Accidentally secured: The Solfelsen

 

Depending on the side view (whether from the left or the right), the situation of the Solfelsen's position looks threatening in different ways.

 

It sits firmly in the saddle by nature, even if it doesn't look like it from a little distance: the Solfelsen near Bad Säckingen. It has an impressive height of 5.4 metres, a volume of 88 cubic metres and weighs about 230 tonnes. Its shape is a little reminiscent of Krishna's butterball in India. But only from the front. Everything else is completely different, of course - especially the immediate surroundings and location.

 

Here is the Sol Rock from behind:

 

 

 

 

Same perspective, only a little closer here:

 

Here the Sol rock from the other side of the path and its bearing surface at the front - the ""crumple zone"". The rocky support piece in front has presumably developed spider-like faults/line structures under the load of the giant boulder. Behind the Solfelsen, 3 large rocks follow as if pulled on a string, which I would like to discuss further.

 

 

It is also called a fur cap stone, which supposedly owes its shape and position to weathering. The questionable keyword "woolbag weathering", which has been coined by science (I already referred to it in another article), probably applies here again. In 1895, the area was declared a quarry, although I would be surprised what is supposed to have been quarried here on a larger scale. There are rocks scattered all over the place, but there is no visible demolition wall or anything like that. Why people today claim that this has contributed to the protection of the rock is also a mystery to me.

 

The individual rock formations around it are no less interesting, although not quite as conspicuous as the Sol Rock, which stands here on a slope. In any case, it is worth taking a closer look here.

 

We find random "supports" everywhere here, which any geologist would classify as natural without being asked. I see this more as an anomaly whose occurrence as a possible probability I would rather not calculate.

 

Supported laterally/backwards as if by magic: The Solfelsen receives unexpected support from much smaller rocks in order not to get out of "track" laterally at the back.

 

 

What I find most interesting is the "row of teeth" in the front part of the Solfelsen, which forms the main support so that the colossus does not roll forwards onto the path or further down the slope afterwards ... We are dealing here with a mass of rock that is completely different on the underside from the top. As if cement had been specially mixed for it. Like a kind of geopolymer. There is not the same colouring, but this section is grey in grey. Also, there are no horizontal fissures typical of stone like the "row of teeth" above. I would describe this area as "grey gums". Something is not right here. I'd like a geologist to explain this to me.

 

 

 

Underneath, you can clearly see the wide rock foundation, which has nothing to do with the "row of teeth" above it. However, this is - as mentioned - statically immensely important for the stability of the Solfelsen.

 

 

Another curiosity besides the "row of teeth" is the almost right-angled termination of a rock on the right side of the Solfelsen, which might also be responsible for the statics. The whole thing seems very constructed to me.

 

 

 

This picture shows the second rock formation directly behind the Solfelsen, two flat rocks standing upright against each other. It reminds me a little of a dolmen. It cannot be ruled out that this juxtaposition was the result of construction rather than coincidence. 

 

 

The picture below shows the rearmost rock, which brings up the rear in the row of Solfelsen. It could well have been worked if you look more closely at the bench or stair structure on the left. I found it very interesting ...

 

 

 

Here the rear rock from the other side and with a little more distance:

 

 

Loose individual "support stones" every now and then. Rocks that help stabilise the structure, but are rather small stones. Lots of coincidences that you can't make sense of.

 

 

 

Last but not least, there are other interesting rocks, such as this one in the shape of a standing axe, which was either the victim of mining or quarrying activities or actually someone who wanted to give the stone a symbolic quality. At least it is very conspicuous.

 

 

Here again all the front support stones of the Solfelsen with some distance.