Langenberg limestone quarry, Limestone quarry in Bad Harzburg, Germany
Langenberg is a limestone quarry in Bad Harzburg extending over one kilometer in length with exposed rock layers from the Jurassic period. The steep walls reveal distinct geological deposits that formed when this region lay under a shallow sea.
Industrial limestone extraction began in 1871 when entrepreneur Adolph Willikens established the operation to produce lime and fertilizers. The products were transported via rail networks to surrounding areas.
The site served as a crucial research location for paleontologists studying Late Jurassic life in northern Europe. These discoveries helped scientists understand what creatures lived here millions of years ago.
The site remains privately owned with no public access due to safety risks from the steep cliff formations. Visitors interested in the geology or fossils should research other nearby museums or educational sites dedicated to the region's Jurassic heritage.
The site contains fossils of Europasaurus holgeri, a dwarf sauropod that lived about 150 million years ago and was much smaller than other dinosaurs of its kind. This species evolved in isolation on what was then an island surrounded by shallow sea.
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