Toula’s fossil deposit in the Garnyovitsa area near Kotel – a geosite of historical value for the Bulgarian geology

Abstract

Fossil deposit first described by Franz Toula in 1890, in the Garnyovitsa area near Kotel is estimated as a geosite of a national significance with historical value for the Bulgarian geology. Here is cropping out a huge marl olistolith embedded among Middle Jurassic turbidites of the Kotel Olistostrome Formation. It contains Late Triassic (Norian) hydrozoa and corals, identified by the first explorers of the Bulgarian lands as early as the end of the 19th century. Given the high geodiversity of the area and the proximity to Kotel, this geosite has great potential for geotourism within the future geopark “East Balkan”.