Kromlauer Park

Extending over an area of approximately 200 hectares, the Kromlauer Park is one of the largest rhododendron parks in Germany. It is well-known, even outside the region due to its exceptionally rich array of woody plants and, particularly, its unique basalt structures, most notably the Rakotzbrücke. Detailed counts and calculations have shown that a total of almost 115 m³ of basalt was used in the construction phase between 1869 and 1882. However, as no deposits of basalt are known in the immediate local area, the question of the origin of these rocks arises. Geological investigations of the petrography and chemical properties of the rocks revealed similarities with basalts from Ostritz (Saxony). Unfortunately, as many of the rocks in the Upper Lusatian / North Bohemian basalt area share similar chemical characteristics, more precise identification of their provenance is not possible.