Findlingspark Nochten, Geological park in Görlitz, Germany
Findlingspark Nochten is a geological park with roughly 7,000 large boulders arranged across seven themed garden areas. Each section has its own design approach, including a stone garden, a pond garden, and a heath garden, creating miniature representations of different natural landscapes.
The site was once an open pit for lignite mining before being transformed into this park in 2003. A local geologist named Hans Ulbrich initiated the project to gather stones from the surrounding area and arrange them in an artistic way.
The boulders come from different regions across northern Europe, each one carried here by ancient glaciers during the Ice Age. Walking through the gardens, visitors can sense how these stones connect this place to a much larger landscape far to the north.
The park has firm gravel paths that work well for wheelchairs and strollers without obstacles. Audio guides available in multiple languages help visitors learn about the stones and gardens as they walk around freely.
The park holds one of Europe's largest collections of heath plants, with more than 100,000 different varieties of heather and shrubs. From March through November, visitors can watch the changing colors as different heather species bloom in succession.
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