Felsenmeer, Natural rock formation in Lautertal, Germany
Felsenmeer is a block field of dark grey quartz diorite on the Felsberg above Lautertal-Reichenbach, about 2 km long, up to 100 m wide and spanning some 200 metres in elevation. The rounded boulders, packed densely and heaped into a tumbled mass, formed by spheroidal weathering and later exposure during the Ice Age. A small spring rises at its upper end and its unnamed rivulet runs down between the rocks into the valley.
Roman stonemasons used the site as a quarry and left behind more than 300 unfinished pieces, including column parts and millstones. The working marks show ancient techniques for splitting and shaping the hard rock.
The name means "sea of rocks". Local legend tells of two giants, Felshocker on the Felsberg and Steinbeißer on the Hohenstein, who threw boulders at each other until Felshocker was buried; people say his roaring can still be heard beneath the stones. Visitors can look for the roughly 300 unfinished Roman workpieces left at 15 workshops.
Walking trails run through the boulder field and allow climbing between the stones at different difficulty levels. The information center at the lower edge offers guided tours and advice on geology and safe passage through the formation.
The stones formed through spheroidal weathering of rock deep below the surface before erosion exposed them. The pattern resembles a frozen river of rocks flowing down the slope.
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