Geotope Day
Geotope Day is celebrated all over Germany every year on the third Sunday of September. On this day, museums, university institutes, the geological state offices, associations, visitor mines, tourist caves and tourist informations and many dedicated private persons offer guided tours, excursions and other events with a geological focus.
Geotope Day provides an opportunity for the general public to explore geotopes such as quarries, rock formations or minerals, historic mines and many other attractions with the experts. These offers are a chance to "DISCOVER AND EXPERIENCE" how our Earth and its raw materials were formed and how the landscape evolved. Every year, the Geopark Thuringia Inselsberg–Drei Gleichen observes Geopark Day with a wide range of geological guided tours along GeoRoutes and in tourist caves, visitor mines and active quarries.
Interesting and varied Geotope Day activities are not exclusively available for professionals but are especially suited for interested laypersons and active families: they range from cave tours to expert guided GeoTours, geological bicycle tours and kids parties where children can cast and paint fossils and explore the geological time line.
Events 2024
Guided tour of the Bromacker
Experience the world-famous Bromacker early saurian site between Georgenthal and Tambach-Dietharz with palaeontologist Dr Tom Hübner (Friedenstein Foundation Gotha) and learn exciting details about the Permian saurians and the current research work at Bromacker.
Time and place:
Monday, 16 September 2014
Meeting point: Car park at the Seeberger Fahrt, Tambach-Dietharz
Start: 4:00 pm
Duration: approx. 1.5 hours
Information:
The number of participants is limited. Book your guided Bromacker tour via the adjacent button.
Please wear clothing suitable for the weather and sturdy shoes.
Bromacker short guided tours with craft activities
On Sunday, 15 September, certified hiking and geopark guides Sylvia and Georg Seebach offer children and adults who are young at heart the opportunity to learn interesting facts about the quarries and the world-famous excavation site at Bromacker and to paint fossil casts as a small souvenir at the Steinhauerhütte.
Two guided tours at 10:00 and 13:00 provide an insight into the history of quarrying and the palaeontological treasures of the Bromacker from the Lower Permian period.
Time and place:
Sunday, 15 September 2024
Meeting point for the guided tours: Car park at the Seeberger Fahrt, Tambach-Dietharz
Start: at 10:00 am and 1:00 pm respectively
Duration of a guided tour: approx. 30 minutes
Information:
The offer is free of charge. A small donation for the craft materials is welcome.
Registration: tourismus@tambach-dietharz.de, 036252 34428 or directly with the Seebach family Tel.: 0173 8496157
Open mine day in the Marienglashöhle in Friedrichroda
Experience the well-known and popular Marienglashöhle on Geotope Day 2024. On this day, the former mine will be open to all visitors free of charge from 10:00 to 12:00. The individual tour can be done with or without an audio guide. At 13:30, Geopark geologist Stephan Brauner will give a free special guided tour and from 10:00 to 18:00, the exhibition in the GeoInfocentre can be visited.
Time and place:
Sunday, 15 September 2024
Marienglashöhle Friedrichroda
10:00-18:00 - GeoInfocentre open
10:00-12:00 - free admission to the Marienglashöhle
13:30 - free guided tour by geopark geologist Stephan Brauner, approx. 45 minutes
Information:
There is high humidity and an average temperature of 10°C in the mine. Wear clothing appropriate to the temperature for the duration of your visit to the mine.
Registration is not necessary!
Book launch: "Das vergessene Bergwerk des Georg Christoph von Utterodt oder: Was passieren kann, wenn man sich im, oder besser: unter dem Wald eine Frage stellt."
The author Rainer Fohlert presents his book ‘Das vergessene Bergwerk des Georg Christoph von Utterodt’ (ISBN 978-3-75788931-9). It began with the search for information about the origins and times of mining in the Wartberge mountains near Seebach. Surprisingly, the remains of boreholes can often be found in the caves there. This resulted in extensive historical research, which ultimately led to exciting information about an impressive 17th century mining operation in Schmerbach in the Thuringian Forest.
The silver and copper mine, which began around 340 years ago, and its initiator had long been forgotten. Georg Christoph von Utterodt, a representative of a family that played a key role in shaping events in our region for centuries, was largely forgotten, as was his mine. His life story, which is now known at least in outline, was similarly surprising ...
