has been developed in the pit. These can be seen as delta deposits of a river flowing into the Riessee, which deposited the different rocks of the Ries ejecta that were previously absorbed here.	1000 50 × 20	Type: sedimentary structures, rock type: sand, gravel	Gravel pit / sand pit	precious	no protected area
Road outcrop near Unterappenberg		779A018	Megesheim position	Nördlinger Ries	The outcrop in an overturned allochthonous Jura floe shows a clear dragline in the banked limestone of the Malm Beta and Gamma in the northern part. In the south of the floe, the rock is buried (intensely broken) by the Ries impact.	100 20 × 5	Type: fold / trough / saddle, ejection material (impact), gravel (impact) Type: limestone	Quarry	precious	Natural park
Railway incision NNW from Weilheim		779A019	Monheim position	Riesalb	The exposed grinding surface was created by superficial gravel formation of the pending Malmkalk when it was passed over by the Ries ejection masses. The areas were covered with iron plates by the district office.	2 2 × 1	Type: ground surface (impact), type of layer sequence : limestone, breccia	other information	precious	Natural monument, landscape protection area, nature park
Former Quarry on Wennenberg NE of Alerheim		779A020	Alerheim position	Nördlinger Ries	The Wennenberg is part of the crystalline inner wall. Due to the Ries impact, the clod of the crystalline subsurface was lifted and shattered. The Wennenberg consists mainly of weathered granodiorite, the 'Wennenbergite' (a kersantite-like lamprophyr, which has its type locality here).	125 25 × 5	Type: Type locality, inner wall (impact) Type: Crystalline breccia	Quarry	precious	no protected area
Former Rögling W quarry		779A021	Rögling position	Riesalb	Here Röglinger bank limestones are found in facies close to the reef, with which the beginning of the typical tub sedimentation is indicated (Malm Zeta 1).	350 35 × 10	Type: Type locality Type: Limestone	Slope crack / rock wall	precious	Landscape protection area, nature park
Former Warching ESE quarry		779A022	Monheim position	Riesalb	At the edge of the Warchinger Reef range, the plate limestone, slate and bank limestone of the Lower Solnhofer strata are exposed with the separating Krumme layer.	2100 70 × 30	Type: Layer sequence Type: Limestone	Quarry	significant	Landscape protection area, nature park
Parautochthonous plaice at the sports field N von Hausen		779A024	Fremdingen position	Nördlinger Ries	The (parautochthonous) floe of Malmkalk, tipped by the giant event, lies above Doggersandstein. The sequence of shifts is open on the southern edge of the sports field.	1200 120 × 10	Type: Layer sequence Type: Limestone, sandstone	embankment	precious	Landscape protection area
Gunzenheimer Gump ESE from Gunzenheim		779A025	Kaisheim position	Riesalb	A malm clod several thousand cubic meters in size within the colorful debris masses in the area around the Nördlinger Ries was used to extract raw materials and partly dismantled. In the resulting hollow, a small pond built up due to the low water permeability of the surrounding rubble.	1500 50 × 30	Type: Rock type: Breccia, dolomite stone	Schurf	significant	Landscape protection area, FFH area, nature park
Freshwater limestone on the Adlersberg NW of Reimlingen	more pictures	779A026	Reimlingen position	Nördlinger Ries	The Adlersberg lies in the area of the crystalline clods of the inner ring in the Ries crater. Mighty travertine-like freshwater limestones have been deposited over the underexposed crystalline rocks, which are exposed in several small former mining sites. The Adlersberg forms a prominent knoll in the area.	8000 100 × 80	Type: Rock, Rock Type: Limestone	Rock slope / cliff	precious	Natural monument
Angulate sandstone on the Hirschenbuck WSW of Wassertrüdingen		779A028	Dornstadt-Linkersbaindt position	Southwest Albrand region	The former quarry on the wooded Hirschenbuck has a length of 250 m and is up to 10 m high. Mighty banks of Angulate sandstone from the Lias are exposed.	2500 250 × 10	Type: Rock Type: Sandstone	Quarry	significant	Landscape protection area
