Parkstein
Encyclopedia
Parkstein is a district in the municipality
of Neustadt an der Waldnaab
in Bavaria
in Germany
. In 2006, it counted approximately 2500 citizens within its district. The origins of its castle, built atop a conical shaped mountain, also called the Parkstein
, date back to around the year 1000. A first written account of its existence can be traced back to the year 1053 in the documentations of the monks of Niederalteich of the Reichstag in Merseburg.
Most likely in November of 1796, Alexander von Humboldt
called the 24 million year old basalt formation the most beautiful he had encountered in Europe. According to the Bavarian State Geology Office, during the Tertiary
, now also called Paleocene-Pliocene period, a number of active volcanoes produced liquid magma in Northern Bavaria, mostly due to the continental collision of Europe and Africa. As a result, not only the Alps but a number of fissures and cracks began to form throughout central Europe where magma could rise. Most of the Parkstein's magma cooled below the surface, leading to the crystalline column formation that is now exposed as a result of erosion.
Municipalities of Germany
Municipalities are the lowest level of territorial division in Germany. This may be the fourth level of territorial division in Germany, apart from those states which include Regierungsbezirke , where municipalities then become the fifth level.-Overview:With more than 3,400,000 inhabitants, the...
of Neustadt an der Waldnaab
Neustadt an der Waldnaab
Neustadt an der Waldnaab is a municipality in Bavaria, capital of the district Neustadt ....
in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In 2006, it counted approximately 2500 citizens within its district. The origins of its castle, built atop a conical shaped mountain, also called the Parkstein
Parkstein (hill)
The Parkstein, also called the Hoher Parkstein and Basaltkegel Hoher Parkstein is a well-known local hill and tourist destination in the Steinwald Mountains of central Germany. It lies northwest of Weiden in der Oberpfalz in the district of Neustadt a.d.Waldnaab and is one of the most popular...
, date back to around the year 1000. A first written account of its existence can be traced back to the year 1053 in the documentations of the monks of Niederalteich of the Reichstag in Merseburg.
Most likely in November of 1796, Alexander von Humboldt
Alexander von Humboldt
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr von Humboldt was a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt...
called the 24 million year old basalt formation the most beautiful he had encountered in Europe. According to the Bavarian State Geology Office, during the Tertiary
Geologic time scale
The geologic time scale provides a system of chronologic measurement relating stratigraphy to time that is used by geologists, paleontologists and other earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred during the history of the Earth...
, now also called Paleocene-Pliocene period, a number of active volcanoes produced liquid magma in Northern Bavaria, mostly due to the continental collision of Europe and Africa. As a result, not only the Alps but a number of fissures and cracks began to form throughout central Europe where magma could rise. Most of the Parkstein's magma cooled below the surface, leading to the crystalline column formation that is now exposed as a result of erosion.