Seamounts

Seamounts
Highest peak	Großer Seeberg ( 409.2 m above sea level )
location	District of Gotha , Thuringia ( Germany )
Part of the	Eichenberg – Gotha – Saalfelder fault zone / West Thuringian mountain and hill country
Classification according to	Geology / Handbook of the natural spatial structure of Germany
Coordinates	50 ° 55 '28 " N , 10 ° 47' 13" E Coordinates: 50 ° 55 '28 " N , 10 ° 47' 13" E

The Seeberg or the Seeberge are about six kilometers long, southeast running Härtlingskamm immediately southeast of Gotha city center and west of the district Seebergen in the municipality of Drei Gleichen in the Thuringian district of Gotha . In the north are the Gotha district Siebleben and Tüttleben , in the south the Töpflebener Flur and the districts Günthersleben and Wechmar of the municipality of Drei Gleichen.

The seamounts reach 409.2 m above sea level on the Großer Seeberg in the southeast at Seebergen . NHN , in the northwest near Gotha on the Kleinen Seeberg still 356.4 m above sea level. NHN . Almost their entire area, apart from the summit area of the Little Seeberg, located in 1941 erstausgewiesenen and around 370 hectares large nature reserve seamounts . Geologically, the Großer and Kleiner Seeberg represent two different partial mountain ranges.

Location and landscape

The seamounts are flanked northwest by the Ratsrinne or the Wilder Graben , which separate them from the Krahnberg (up to 431.3 m ). The Apfelstädt flows past to the south-east, separating it from the mountain ranges of the Drei Gleichen (up to 420.8 m ).

All of the mountain ranges mentioned lie in the area of the Eichenberg – Gotha – Saalfelder fault zone , which points south-east from Hainich and runs parallel to the ridge of the Thuringian Forest . Together they form the eastern edge of the natural spatial main unit of West Thuringian mountain and hill country and frame a south-western side basin of the popular Thuringian basin , whose core basin is immediately northeast.

The seamounts are predominantly forested; The northeast flank is steep, especially at the center of the elevation in the southeast, while the southwest flank is more gently sloping. In the north and south there are agriculturally used areas, to the north the Siebleber Teich nature reserve is immediately adjacent . The Elbe-Weser watershed runs over the north-western half of the ridge with the Kleiner Seeberg .

Politically, the area belongs to the city of Gotha and the municipality of Drei Gleichen .

Geology and mining

The seamounts are part of the Eichenberg – Gotha – Saalfeld fault zone that runs through Thuringia . The Große Seeberg is a rift valley with a reversed relief , the Kleine Seeberg is geologically a shell limestone - eyrie with a Mittelkeuper border. Some parts of the Seeberg consist of Keuperletten and strips of shell limestone (Kleiner Seeberg). The Große Seeberge consists of Rhaetian sandstone above and Jura layers to the south , which is still visible today. School classes make regular excursions to the Seeberg due to the great geological diversity .

Sandstone mining

The sandstone from the Seeberg has been used for centuries for buildings such as the Schloss Friedenstein in Gotha and the Gotha Nature Museum , also in Gotha. As a result of the sandstone demolition, the formerly uniform sandstone ceiling was completely fragmented. With a targeted search, one can still find forms of rock that are recognizable as quarries . There are small caves and holes on the Großer Seeberg. These are known as "sand holes". Up until the beginning of the 20th century, sand was extracted by the surrounding communities, which explains the origin of the "sand holes". Today sandstone is being mined again on the "Maikopf". This is a controversial mining operation that is further destroying the landscape. Furthermore, the lime and gypsum mining on the Kleiner Seeberg massively changed the landscape until the beginning of the 20th century. The steep walls on the southern slope are up to 15 meters high and are the result of sandstone mining. The steep walls are the best-known natural features for the Kleiner Seeberg. The Seeberg belongs to the Geopark Inselsberg - Drei Gleichen , especially because of the geological natural monument "Kammerbruch".

Chamber rupture

Sandstone is still mined in the Kammerbruch today. It is a designated geotope. The geotope is the only outcrop with a safe border between Upper Keuper and Lower Jura in Thuringia.

Gypsum quarries

The gypsum quarries are a protected area natural monument. The extraction of gypsum took place above ground and in tunnels. The tunnel system was closed by mining.