Colorful masses of rubble near Aufhausen		779A030	Forheim position	Riesalb	The former quarry is about 3 km south of the crater rim. Allochthonous Malm limestones of the Kimmeridge are open. Due to the heavy use, they are in a strongly brecciated and enlarged form. In places the rock looks downright kneaded.	10500 150 × 70	Type: Ejecta Material (Impact), Rock Type: Limestone	Quarry	precious	no protected area
Crystalline clod in the deep valley ENE of Hürnheim		779A032	Nördlingen position	Nördlinger Ries	In the former quarry, Kristallin is open. This is an association of amphibolites, biotite-plagioclase gneisses and two generations of granites, aplites and pegmatites that were displaced by the Ries impact.	8 4 × 2	Type: Type of rock Type: amphibolite, biotite-plagioclase-gneiss, granite	Quarry	significant	Landscape protection area, FFH area
Lindle SE quarry from Holheim		779A033	Nördlingen position	Nördlinger Ries	The Lindle (or Arlt) quarry is located in a tipped Malm limestone clod. The layers were partially bent up parallel to the crater rim during the impact. A geological and natural history trail leads through the adventure geotope.	90000 300 × 300	Type: Storage conditions, gravel (impact), ground surface (impact) Type: Limestone, debris	Quarry	precious	FFH area
Ore mines in the Meilenhard NE of Daiting		779G001	Daiting position	Riesalb	In the 19th century, iron ore was mined in Meilenhart near Daiting. The iron was contained in stone ore, which - embedded in clay - lay in deep karst hollow forms. You can still collect floor ore in the fields in the vicinity. During the mining period in the 19th century, numerous reptiles were recovered, prepared and published from the Bohner ore mine at Meilenhart. After that, the fossil site was largely forgotten and was only rediscovered in the 1960s and then made good finds until the end of the 1980s, when the municipal quarry was shut down and filled. On the first topographical picture of Bavaria (Fig. 4) from the 19th century. the iron ore mine is marked in the far north of the grove east of the road. Limestone mining later moved south. The area is now heavily overgrown and almost inaccessible. No information is currently available.	2000 100 × 20	Type: Schurf Type: Clay, Limestone	no information	significant	Natural monument, landscape protection area, nature park
Ping E from Wemding		779G002	Wemding position	Riesalb	In the forest east of Wemding there are at least three dilapidated lignite shafts with pings. They are the only visible evidence of lignite mining during the 1920s.	94500 350 × 270	Type: Pinge / nfeld Type: Brown coal	Ping	significant	Landscape protection area, nature park
Ofnethöhlen SW of Holheim	more pictures	779H001	Nördlingen position	Nördlinger Ries	The parautochthonous clod in karstified Malm Delta mass limestone lies on the inner rim of the crater. It houses the remains of an old karst system. These cave remains are hall-like cavities with a wide portal. There is weak sinter formation on the walls. The Ofnet caves became known through archaeological finds, u. a. ritual skull burials from the Paleolithic. The geotope was awarded the seal of approval Bavaria's 100 most beautiful geotopes and is explained on site with an information board. Further information at www.lfu.bayern.de/geologie/geotope_schoensten.	120 15 × 8	Type: Karst Horizontal Cave Type: Limestone	Slope crack / rock wall	precious	Nature reserve, landscape protection area, FFH area	Bavaria's most beautiful geotopes No. 38
Pumperhole E by Otting	more pictures	779H002	Monheim position	Riesalb	The pumperhole, also known as the Wasserschlinger, is a shaft and crevice cave that extends along a system of fissures over several levels to a depth of around 55 meters. The total length of the known corridors is about 240 meters. The entrance to the cave is a vertical sinkhole that acts as a sinkhole for surface water in the area. ATTENTION: DO NOT ENTER, LOW SECURITY!	2400 240 × 10	Type: Karst Shaft & Horizontal Cave, Ponor Type: Limestone	Slope crack / rock wall	precious	Natural monument, landscape protection area, nature park
