Morasko Meteorite Reserve

An iron meteorite came in over what is now northern Poland and broke up before impact, and the fragments left a group of craters on Moraska Gora - seven are identified, the largest about a hundred metres across and eleven deep, now partly filled and holding water or bog, in beech and oak woodland on the edge of Poznan. Dating has been argued over and estimates have shifted; recent work using the sediments in the craters places the fall in the range of about five thousand years ago, considerably more recent than earlier figures. Fragments have been found in quantity since the first in 1914, including some of the largest iron meteorite pieces recovered in Europe, and searching with a metal detector is prohibited in the reserve. A marked educational trail runs between the craters with boards; the reserve, set up in 1976, covers about 55 hectares. It is inside the city boundary and reachable by tram and a walk, which is unusual for an impact site.

What you'll find

• Seven craters - the largest about a hundred metres across and eleven deep, now holding water.
• An iron fall - fragments recovered since 1914, some among the largest found in Europe.
• A revised date - recent sediment work placing the impact around five thousand years ago.
• Inside a city - the reserve within Poznan's boundary, reachable by tram and a walk.

When to go

April to October; late autumn when leaf cover drops and the craters read better. Two to three hours.

What to expect

The craters are shallow and tree-covered - they are hard to see as craters without the boards. Metal detecting is prohibited. The ground is boggy in the depressions. It is a modest site with real scientific significance.

Nearby

Poznan city centre is south; Wielkopolski National Park is beyond it.

Key facts