Geology Picture of the Week, November 9-15, 2003: A tough WhereIsIt? challenge

[cogitator]

OK, you've got another part of the story correct -- the church is made out of stone resulting from a meteorite impact, but it isn't actually made out of meteoritic material. And it's not in France, it's in Germany.

Good hypothesis, though!

[Onelifetogive]

You're part of the way there, but you have to be much more specific. It's not just the location; but you're right so far on your premise.

I put European architecture with "geology" and assumed "impact crater." I could not have gotten any closer until someone posted to me to look at the properties on the pic...

[cogitator]

I had to note: I was not aware that there was another church with the same characteristics as the one in the picture. So you definitely learned me something new today.

[Onelifetogive]

ll be shocked if someone guesses the extra impact of this picture on terrestrial geology.

Cute...you gave us a hint...

I didn't catch it the first time.

[bert]

Blam taught me that but I forgot.

[MineralMan]

Aachen, Germany? I have no idea what the geological significance of that might be.

[Rebelbase]

The church was built with dolimite from the Italian Alps?

[cogitator]

Nope, but it is in Germany.

[cogitator]

Nope, but it's what the church is made of that counts.

[The Grammarian]

Second guess is that that's the church where J.S. Bach was organist.

[Little Pig]

I don't remember the location, but I do remember the church is somewhere in southern Germany, and is constructed from the meteor that formed the crater it and the surrounding town sit in.

[wardaddy]

Colmar, Alsace-France?

[Little Pig]

Got it: Noerdlingen. And if I recall correctly, the church also happens to be built in the exact center of the crater.

[wardaddy]

St George's, Nördlingen.

[cogitator]

Nope. Somebody just nailed it, though.

[cogitator]

Yes! See below for location.

[cogitator]

You're correct, just ahead of "wardaddy".

[cogitator]

St George's, Nördlingen.

You are correct, sir. St. George's church is constructed predominantly of suevite, a mineral formed due to the impact of an asteroid/meteor. Noerdlingen sits in the center of the Ries impact structure (about 15 km in diameter, I believe).

Now for the keywords. I used "elves" and "last pair" to refer to the Grimm fairy tale of the elves and the shoemaker. The late Eugene Shoemaker identified the Ries structure as an impact crater (as opposed to a volcanic structure) and realized that one proof of his determination was the composition of the stones in St. George's church. After his untimely death, the plaza where the Ries Crater museum is located was named Eugene Shoemaker-Platz in his honor.

That was fun. The link below shows pictures of the Ries impact structure, the smaller Steinheim crater that was apparently formed at the same time, suevite, and tektites from the impact found in the Czech Republic.

Herbert Raab: Ries and Stenheim craters

[wardaddy]

I cheated of course although I have been there as well.

I think Pig was being honest guessing.

The timbers and church reminded me of Colmar ...one of my favorite little "old towns" in western Euro.

[wardaddy]

please ping me to your next puzzle, I used to be pretty familiar with the world.

thanks!