Sinkholes

The cause of these sinkholes are leaching in the subsoil, which result in cavities and can lead to collapse. They form funnel-shaped depressions in the ground on the surface.

Sandstone quarry on the Maikopf

Sandstone is still mined in the sandstone quarry today. The sandstone is used as a sculpting and building material and as abrasive sand in the chemical industry.

Badlands at the Düppel

Bad Lands on the main street in Seebergen

On the eastern edge of the Seeberg there are so-called badlands , gray-green and red, very nutrient-poor mudstones, which are exposed with almost no vegetation. Flora and fauna therefore resemble a southern European steppe.

Bergbeule Seebergen

The mountain bump is a geotope. The upcoming Keuper was previously used as building material. The resulting outcrop shows the middle Keuper at an origin between 237 and 249 million years.

climate

The Seeberg and its adjoining areas belong to the weak continental central German dry area with Atlantic lines. The southern slope of the Großer Seeberg is the warmest and driest. The north slope between “Natzkopf” and “Butterleite” is always damp and cool.

Flora and fauna

vegetation

Iffland spring

The Seeberg is almost completely forested. These are dry and shadow forests. There are also semi- dry meadows , dry meadows , orchards , heaths, wet meadows , springs and small ponds. The majority of proven fern and flowering plants of Thuringia were found here. 38 of the 950 species are on the red list . According to the Federal Species Protection Ordinance, there are 41 particularly protected species, including 15 orchid species . In addition, numerous types of mushrooms can be found. In the vicinity of the “Ifflandquelle”, named after August Wilhelm Iffland , rare types of mushrooms such as the reddish red slime umbrella and the crusty reddish mushroom grow .

On old postcards you can see that you had a good view of the city of Gotha from the then (end of the 19th century) unwooded height of the Kleiner Seeberg. At that time, the laborious reforestation of the previously unforested Seeberg began. The beautiful view is a thing of the past.

Animal species

A wide variety of animal species can be found on the Seeberg. Rare species of grasshoppers, beetles, butterflies, wild bees , ants, spiders and molluscs have been identified. There are four reptile species and nine amphibian species living in the area, including the Siebleber pond area. The threatened species of green toad and moor frog should be emphasized . The endangered species of natterjack toad, sand lizard, sea frog, crested newt and grass snake were also found.

There is also a rich variety of birds in the Seeberg area. In the “steppe heath” on the Großer Seeberg you can find 27 species of breeding birds. Black redstart , wheatear, black woodpecker, wryneck and eagle owl are native . Mammals such as wild boars, deer, hares, rabbits, squirrels, badgers, foxes, polecats, stone marten and bats have their habitat on the Seeberg. Raccoons have also been seen.

Attractions

See main article Sights on and on the Seeberg near Gotha

The settlement history of the Seeberg

Early history

The Seeberg area was one of the oldest settlement areas in Thuringia. In prehistoric times it was one of the most densely populated regions in Thuringia. The fertile soil and the good water and climate conditions created the conditions for this. During the post-ice age (6th millennium BC) the area between Töpfleben and the Seeberg was settled. It was a settlement area from the Neolithic Age (from 3000 BC) through the Bronze Age (2000–800 BC) to the Germanic Age (100–500 AD). The Seeberg was used for fortifications, quarries and burial sites during this period. There were settlements below the ridge.

Prehistoric and early historical sites of the Seeberg

In the Seeberg area, there were finds from the Paleolithic Age (700,000–9,500 BC in Europe) to early history (50 BC – 700 AD). These are the following archaeological finds: settlement site, shallow grave , burial mound , individual find , depot find and coin find .

Excavations from this period can be seen in the Museum of Regional History in Gotha. The presentation of the regional history begins with the prehistoric and early historical finds of the territory. In this way it is a cross-section of the second largest collection in Thuringia.

