Niederstotzingen (dpa/lsw) – An end to the World Heritage Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura: After a dispute over future financing between the state and the municipality, the Archaeopark Vogelherd is to finally close at the end of the year. The municipal council of the city of Niederstotzingen (Heidenheim district) unanimously rejected an offer from the state for future financing on Wednesday evening, as a spokesman for the city confirmed. The municipality’s offer did not go far enough.
Finds from the Stone Age can be seen in the park as part of the Unesco World Heritage on the Swabian Alb. “The offer from the country was not acceptable,” said the scientific director of the park, archaeologist Nicholas Conard, the dpa. He spoke of the Ministry of Construction going it alone and a very inappropriate process. Conard criticized that the country wanted to convert the archaeopark into an information center – without programs and competent staff.
The Ministry of Building in Stuttgart, which is responsible for monument protection, had proposed paying the annual rent of 35,000 euros requested by the city and at the same time setting up an office in the park for the State Office for Monument Preservation, including a public cave information center. The state’s offer also provided for employees of the state office to be available for questions and guided tours on up to three days a week.
Previously, numerous scientists had campaigned in an open letter for greater financial support from the country and warned of the end of the park in November.
