Riesenstein near Heimarshausen is Geotope of the Year

For the first time in 2017, and now for the fifth time, the GrenzWelten National Geopark called for proposals for a "Geotope of the Year". Numerous amateur geologists made use of the call and nominated their favourite geotopes. From the submissions, the Geopark jury has now selected the Riesenstein near Naumburg-Heimarshausen and chosen it as Geotope of the Year 2021.

The campaign is intended to draw attention to exceptional geological objects and increase regional awareness of the geotopes, says Geopark Director Kim Peis. At the same time, the value and worthiness of protection is to be emphasised and made accessible to the public.

So this year the title goes to the Riesenstein near Heimarshausen in the Geopark town of Naumburg. "There were many great geotopes among the suggestions, so the choice was particularly difficult for us," Kim Peis emphasises. The suggestion for the Riesenstein was made by GrenzWelten Geopark guide Herwör Großenbach from Borken, who is a doctor in her main profession. According to Kim Peis, the geotope is also convincing because of its archaeological value. In the crevice between the giant stone and the rock face on the mountain side, finds have been dated back to the early Mesolithic period around 10,000 years ago. In addition, the geotope is easily accessible and connected to hiking trails of the Habichtswald Nature Park - the starting point for an approximately 7 km long circular trail is the well-signposted hiking car park "Ferienhof Schneider".

The Riesenstein is a striking mushroom rock in the south-west of the Habichtswald Hills. The approximately 8-metre-high natural monument is part of a cliff-like rock formation on the crest of the Ziegenrücken and consists of sandstones of the Middle Buntsandstein from about 245 million years ago. The rough and partly holey to honeycomb-like surface of the grey-beige rock is particularly striking.

Chemical and physical weathering processes on the surface of the rock determined the unusual geomorphology of the Mushroom Rock. However, if one believes the legend, the devil is said to have thrown the rock against Naumburg when the church was built there. However, the rock got caught on his sleeve and thus came to rest in its present location. Further information is available from the GrenzWelten Geopark project office (Tel.: 05631 954-512) and from the Habichtswald Nature Park (Tel.: 05625 7909-73).