Tourists endanger UNESCO World Heritage: Coins Ruin Giant's Causeway

Tourists endanger UNESCO World Heritage: Coins Ruin Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway, Nordirland, Vereinigtes Königreich - The Giant’s Causeway on the north coast of Northern Ireland, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and fascinating nature, is faced with a worrying problem. Every day, tourists put coins in the cracks of the impressive basalt columns, which were created by volcanic activity around 60 million years ago. This practice not only has aesthetic consequences, but can also cause long -term damage to nature. Experts describe this behavior as an expression of a "desired fountain" mentality that has devastating effects on the environment. So reports OE24 that the coins cause mechanical damage and favor chemical reactions.

dr. Cliff Henry from the National Trust comments about the erosion, which is accelerated by plugging in the coins. He explains that the metal in the moist cracks quickly broken down and leads to reddish-brown discoloration. These discoloration are not only unsightly, they also weaken the structure of the columns, as the coins expand and put pressure on the joints. "It is one of the biggest threats to the basalt columns," said Dr. Henry on. The throwing in the coins has spread greatly in the past ten years and has increasingly developed to danger for this natural miracle.

measures to save the inheritance

In order to limit the damage and raise awareness of the visitors, the National Trust and Local Authorities were set up signs. Tourguides inform visitors about the problem and appeal to them to refrain from this harmful practice. Finally, the Giant’s Causeway attracts over half a million people annually. Around 998,000 visitors were even recorded in 2019. The adjacent geological service of Northern Ireland has emphasized the urgency to remove as many coins as possible. "It is crucial that we protect the basalt columns," says Dr. Kirstin Lemon, who is active in the geological service.

The costs for removing the coins and the damage limitation amount to around £ 30,000 (around 36,000 euros), and the measures require specialized stonemasons that carefully remove the coins without causing further damage. Despite these efforts, the challenge of stopping the destruction by careless tourists remains. In addition, the UNESCO World Heritage Day will be celebrated on June 1st, an occasion to point out the protection of cultural heritage and nature wonders worldwide.

The legend of the Giant’s Causeway

The Giant’s Causeway is not only geologically significant, but is also rooted in Irish legends. A well -known story reports on the giant Finn McCool, which built the stone structure to face his rival Benandonner. These stories give the region an additional cultural value, which is threatened by the careless action of some visitors. The long -term damage caused by coin culture could not only impair the natural miracle itself, but also the rich history and folklore that is connected with it.

The Situation at the Giant’s Causeway is an urgent call to deal with our environment respectfully and to preserve the beauty of nature. While we enjoy these wonderful places, we should also keep an eye on their protection to give future generations the same access.