This is our brand new logo. It will be shown on further posters and publications and it will help to recognize our activities. Furthermore, a website www.via-goethe.eu is under construction.

After a preliminary poster presentation at the International Geological Congres in Florence (August 2004) and an oral presentation at the International Geomorphological Congres in Zaragoza (September 2005) an article has  been submitted for a Special Number of Geografica Fisica e Dinamica Quaternaria (GFDQ) in april 2006.  

On these pages, we will keep you informed about the latest results and future activities of the project. So far, financing was provided mostly from German Society for Earth Sciences (DGG). The presentations were hold in sessions organised by the Working Group of Geomorphosites (International Geomorphological Society).

The Institute of Geography of the University of Lausanne provided logistical and scientific support.  

On his way from Salurno to Trento, Goethe passed early in the morning at Endrizzi's vineyards ("wine and culture") in San Michele. Of course, this was not a good moment to try some local wine. Otherwise he would certainly have stopped at the today's owners ancestors. Today's owner support gratefully this project and put information panels concerning the "Via Goethe" Project in summer 2008.

Overlooking the Adige Valley north of Trento, several information panels in the Endrizzi vineyards inform visitors in three languages (Italian, English and German) about Goethe by means of quotations from the "Italian Journey". The panels are completed with short informations concerning the local geology of the vineyards and the Adige Valley. The panels are a contribution for better understanding of geology and a geotouristic realisation making geocultural travelling even more interesting.  

Thank you very much or all persons and institutions for having supported this project up until now!

We do not show you the famous "Goethe in the Campagna" (1786/88) but a nice picture taken in Torbole at the Northern rim of Lake of Garda showing a local Goethe monument in the evening sun ... 

In October 2009, a conference was given at the Geodresden 2009 about the Via Goethe Project.

On December 12th 2007, a conference was given in Weimar about "Goethe and Geology in the region of the lake of Garda".

A first information pannel could be placed in the Lac of Garda region (Italy). First contacts have been undertaken, the exact type of cooperation with an Italian University and local authorities has still to be defined. A first guided visitit under the label "Goethe and geology" was organized on October 5th 2007 in Torbole at the Lake of Garda. The community of Nago - Torbole plans an information table concerning the Via Goethe project. 

Matthias GEYER, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany                                                     
Gisela MAUL, Klaasik Stiftung Weimar, Germany                                                      Markus MEIßNER, Geological Survey, Weimar, Germany                                               Ina PUSTAL, Geological Survey, Weimar, Germany                                                   Heinz-Gerd ROEHLING, German Geological Society / Lower Saxony Geological Survey, Hannover, Germany

As a minister, Goethe was responsable for mining activities in the surroundings of Weimar. However, the undeniable importance of Earth Sciences in the complete edition of Goethe is still little known by the international geological community, although the observations and interpretations of Goethe could help to interest people who are generally more interested in culture or literature rather than in geological or geomorphological heritage (von Engelhardt 2003). On the other hand, the cultural value of Goethe as a writer and poet may become more accessible to the more scientifically oriented people. A group of geomorphologists and geologists made recently proposals for a multinational geotouristic “European Goethe-Road” (Geyer et al. 2004, 2005, 2007). This project would enhance the dialog between different Nations and the understanding of our common natural geological and geomorphological heritage in addition to promoting measures for its preservation and protection.
The itineraries of the multiple journeys of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe offer a great variety of detailed description of geosites and geomorphosites in regions situated nowadays in Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy and France.
In this presentation, the importance of the geological observations of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in Northern Germany, and especially in the Harz Mountains, are focussed. The value of these observations of our commun geological heritage is great and should be integrated in a geoturistic conception.

Matthias GEYER, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany                                                     
Heinz-Gerd ROEHLING, German Geological Society / Lower Saxony Geological Survey, Hannover, Germany

Keywords: Earth Heritage, Cultural Heritage, Geosites, Geomorphosites, Geotourism, Goethe

Based on literature research and the scientific exchange that followed two presentations given at international scientific congresses, a multilingual geocultural Goethe-Road was proposed that would start in Weimar, Central Germany. With that, the undeniable importance of Goethe for the earth sciences could be explained better to those people who are generally more interested in culture or literature rather than science. On the other hand, the cultural value of Goethe as a writer and poet may become more accessible to the more scientifically oriented people.  A geocultural Goethe-Road would also encourage the exchange between people of different nations and different cultural background. At the same time, it would enhance the understanding of our common natural geological and geomorphological heritage in addition to promoting measures for its preservation and protection.

