Leitha limestone from St. Margarethen (Austria) and Fertőrákos (Hungary) used in Slovakia as a natural stone

Abstract

In Western Slovakia, especially in the Bratislava region and Trnava region, Leitha limestone of the Badenian (Langhian – early Serravalian) age from St. Margarethen in Austria was widely used for architectural articles and sculptures (200 realizations), alternatively a similar limestone from Fertőrákos in Hungary. 380 tombstones were identified only in Bratislava cemeteries. From the second half of the 17th century to the first half of the 20th century, the limestones were one of the most used in Slovakia due to their light dressing and relatively homogeneous appearance. The strongly porous coarse-grained to medium-grained the Leitha limestone has the appearance of sandstone and is composed of a predominance of red algae nodules over foraminifers, sea urchin, moss and shell fragments. The rhodoliths, pectenoids and oysters are scattered in the Leitha limestones up to a few cm size, which distinguish the limestone type from other the Leitha limestones and similar Sarmatian limestones. The limestone is dominated by rhodolithes in the St. Margarethen quarry and by bivalves and macroscopic quartz in Fertőrákos quarry. Porous limestones are exposed to weathering outdoors, leading to mass loss, flaking, sulphate efflorescence, black crusts from microscopic organisms and the colonization by lichens and mosses. The peak of limestone use for public buildings and sculptures was the years 1745 to 1780 (reign of Maria Theresa), and about 1880 to 1915, when there was relative prosperity and machine production began. The tombstones made of the Leitha limestones shifts to a peak between 1905 and 1925. In the 20th century, the Leitha limestones gave way to a competition from Czech decorative stones.