Science - didactics

40 mill. years history of the earth

The Bletterbach is a Mecca for geologists from all over the world. 40 million years of the earth’s history are perfectly revealed here. No other opening offers such a comprehensive and many-sided insight into the sedimentary sequence in..

Leaf through the earth’s history book

A vertical history of the earth
In the Bletterbach canyon there are rocks which come from the important transitional period from the Palaeozoic to the earlier Mesozoic era. Especially the Permian sediments are famous..

Fire out of the heart of the earth

Bozen quartz porphyry
Quartz porphyry is a mainly volcanic rock strata, which can reach a thickness of over 1500 metres in the Bozen area. In addition to the typical deposits from hot clouds of embers..

Sandstone, siltstone, claystone - tracks of prehistoric reptiles

Gröden sandstone
Towards the end of the Palaeozoic era, the quartz porphyry was deeply eroded in places by the hot dry climate. From this..

Gypsum - the mass extermination!

Bellerophon strata
Gradually the upper Gröden strata give way to the dark grey Bellerophon strata, rich in gypsum. These sediments, named after a sea snail found in them, reach a thickness of about..

Flowing seas

Werfen strata
The Werfen strata reach a thickness of about 400m in the Bletterbach. They are a colourful sequence of strata, which reflect the alternation between the advancing and retreating..

South Sea dreams

Sarl-dolomite
Above the Richthofen Conglomerate there is, finally, sarl-dolomite, which forms the brilliant white summit of the Weisshorn. Sarl-dolomite was formed in a tropical sea..