August Wilhelm Iffland describes the Seeberg

“Never, never will I forget the holidays in this beautiful forest ... Our midday meal was usually taken at a spring which rises in the forest on the left. The beautiful, prosperous, mildly governed country lies down on a fertile plain - the large Seeberg on the right - as well as the castles of the same - the friendly Gotha on the left - the blue Brocken finally the romantic distance. "

Seeberg project of NABU Germany

The Seeberg project of the German Nature Conservation Union includes the steep slope with semi-arid grass, the front part of the Seeberg, the Kleine Seeberg - with a height of 358 meters. NABU is active on this hill. The lawn is mowed regularly and the entire area is cleared of bushes. This serves to preserve and promote protected animal and plant species. The protection status of the area with a size of 2.4 hectares is partly a natural monument.

Action alliance "Save the Seeberg"

The action alliance has set itself the task of saving the Seeberg nature reserve from sandstone mining. The action alliance met with a great response and overwhelming approval from the population. A final demarcation between the Seeberg nature reserve and sandstone mining was achieved. On August 25, 2002, the KommPottPora Gotha association organized the “Save the Seeberg” hike. MDR television , MDR radio and the local press took part in the hike, which led to the “Düppel” restaurant via the Kammweg . The approximately 1500 people who took part in the hike were able to see for themselves the importance of preserving the nature reserve.

literature

Karl Caesar von Leonhard, HG Bronn: New yearbook for mineralogy, geognosy, geology and petrefacts
W. Förster: The Seeberg - the local mountain of the city of Gotha, as well as the neighboring communities Seebergen and Günthersleben – Wechmar. 2003
To the natural features of the Gotha Seeberg. Expert opinion by KV NABU on behalf of the Gotha District Office
M. Nagel: The Seeberg as a partial landscape of the West Thuringian mountain and hill country. 1971
On the nature and history of the Seeberg nature reserve near Gotha . NABU Kreisverband Gotha eV, 2004, ISBN 3-00-015069-2
Wolfgang Klug: Wild flowers in the Thuringian Burgenland of the Three Equals and the Seeberg . Print Media Center Gotha, 2006

Web links

Nature reserve project area 11 Seeberg-Siebleber pond

References and comments

↑ ^a ^b Map services of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation ( information )

↑ http://www.tlug-jena.de/uw_raum/umweltregional/gth/index.html?gth10.html Thuringian State Institute for Environment and Geology

↑ On the nature and history of the Seeberg nature reserve near Gotha , NAB Kreisverband Gotha, ISBN 3-00-015069-2

↑ Official topographic maps of Thuringia 1: 10,000. Wartburgkreis, district of Gotha, district-free city of Eisenach . In: Thuringian Land Survey Office (Hrsg.): CD-ROM series Top10 . CD 2. Erfurt 1999.

^ E. Meynen and J. Schmithüsen : Handbook of the natural spatial structure of Germany (6th delivery 1959) - Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Remagen / Bad Godesberg 1953–1962 (9 deliveries in 8 books, updated map 1: 1,000,000 with main units 1960)

↑ Karl Kohlstock quotes the actor Iffland in his “voyages of discovery in the homeland” with his description of the Seeberg area and the Iffland source on the Seeberg, which was later named after him.

↑ http://www.nabu.de/m03/m03_09/05961.html ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Website NABU Germany - Thuringia Kleiner Seeberg@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.nabu.de

↑ - ( Memento of the original from July 14, 2004 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Quarry in the nature reserve - a chronology @1@ 2

[DE_BFN-Karten-1] Map services of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation ( information )

[2] ttp://www.tlug-jena.de/uw_raum/umweltregional/gth/index.html?gth10.html Thuringian State Institute for Environment and Geology

[3] On the nature and history of the Seeberg nature reserve near Gotha , NAB Kreisverband Gotha, ISBN 3-00-015069-2

[TK10-2-4] Official topographic maps of Thuringia 1: 10,000. Wartburgkreis, district of Gotha, district-free city of Eisenach . In: Thuringian Land Survey Office (Hrsg.): CD-ROM series Top10 . CD 2. Erfurt 1999.

[Meynen-5] E. Meynen and J. Schmithüsen : Handbook of the natural spatial structure of Germany (6th delivery 1959) - Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Remagen / Bad Godesberg 1953–1962 (9 deliveries in 8 books, updated map 1: 1,000,000 with main units 1960)

[6] Karl Kohlstock quotes the actor Iffland in his “voyages of discovery in the homeland” with his description of the Seeberg area and the Iffland source on the Seeberg, which was later named after him.