Holzmaden is known as a “prehistoric community” with dinosaurs and fossils. The town is located in a Lower Jurassic geological area associated with Posidonia Shale and marine fossils around 180 million years old. There are different ways to explore the area when planning your trip: view fossils in an exhibition or search for them yourself at the prehistoric quarry. The museum and quarry are separate facilities with different operators; their tickets and events are not interchangeable.
Fossils at the Museum and Dinosaur Park
The Hauff Prehistoric World Museum is located in the heart of the Holzmaden fossil site and displays fossils from the Posidonia Shale. With around 1,000 square metres of exhibition space, it is one of Germany’s largest privately owned natural history museums. The town and its fossils therefore represent not only a geological period, but also an extensive exhibition devoted to this subject.
The Hauff Prehistoric World Museum also has an outdoor dinosaur park. Eight life-size dinosaurs are on display there. Children can dig up dinosaur bones in a designated excavation area. The exhibition and excavation area offer different ways to explore prehistoric times.
Fossil Hunting and Visitor Information
At the Holzmaden prehistoric quarry, visitors can search for Jurassic fossils around 180 million years old. Finding one takes luck and patience. Instructions on splitting the rock and descriptions of the finds support the search; staff are on hand to explain and help. Check the quarry’s current visitor information and service details before travelling.
The quarry grounds are rocky and uneven. There is step-free access to the exhibition via the delivery entrance. This information applies to the exhibition. If this access is important for your plans, check the current conditions before your visit.
Since the museum and quarry have different operators, you should treat them as separate visitor attractions. Tickets and events are not valid at both. This distinction is especially useful when planning a visit that includes both the exhibition and fossil hunting.
Fossil History and the Town’s Earlier History
Holzmaden was first mentioned in a document in 1148, in connection with a donation to St. Peter’s Abbey in the Black Forest. The old St. Stephen’s Church was built in 1669. The rectory, dating from 1684, and the town hall, dating from 1687, are still standing and are considered the town’s oldest buildings. Together, these dates reveal different historical layers: the town’s first mention, the church and its two oldest surviving buildings.
The fossils were discovered in the 1860s while searching for shale oil. Since their discovery, they have been prepared, scientifically studied and exhibited. Fossils from Holzmaden can also be seen in major natural history museums around the world. Those interested in the history of the site can thus connect the local story of the discovery with the subsequent scientific study and exhibition of the finds.
Seebach Valley and Culinary Traditions
Holzmaden lies in the Seebach Valley, amid a cultural landscape of traditional orchards. This landscape adds another dimension to the town’s geological focus: the relationship between the village and its cultivated surroundings. The information about the fossils and the landscape describes different aspects of the town, without one replacing the other.
A local specialty of the Swabian Alb foothills is Bätscher or Dätscher. It is made by spreading a sour-cream mixture over yeast dough. Holzmaden’s club and event scene also includes sporting and cultural activities. So prehistoric times and historic buildings are joined by culinary traditions and local community life among the things that shape a stay here.
Discover more destinations: Wolfschlugen, Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Erkenbrechtsweiler, Aichtal, Owen, Neuffen, Reichenbach An Der Fils, Beuren.
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