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27. Gemündener Maar: Siblings - and yet so very different!

27. Gemündener Maar: Siblings - and yet so very different!

  • Gemündener Maar
  • Gemündener Maar

Inside the Earth, huge amounts of hot magma are under great pressure and are being pushed towards the surface. Where there are weaknesses in the Earth’s crust, magma sometimes rises up and flows out onto the surface as lava. The Daun Maars were formed in a weak zone such as this.

They have formed a row along a crack in the Earth’s crust. The first of the maars was created near Schalkenmehren, but it was soon filled in when its younger brother erupted. We find species-rich fenland here today. Then the Schalkenmehrener Maar with its maar lake formed to the west.

The series of eruptions continued westward: Next, the Gemündener Maar was formed. It can now be seen as a deep funnel with a beautiful, wooded crater rim. The Weinfelder Maar is the youngest member of this group of volcanoes. It is now a quiet lake, surrounded by broom and other bushes. So each of the siblings of this family of volcanoes exhibits a very different kind of landscape.

 

Highlights

27. Gemündener Maar: Siblings - and yet so very different!