Dwarf Cave (Herrenstrunden)

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Locked entrance to the dwarf cave

The Herrenstrunden dwarf cave is a karst cave in the Paffrath limestone basin that has been cut through quarry work . It is located in the Strundetal in the municipality of Odenthal on the road from Herrenstrunden to Spitze .

Geological evolution

In the Bergisch dialect it is called Quergskuhl (literally translated: Zwergenkaule). The dwarf cave is located in a central Devonian reef limestone , which was formed here from a tropical shallow sea 380 million years ago. After the limestone was deposited, some of the rocks were deeply karstified in different geological ages . During the Tertiary, the Lower Rhine Bay began to sink increasingly. Associated with this, under subtropical climatic conditions, was intensive weathering of the limestone solution and a lowering of the groundwater level . Existing dividing surfaces were partially extended to caves by dissolving carbonates. A rich treasure trove of karst forms arose in the area around Bergisch Gladbach. In addition to caves, ponors , sinkholes and karst springs can also be found.

Protective measures

The cave is permanently closed so that bats can hibernate here undisturbed. So far, hibernating brown long-eared , large mouse-eared and water bats have been found in the cave .

Say

In his collection of legends, Otto Schell has handed down the following legend under the title The Quergskuhl near Herrenstrundfen :

“The Quergskuhl (dwarf pit) near Herrenstrunden is known to everyone there. Underground corridors run deep into the mountain. Large arches, caves, niches and long corridors pull deep into the earth.
The Querge or dwarfs once lived there. Old people had lively intercourse with them. They borrowed cooking utensils from them and returned them to them, cleaned and cleaned. These dwarves were also able to light fires without the barn burning. They regularly made shoes and boots at night for a shoemaker in the neighborhood. He left her at work undisturbed for a long time. But one evening he decided to thank them. He made a pair of delicate shoes and put them in the workshop. When an old dwarf came in the evening to do his work in the usual way, he saw the shoes. He took it and never came back.
According to other reports, the dwarves there left the area when Christianity was introduced because they were pagans. They tended the cattle to the farmers of the area in a faithful way until they left. "

- Recorded according to oral tradition.

Natural monument

The dwarf cave is registered under the number OD_2.3-09 as a natural monument in Odenthal in the "Südkreis" landscape plan of the Rheinisch-Bergisches Kreis .

literature

  • Anton Jux: The Johanniter-Kommende Herrenstrunden and parish history, Bergisch Gladbach 1956

Individual evidence

  1. Harald Frater: Geologische Streifzüge - Cologne, Bergisch Gladbach and surroundings, Cologne 2004, ISBN 3-7616-1754-2 , p. 120
  2. ^ Journey to the Enchanted Place, accessed on January 13, 2013
  3. ^ Page of the Leverkusen Bat Working Group , accessed on April 25, 2016.
  4. Otto Schell: Bergische Sagen, collected and edited with annotations , Elberfeld 1897, p. 296

Web links

Commons : Dwarf Cave  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 51 ° 0 ′ 42 "  N , 7 ° 11 ′ 11.7"  E