Our Felsenmeer is a National Geotope and Cultural Gem of the European Union. The Sauerland Rothaargebirge Nature Park has listed it as a Nature Park Jewel. A rugged world to be discovered in suspense or simply enjoyed.

You can't visit Hemer and not see the Felsenmeer. Unique, bizarre rock formations were formed by wind, water and man. The Middle Devonian reef limestone was formed about 385 million years ago and people were already mining iron ore here in the 10th century - making it one of the oldest iron ore mining areas in Westphalia. The best view of the formations is from the free-floating, wave-shaped bridge as well as from the viewing platform and the footbridge that leads you right into the middle of this fabulous world.
Even today, you can still see many crevices and fissures of this National Geotope, but some are hidden under a thin layer of foliage and so it quickly becomes clear why you have to stay on the designated paths, because away from them there is danger to life!

There really used to be sea here. Carbonic acid has eroded the rock irregularly.
The early miners from the 10th century onwards mined ore and thus changed the formations in their own way for almost 300 years. Today we can see that mining in Hemer came to an end around 1250, and it was not until another 200 years later, in the 15th century, that mining in the Felsenmeer was resumed until around 1850. From then on, a high beech forest with mosses and ferns developed here. Fragments of the very rare ash-maple ravine forest still stand in the cool, moist area of the rocky cliffs.

The Felsenmeer nature reserve has existed since 1962. It is a legally binding area with special protection for the preservation, development or restoration of nature and the landscape because of its rarity, special character and outstanding beauty.

In 2006, the Hemeraner Felsenmeer was included in the list of Germany's most important geotopes and designated a "National Geotope", and since 2021 the European Union has consequently registered it as a "Cultural Gem".

Today you will find an interlocking of different, valuable habitats with great diversity. In May there is a wonderful smell of woodruff, in summer the trees and rocks provide cool freshness, in autumn the beech trees conjure up a mystical atmosphere and make light reflections dance, and in winter, when the trees have shed their leaves, you have the best view directly of the rocks - if there is not just thick snow.

The Felsenmeer is an archaeological monument and is open to the public free of charge. Please pay attention to the weather, because if it storms or rains heavily, branches can fall down. You should also listen carefully after a storm and, above all, always stay on the paths because of the risk of accidents due to crevices in the ground!

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Ytterligare information:
https://www.hemer.de/leben-wohnen/felsenmeer?co...

Förfrågningar till:
touristik@hemer.de