Other interesting findings on the fringes of the actual search for clues should also be mentioned.
A copy of the book (38 euros) can be purchased during the event.
Time and place:
Friday, 13 September 2024
Local and Tobacco Pipe Museum,
Obere Lindenstraße 29/31, 99842 Ruhla
Start: 7:00 pm, duration: approx. 2 hours
The event is free of charge.
Contact:
Tourist information Ruhla
New Market 1, 99842 Ruhla
Telephone: 036929-89013
E-mail: tourist@ruhla.de
Special guided tour on the subject of bats in the Dripstone Cave Kittelsthal
Bat conservation has been playing an increasingly important role in the Dripstone Cave Kittelsthal for the past two years. The data collected by the local bat conservation organisation is now being analysed and should provide informative insights into when and how many bats hibernate in the Dripstone Cave Kittelsthal. In addition, valuable insights into the diversity of species could be gained from acoustic measurements.
The Geotope Day programme will be offered on 15 September 2024 in six guided tours from 11:00-17:00.
Time and place:
Dripstone Cave Kittelsthal
99842 Ruhla
Sunday, 15 September 2024
Guided tours on the hour: 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00
Admission prices:
Adults: 6.00 €, children: 3.00 €
Contact:
Tourist Information Ruhla
Neuer Markt 1, 99842 Ruhla
Telephone: 036929-89013
E-mail: tourist@ruhla.de
Saurian festival in Georgenthal
The saurian festival in Georgenthal will take place on Saturday, 14 September 2024 from 14:30 to 18:30 in the area of the playground in the spa park. There will be a colourful children's and family programme with numerous games and craft activities, children's theatre, bubble & stilt show, photo box, night walk on the dinosaur trail and many other small and large attractions related to the saurians from the Bromacker.
From 18:30 Open Stage - the colourful & entertaining cultural programme on the Kurparkbühne Georgenthal and from 20:00 summer cinema in the Kurpark with a surprise dinosaur film.
Further information at: www.georgenthal.de/aktuelles/veranstaltungen
Night hike on the Saurian Discovery Trail
Experienced geopark geologist Stephan Brauner will take you on a night hike into the exciting world of early saurians and dinosaurs and reveal to you, for example, what the strange saurian name Tambachia trogallas is all about and how the scientists at the BROMACKER are researching the world of early saurians. Don't miss this exciting and informative guided tour on the most popular GeoRoute in the UNESCO Global Geopark Thuringia Inselsberg - Drei Gleichen!
Time and place:
Saturday, 14 September 2024
Meeting point: Georgenthal spa gardens
Start: 6:30 pm
Duration: approx. 2 hours
Notes:
We recommend sturdy, comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the weather. The event is free of charge.
Thematic hike copper slate mining and smelting
Guided hike to old copper slate mines between Bad Tabarz and Fischbach with some information on the history of Bad Tabarz and Cabarz. The slab quarry in the Rotliegend at Hübelskopf is also visited.
Time and place:
Saturday, 14 September 2024
Meeting point: Bad Tabarz OT Cabarz, Max-Alvary-Str. 2 / Postweg
Start: 10:00 am
Duration: 1.5 hours
Hints and tips:
Clothing suitable for the weather and sturdy shoes are recommended. The event is free of charge
Contact:
Reiner Klein
Phone: 0152/01607983
E-mail: klein7reiner@t-online.de
Information event on cobalt mining at the historic mine in Catterfeld
At the historic colliery site, idyllically situated on the northern edge of the village of Catterfeld (rural community of Georgenthal), local rocks and ores will be on display and the history of cobalt mining in Catterfeld from the 17th to 19th centuries will be explained. We would like to enter into dialogue with all interested parties, whether with or without previous knowledge.
Time and place:
Sunday, 15 September 2024
Meeting point: Georgenthal, OT Catterfeld, at the Lindenstraße/Am Ziegelberg junction, please park your vehicle and walk approx. 250 m to the former quarry from here
Start: 1:00 pm
End: 5:00 pm
Information:
Coffee and cake will be provided.
Contact:
Förderverein Bergbausiedlung Catterfeld e.V.
Lars Pracht
Phone: 0172/7948314
E-mail: info@gv-altenbergen-catterfeld.de
