The garden of stones
Gommern, a city with a long tradition in the fields of mining and geology, opened in 1995, the garden of stones. Meanwhile, he should show the largest and most comprehensive collection of natural stones from Germany and Europe and this is a certain uniqueness. Overlooking the See "Kulk" and the shifting sand dune "Fuchsberg" you can explore the stones. Information boards informed about the formation, structure, classification and origin of the stones. The garden is always freely available. Free guided tours are offered on request by telephone.
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The origin of the rocks
Currently, the collection includes 237 stone blocks and varieties of more than 213 localities. Nearly all the bedrock from Germany to be taken as close to the surface and are still produced in quarries, are represented. Other exhibits come from Hungary, Austria, France, Spain, Bulgaria, Poland and Slovakia. The oldest rocks in Europe from Scandinavia and the Baltic region, are found in the glacial boulders in the overburden of the lignite. "Exotics” are a Fuchsitquarzit from northern Norway, samples of lava from Iceland and a serpentinite from Cuba.
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The rock types
The rocks vary in colour, shape and structure, which are above all determined by their origin and composition. Here in the rock garden, almost all types of geological formation are represented. If you look at the stones, one can clearly see the differences.
Are significantly different within the earth from the magma crystallized plutonic rocks (eg granite) and the rocks of the volcanoes, which solidifies on the surface of lava and ash: the red porphyry, black basalt and porous tufa. Sediment or sedimentary rocks are deposited by water, wind or ice (eg the different claystones, sandstones and conglomerates). Even organisms such as algae, sponges, corals, clams and snails can build entire rock massif as some limestone. Other deposits are purely vegetable origin, eg lignite, may still occur in the whole tree trunks.
Finally, the geological processes in the formation of the large folds of the mountains under high pressures and temperatures, older rocks have changed beyond recognition, eg rolled out to plattig schists and gneisses or recrystallized to marble and serpentinite.
The skilled person can read in the rocks like a book. Based on their composition and their inclusions, such as fossils, trace fossils, minerals and crystal geodes he can reconstruct their history as a criminologist.
(Source: wikipedia)
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