Basalt Column

3D Model

Several volcanoes were active during the Miocene in Styria, Austria. Basalt flooded from the volcanoes into a subtropical sea. During the cooling of a thick lava flow, basalt starts to shrink and cracks form. These cause the characteristic basalt columns. This column formed 15 million years ago during a volcanic eruption.

This rock is now on display in the newly designed Hall 6 of the NHM Vienna.

Specimen: Basalt column

Collection: Natural History Museum Vienna, Geology & Paleontology Dept. (curator: Mathias Harzhauser)

Origin: Mühldorf near Feldbach, Styria, Austria

Find out more about the NHMW here.

Scanned and edited by Robin Koger, Viola Winkler & Anna Haider (NHMW)

Scanner: Artec Leo. Infrastructure funded by the FFG.