Skalná: Geophysical Museum

Earthquakes in Bohemia

Western Bohemia is a seismically active area. The GEOPHYSICAL MUSEUM in Skalná is therefore focused on knowledge about earthquakes from Western Bohemia. Methods of measuring earthquakes are explained and shown here, and the theory of plate tectonics is also covered. In a small lecture hall with a capacity of approximately 15 people, visitors can watch a 30-minute documentary about earthquake swarms. If they are interested, the tour also includes a visit to the medieval adits under Vildštejn Castle, where the Skalná seismic station is located.

Seismic station in a granite adit

The Geophysical Museum, with its full name Geophysical Museum - Seismic Exhibition, is located in the town of Skalná (Cheb District). The museum was founded by the Geophysical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in cooperation with the town of Skalná and with the contribution of Tanja and Paul Noppers, owners of a historic estate from 1541 on Česká Street in the center of SkalnáThe Geophysical Museum was officially opened on December 19, 2015. This happened on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the event when the largest seismic swarm in history was recorded in the Cheb region at the turn of 1985/1986, reaching a magnitude of 4.6The museum's exhibition spaces consist of two ground floor rooms, the area of which is used to the maximum. In addition to a number of posters dedicated to comprehensive information on the observation and display of earthquake phenomena, from historical drawings to contemporary graphic records, the museum exhibition also includes various measuring instruments and equipment, some of which visitors can try out for themselves. 

The museum can only be visited by prior appointment or during events organized by the Geophysical Institute of the Academy of SciencesThe Cheb region (together with adjacent areas of Germany and Vogtland) is distinguished from the rest of the Czech Republic by its seismic activity. This seismically active area is located in an area roughly bounded by the cities of Kraslice, Sokolov, Mariánské Lázně, Marktredwitz, Plauen and Zwickau. More precise records of earthquake monitoring in Bohemia have been made since the end of the 19th century, when permanent observers were assigned to this activity in seismically active areas of Austria-Hungary.The Cheb region is specific for the occurrence of the so-called earthquake swarms, when hundreds of weaker tremors can be observed over a period of days to months. In order to monitor and study these phenomena, the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic operates a network of seismic stations, one of which is located in an old gallery in the granite massif under the Vildštějn Castle in Skalná.I n West Bohemia, in the Karlovy Vary Region, there are 25 seismic stations forming the regional seismic network WEBNET.

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