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Geoparc Bletterbach - Visitor Centre
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The Bletterbach offers a view into the interior of the mountains, into the world of stones. The gorge is the result of weathering and erosion. Over a section of about 8 kilometres the Bletterbach has been carving its way since the Ice Age, about 15,000 years ago, up to 400 m. deep, into the different eras in the history of the earth. Layer upon layer has bee exposed. Ten billion tonnes of rock were removed and carried down into the Etsch Valley. Now we can leaf through it as if it were a book. The walk through the gorge, and around the Bletterbach geological park, is a special experience which takes you on a journey through millions of years of geological history.
In contrast to the complicated and confusing situation in other parts of the Alps, the strata here are intact, and the structure of the rocks gives an insight into their creation, the climate, and the environment 250 million years ago. In addition the tracks of prehistoric reptiles have been found in the Gröden sandstone strata. Well-preserved impressions of parts of plants, and numerous traces of animal activity - of eating and burrowing – provide information about the flora and fauna. Fossils in marine deposits, such as mussels, snails and cephalopods tell us about life in the warm tropical seas of the time.
The Visitor Centre below the Alpine hut Lahner shows the processes that led to the creation of the rocks in the Bletterbach gorge, and, like the Geo Museum in Radein, contains fossil finds from the gorge, such as prehistoric reptile tracks, fossilised fish, mussels and plants. The visitor learns about and experiences interesting and significant aspects of life in this area millions of years ago.
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