A magnificent wall of stone greets you. This is the Geologische Wand a national geotop and a testament to geological history. It wasn’t always here in the Botanischer Volkspark Blankenfelde-Pankow.
Initially crafted between 1891 and 1895 by Volksschullehrer Eduard Zache the Geologische Wand originally stood in Humboldthain. Zache a visionary schoolteacher wanted to bring the wonders of geology to the people of Berlin. His creation a 31-meter-wide wall reaching up to 2.5 meters high. He painstakingly arranged 123 different types of rock. These rocks came from various regions across Germany such as Brandenburg the Rhineland Silesia Saxony and Thuringia.
The wall offers a perfect cross-section of Central European earth’s crust. Imagine the meticulous work involved in selecting transporting and placing each individual rock. Each one a chapter in the Earth’s long story. Some rocks like the gneiss are over 600 million years old. Others such as the Zechstein limestone are far younger.
In 1912 the Geologische Wand was moved to its current location. Here amidst the tranquil beauty of the botanical park it continues to educate and inspire. It’s more than just rocks. It is a timeline. A tangible history book of our planet.
Think of the countless school trips that have passed this wall. The many minds it has opened to the wonders beneath our feet. In 2018 the Technical University of Berlin and the Association of Geoscientists in Berlin and Brandenburg collaborated to restore it. They cleaned and repaired the wall ensuring this amazing display will stand for generations to come. Each stone a silent witness to time. A window to a deep past. This is the Geologische Wand a truly unique landmark. A treasure for all who take the time to explore its secrets.