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Discover the Messel hills: A natural paradise awaits!
The Messel hills near Darmstadt offer unique nature, rare animal species and new geopoints. Discover the UNESCO Geopark!
Discover the Messel hills: A natural paradise awaits!
The Messel hill country, ultimately a natural paradise, awaits its visitors with new information that will make the heart of every nature lover beat faster. Located on the border between Darmstadt, Dieburg and Rödermark, in the Offenbach district, this forest area impresses with its natural deciduous forests, forest meadows, fens and shifting sand dunes. It is not only a retreat for many different plants and animals, but also home to rare species such as the yellow-bellied toad, the grass snake, the tawny owl as well as numerous orchids and irises, as fr.de reports.
In the heart of the hill country is the famous Messel Pit fossil site, which is considered Germany's first UNESCO World Heritage site. Here researchers were able to discover exceptionally well-preserved fossils from the Eocene, which are up to 47 million years old. This exceptional natural heritage makes Messel an important place for understanding the evolutionary history of mammals.
The new geopoint in Messel
In order to recognize the ecological relevance of the area, a new geopoint was set up at Heimkehrerplatz in Messel. This is the third geopoint in the region that offers interesting insights into the geological wealth of Messel and the surrounding area. Mayor Thorsten Buhrmester expresses the hope that more visitors will discover this charming place and perhaps stay for a longer period.
For future visitors, consideration is already being given to expanding the dining and accommodation offerings in order to meet the needs of nature lovers. “There is something to be said,” said Buhrmester and spoke out in favor of better expansion of the cycle path network to the surrounding communities. However, he emphasized that he is against the planned bypass road for Rödermark-Urberach, which will run through the idyllic Messel hills.
The Bergstrasse-Odenwald Geo-Nature Park
The Messel Hills are part of the large Bergstrasse-Odenwald geo-nature park, which extends over around 3,500 km² between the Rhine, Main and Neckar rivers and has been designated a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2015. The region has a geological history spanning over 500 million years and combines a fascinating natural landscape with a deep-rooted culture that dates back to ancient times. As hessen-tourismus.de further explains, the hospitality of the local people attracts numerous visitors.
From striking geological formations to human history, the park offers a variety of attractions. A particularly impressive feature is the Felsenmeer, a site of thousands of boulders used by ancient Roman stonemasons. Here visitors can experience the geological history up close and learn more about the development of the landscape.
On September 14th there will be an action day at Lichtenberg Castle to celebrate the anniversary of the Geo-Nature Park. It's an excellent opportunity to explore the region's impressive natural wonders and learn more about their significance.
The Messel hill country therefore offers many exciting attractions not only to nature lovers, but also to those interested in history. It remains to be seen how the area will develop as a result of the new initiatives, but one thing is certain: there is a lot to discover.