Hohlensteinhöhle SW of Ederheim		779H003	Ederheim position	Nördlinger Ries	The Hohlenstein cave was created by stacking several Weissjura mass limestone blocks on top of each other, which were hurled out of the Ries crater (allochthonous clods). Easier erodible rock (colored breccia) was removed by weathering and the cave was created. After the 5 m wide and 3 m high entrance, the cave drops off approx. 25 m and ends in a small hall-like room.	1500 60 × 25	Type: Fissured / Tectonic Cave Type: Limestone	cave	significant	Natural monument
Geological organ NW of Haselbach	more pictures	779H004	Esterholz position	Iller-Lech region	A geological organ can be found as the last detail of an otherwise overgrown, former quarry. This is an almost vertical cave, at the upper exit of which you can see the overlying soil with its roots. It lies in the Danube Ice Age Ur-Iller gravel, in the highest part of the Aindlinger terrace stairs.	10 5 × 2	Type: Rock type, Geological organ Type: Conglomerate	Gravel pit / sand pit	significant	no protected area
Schwalbquelle S from Wemding	more pictures	779Q001	Huisheim position	Nördlinger Ries	The karst spring is located on the inner structural rim of the Ries crater in Malm Delta Limestone.	12 6 × 2	Type: Constriction Source Type: Limestone	no information	significant	Natural monument, landscape protection area, nature park
Karst spring in Brünsee	more pictures	779Q002	Harburg position	Riesalb	There are several well-pouring springs in the expanded and dammed spring pond. The drainage takes place in the Wörnitz backwater.	600 30 × 20	Type: Constriction Source Type: Limestone	no information	significant	Natural monument, nature park
Parautochthonous plaice Riegelberg SW from Holheim		779R001	Nördlingen position	Nördlinger Ries	The parautochthonous clod on the inner rim of the crater consists of karstified Malm Delta mass limestone.	80000 400 × 200	Type: Ejecta material (impact), karst horizontal cave, rock summit, gravel (impact), crater rim (impact) Type: Limestone	Slope crack / rock wall	precious	Nature reserve, landscape protection area, FFH area
Taubenstein WSW rock needle from Christgarten		779R002	Forheim position	Riesalb	The rock pinnacle, which is largely hidden in the forest, consists of Malm mass limestone and lies (as part of a parautochthonous clod) on the structural edge of the Ries.	12 4 × 3	Type: Rock Tower / Needle Type: Limestone	Slope crack / rock wall	significant	Natural monument, landscape protection area
Rock slope on Fischerholz N von Harburg		779R003	Harburg position	Riesalb	Rock wall on the former Wörnitz-Prallhang in thick-banked Malm Delta limestone, which merges upward into reef limestone with small peaks. Numerous sponge remains have been weathered on the rock faces. Several karst caves were cut through the former quarry. Red loams with Oligocene-Miocene fauna are deposited in karst crevices.	2000 200 × 10	Type: Impact slope, rock wall / slope, sequence of layers, karst chimney, karst crevice, karst horizontal cave Type: limestone, clay	Slope crack / rock wall	precious	Natural monument, landscape protection area, FFH area
Rock S of Rehau		779R004	Monheim position	Riesalb	The so-called Griesfelsen shows negligible degradation of dolomite. The autochthonous reef dolomite was only somewhat brecciated in fault zones or compression zones (Ries event). It is therefore not a real Gries rock (allochthonous Malm clod from the Ries).	2800 80 × 35	Type: Rock wall / slope Type: Dolomite stone	Slope crack / rock wall	significant	Natural monument, landscape protection area, nature park
