Poets Kleist, Schiller and Goethe already praised the beauty of the Tharandt Forest. It is especially the geological diversity and uniqueness of the rocks occurring here as well as the richness of species in the forest that create the great scenic charm of this recreational area.
The significant geoscientific importance of this landscape was recognised by Bernhard von Cotta in the 18th century. The son of the forestry scientist Heinrich Cotta was an important geologist, mining scientist and founding member of the German Geological Society (DGG).
