Global Heritage Stone Resource - Activities in Germany

The „International Union of Geological Sciences” (IUGS) enacted an initiative at the 33. World Congress in Oslo 2008 with the title “Global Heritage Stone Resource “ (GHSR). Aim of this initiative is to increase the perception and estimation of natural stones in the architectonic heritage in particular and in the geoheritage context in general. That includes to emphasize the need to protect dimension stone quarries as well as to avoid the replacements with inappropriate stones at cultural heritage sites.
Germany with its federal structures took part in this initative only since 2018. A national working group, consisting of geologists as well as representatives of the dimension stone industry and the preservation of monuments, has been founded. Besides some public information first activity was the compilation of a national list with natural stones which should be nominated for a GHSR-certification. Meanwhile members of our national group work actively with the Heritage Stone Subcommission, two stones have been nominated for certification and a book about the natural stones at UNESCO-Sites in Germany is underway and will be published within the new series “Natural Stones and World Heritage” in 2021. The activities of the German working group go ahead with the longer lasting activities of the network “stones in the city”. The aim of both is to focus on the natural stones as a natural, unique and sustainable building material, which is shaping cultural landscapes.  Even the declaration of the “stone of the year” in Germany since 10 years refers to their use as building material. Thus, all these initiatives can be combined and may focus on that stones which are worth to be a Global Heritage Stone.