Wöllwart SE rock summit from Harburg		779R005	Harburg position	Riesalb	The partially buried allochthonous Malmscholle on the former Wörnitz-Prallhang has rock towers at the edge.	2000 50x40	Type: rock dome, rock tower / needle, ejecta material (impact), gravel (impact) type: limestone	Slope crack / rock wall	precious	Natural monument, landscape protection area, FFH area
Rocks at Wedlbuck near Harburg		779R006	Harburg position	Riesalb	The landscape-defining rock formations on the former Wörnitzprallhang lie in the mass limestone of the Malm Epsilon to Zeta.	15000 300 × 50	Type: Rock Wall / Slope Type: Limestone	Slope crack / rock wall	significant	Natural monument, FFH area
Kaufertsberg with witch kitchen E from Lierheim	more pictures	779R007	Möttingen position	Nördlinger Ries	Overturned Malmscholle (Riestrümmermassen) with the former impact slope of the Pleistocene Eger (coves). The Malm Gamma is strongly fissured and karstified (with a short cave witch kitchen). Former small quarries on the west side open up the buried bank limestone.	400 20 × 20	Type: Ejecta material (impact), karst shaft and horizontal cave Type: Debris, limestone	Slope crack / rock wall	significant	Natural monument, FFH area
Kühsteinfelsen SW of Mönchsdeggingen	more pictures	779R008	Mönchsdeggingen position	Riesalb	The Kühsteinfelsen near Mönchsdeggingen is an allochthonous clod on the morphological edge of the Ries crater and offers a comprehensive view of the entire crater. The actual rock consists of the uppermost, thick-banked limestones of the Arzberg Formation (Uhlandi limestone of the Malm Gamma). A small abandoned quarry at the east end of the Kühsteinfelsen opens up fossil-bearing sponge limestone and marl of the Arzberg formation. The geotope was expanded by the Ries Geopark into an adventure geotope and is equipped with a nature trail and information boards.	4500 150 × 30	Type: rock wall / slope, rock type: limestone	Slope crack / rock wall	precious	Natural monument, FFH area
Riesseekalk peaks on Ulrichsberg E from Marktoffingen		779R010	Marktoffingen position	Nördlinger Ries	The Ulrichsberg between Marktoffingen and Maihingen is made up of partly fossil-bearing Riessee limestone. These form a conspicuous, humped landscape that extends over the entire plateau. In good weather, the rim of the Ries crater can be clearly seen from here.	54000 450 × 120	Type: rocky dome, rock type: limestone	other information	precious	no protected area
Dolinenfeld SE from Warching		779R011	Monheim position	Riesalb	A large field of sinkholes in the Malm-Kalk extends southeast of Warching. There are numerous eye-catching and deep sinkholes over an area of several hundred meters in all directions.	120000 300 × 400	Type: Dolinenfeld Type: Limestone	Sinkhole / sinkhole	precious	Landscape protection area, nature park
Mangoldfelsen in Donauwörth		779R012	Donauwörth position	Riesalb	The allochthonous Malmscholle is located in the middle of the city of Donauwörth and was integrated as a section into a wall. Mangoldstein Castle stood on it until 1301, in which Maria von Brabant, Duchess of Bavaria, was executed by her jealous husband. Today it is transformed into the backdrop of an open-air stage in summer. Memorial plaques remember the 30 Years War.	100 10 × 10	Type: Ejecta Material (Impact) Type: Limestone	block	significant	Natural monument
Calvary in Wörnitzstein		779R013	Donauwörth position	Riesalb	The Kalvarienberg in Wörnitzstein is a larger limestone clod that was thrown out of the karter during the Ries impact and deposited in the colorful debris about 20 km outside the crater. Due to the preferential erosion of the clayey rocks of the colorful breccia, the harder limestone clod was cut out. Such hard lime are typical of the southern Vorries and shape the landscape here. The geotope is located on the Geopark Ries educational trail Kalvarienberg Wörnitzstein and is signposted.	5000 100 × 50	Type: Ejecta material (impact), hard material, storage conditions Type: Limestone	Rock slope / cliff	precious	no protected area