Matthias GEYER, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany                                                      Paola CORATZA, University of Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italy                               Emmanuel REYNARD, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Heinz-Gerd ROEHLING, German Geological Society / Lower Saxony Geological Survey, Hannover, Germany

Keywords: Geosite; Geomorphosite; Natural Heritage; Cultural Landscape Heritage; Geotourism

The itineraries of the multiple journeys of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe offer a great variety of detailed description of geosites and geomorphosites in regions situated nowadays in Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy and France. This great German poet and politician was also an excellent scientific observer of very different phenomena such as glaciation, volcanism, mineralogy and tectonics. Based on preliminary results of a presentation at the 32th International Geological Congress (Geyer et al. 2004), a scientific research on selected sites described (or drawn) by Goethe is proposed. The results have to be compared with a modern geoscientific interpretation. For the moment, three countries (Germany, Italy and Switzerland) agreed to establish a scientific documentation in order to get a more complete overlook about the entire importance of Goethe’s scientific observations. In a further step, an idealised and compiled stretch of the different journeys of Goethe could lead towards the creation of a geocultural, European “Goethe-Road”. This new multidisciplinary geotouristic product will contribute to a better understanding of our common natural and cultural landscape heritage.

Matthias GEYER, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Paola CORATZA, University of Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italy
Peter JORDAN, Swiss Group for Geotopes, Swiss Academy of Sciences, Switzerland
Baldur JUNKER, Geological Survey Baden-Württemberg / Section of Geotopes of the German Geological Society, Germany
Sandra PIACENTE, University of Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italy
Emmanuel REYNARD, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Heinz-Gerd ROEHLING, German Geological Society / Lower Saxony Geological Survey, Hannover, Germany

Keywords: Earth Heritage, Cultural Heritage, Geosites, Geomorphosites, Geotourism

Based on the well-known itineraries of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe on his three journeys to Italy between 1786 and 1790, an idealised and compiled stretch from Weimar to Florence is presented.
Goethe was fascinated with Italian culture and natural heritage because of the documents and the rock and mineral collection inherited from his father. This melancholic longing for Mediterranean latitudes was very characteristic of the elder Goethe and he expressed this feeling in numerous letters.
The itinerary starts from Weimar in Central Germany, where Goethe was a member of the expert’s committee of the local government, and continues through Bohemia to the region of Karlovy Vary for the visit of the famous Kammerbühl volcano before crossing the Hegau Volcano Area in Southern Germany and visiting the splendid cataracts of the Rhine close to Schaffhausen in Switzerland. The virtual journey continues by crossing the Alps on the mythic Gotthard road with a stop at the summit. Further on, the Lake of Garda is the first Italian station, and the journey continues to the Mediterranean Tuscany Region before arriving in Florence.
The intention of this presentation is to compare the original observations of geomorphological and geological sites with a modern geoscientific interpretation of the various sites visited. The citations are completed with illustrations or photographs. Even though Goethe was a Neptunist and therefore unable to interpret volcanic phenomena correctly, his detailed descriptions nevertheless testify his capacity for scientific observation as well as his permanent curiosity.
Over the last few years, geomorphological and geological sites benefit from a growing interest in a larger public. They are considered to be an important part of our common natural and cultural heritage and they contribute to a better comprehension of the history of Earth. The proposed itinerary, centred around one of the best known cultural figures in Europe, could be a way for a better communication and understanding between people concerned with natural heritage and people involved in cultural heritage protection. It could also lead to new geotourist products for people crossing the Alps. A better knowledge about geosites offers the best possibility for a “natural” protection, because people generally protect only what they know from their own experience. Therefore, a lot of countries and UNESCO have started inventories of geoscientific important sites some of which are protected by a specific legislation.
The main purpose of this presentation is to show the geohistorical importance of Goethe’s detailed observations and descriptions in view of a modern interpretation of geosites. This shall necessarily contribute to a better evaluation and valorisation of natural heritage as a part of our cultural heritage.   

Have a look on our German pages!

Last update: Mai 11, 2010

Matthias Geyer