Where Geoheritage Meets Cultural Heritage: Historical Stone Use in the City of Poznań, Poland, and Its Economic and Political Background

Abstract

A growing number of geoheritage studies have examined the legacy of natural stone in urban settings, but research into the intersection of cultural and natural heritage (integrating the historical, social, and spiritual significance of stone acquired through the centuries) is relatively sparse. The purpose of the present study was to analyse the use of natural stone in the urban environment of Poznań in Poland over the past thousand years by merging geological, historical, and archaeological data. The results show that in cities that do not have sufficient local sources, complex arrangements of natural materials and the history of changing stone types have been conditioned by the location of state borders and the economic environment, and mediated through the cultural context of subsequent epochs, the preferences of ruling monarchs, the migration of stonemasons, and doctrines of national self-sufficiency. Natural stones in urban settings cannot, therefore, be regarded merely as ex situ geodiversity elements but rather as an interface between cultural and abiotic environments, a memory of past trading and cultural connections, and architectural trends. It is hoped that the integration of geological and cultural heritage will stimulate more comprehensive geoconservation efforts and contribute to the growth of geotourism.