Tüfels Chile

	Tüfels Chile IUCN Category IV - Habitat / Species Management Area
	Scoreboard Tüfels Chilean
location	Switzerland , Canton of Zurich, Kollbrunn, municipality of Zell ZH
Geographical location	47 ° 28 ' N , 8 ° 48' E Coordinates: 47 ° 27 '49 " N , 8 ° 48' 4" E ; CH1903: 702723 / 257860
Sea level	565 m
particularities	Tuff

The Tüfels Chilen is a scenic feature in the municipality of Zell / Kollbrunn in the Zurich Tösstal . It is the headwaters of the Bäntalbach, which flows through the Bäntal.

Tüfels Chile

History of origin

The formation of this landscape, which is now a natural monument, was created by two stone quarries in which tuff stone was mined in the 19th century and used for the construction of houses and roads. "The north tower of the Stadtkirche Winterthur proves the former use of the Bäntaler tuff." After they were sold in 1873, the pits were closed and nature recaptured the place when mining ended. "The water that flows from 2 large and 2 small springs and the shade provided by the forest created the conditions for the natural structure as it is today."

The Swiss German name means "Church of the Devil" in High German. «The name goes back to a grotto that used to be here. Very calcareous water flows from springs in the upper part of the moraine rubble hill over the moss into the Bäntal. The lime separates out in the air, combines with the moss and is deposited as a porous but very hard rock. The grotto with spring was probably once a pagan spring shrine and, like so much else, was demonized in the Middle Ages. " The rock resulting from this biochemical process is called spring tuff or limestone tuff . Since it is hard, but very porous, rockslides occur every now and then, which can change the appearance. The last major rock fall occurred in January 2017.

tourism

In 1996 the area around the Tüfels Chilean region was placed under cantonal protection. It became a popular destination for the region and beyond. Many school trips visit the “mysterious” place, which can also be reached by hiking.

literature

Niklaus Müller, Norbert Schnyder: Tüfels Chilen - an impressive natural structure. In: Meylania, 41, 2008, pp. 39-42.
Kurt von der Dunk, Klaus von der Dunk: Moose under the microscope. IDH, Bad Münstereifel 1988.
R. Delarze, Y. Gonseth: Habitats of Switzerland. 2nd edition, Bern 2008.

Web links

Commons : Tüfels Chilen - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Tüfels Chilen on the website of the municipality of Kollbrunn
Article « Zürcher Oberland: The Devil's Church » on a hiking page
"Quelltuff" in the mineral atlas

Individual evidence

↑ Martin Arnold, Ronald Decker et al .: Natural monuments in Switzerland . AT Verlag, Aarau 2013, ISBN 978-3-03800-669-5 , p. 76 ( online [PDF]).
↑ Niklaus Müller, Norbert Schnyder: Tüfels Chilen - an impressive natural structure . In: Meylania . tape 41 , 2008, p. 40 .
↑ Tüfels Chile. Kollbrunn community, accessed on March 9, 2020 .
↑ ^a ^b Die Tüfels Chilen on www.wanderseite.ch, accessed on February 10, 2020.
↑ Quelltuff on www.mineralienatlas.de, accessed on February 10 2020th
↑ Tüfels Chilen on www.landbote.ch, accessed on February 10, 2020.

[1] Martin Arnold, Ronald Decker et al .: Natural monuments in Switzerland . AT Verlag, Aarau 2013, ISBN 978-3-03800-669-5 , p. 76 ( online [PDF]).

[2] Niklaus Müller, Norbert Schnyder: Tüfels Chilen - an impressive natural structure . In: Meylania . tape 41 , 2008, p. 40 .

[3] Tüfels Chile. Kollbrunn community, accessed on March 9, 2020 .

[Wanderseite-4] Die Tüfels Chilen on www.wanderseite.ch, accessed on February 10, 2020.

[5] Quelltuff on www.mineralienatlas.de, accessed on February 10 2020th

[6] Tüfels Chilen on www.landbote.ch, accessed on February 10, 2020.