Welcome in. It's really great to have you with
us today for another deep dive. Yeah, thanks
for joining us. We've got a really fun one today.
We absolutely do. So today we are heading to
a very specific, historically dense slice of
the Austrian landscape. I'm talking about the
Meming Plateau. Right. And it's this remarkable
location that serves as, you know, a physical
record of multiple entirely different eras. It
really is. So today we are taking a, well, it's
a... concise but incredibly detail -packed wikipedia
entry and we're using it as our map a really
fascinating map honestly exactly and our mission
today is to unpack how a single geographical
terrace can hold the fingerprints of ice ages
the footprints of ancient empires and even the
bright lights of modern pop culture that's a
lot for one piece of land it is so okay let's
unpack this because this isn't just a topography
lesson you know it's a look at how the literal
physical shape of the earth dictates the entire
flow of human history i love that And to truly
understand a region like Tyrol, which is where
this plateau is located, you really have to start
with the literal ground beneath your feet. Right.
Because the geography isn't just a passive backdrop
here. It is the primary actor. It sets the stage
for everything. Everything. Everything that happens
subsequently, the trade routes, the agriculture,
the modern tourism, it's all a direct reaction
to a highly unusual geological foundation. So
let's... let's paint a picture of that foundation
for you we are looking at an elevation suspended
between 850 and a thousand meters high which
is high up very high it's this massive mountain
terrace sitting quietly at the southern foot
of the maiming chain offering right above the
upper end valley hovering is the perfect word
for it it's a massive platform we're talking
a stretch of land roughly 14 kilometers long
and up to four kilometers ride in some places
right 14 kilometers of elevated relatively flat
terrain right in the middle of a jagged alpine
environment. That is a significant geographical
anomaly. It's a huge footprint for a mountain
terrace. And what makes it structurally fascinating
is its perimeter. The edges. Exactly. This isn't
a plateau that gently rolls down into the surrounding
lowlands. No, not at all. Aside from the areas
near the municipalities of Telfs and Marts, the
southern edge features a sheer drop. A completely
vertical. Yeah, a 200 -meter steep drop straight
down to the inn valley. It's wild to think about.
You have this massive flat plain that simply
terminates in a cliff. It just ends. If you imagine
standing on the edge of that 200 -meter plunge,
it really puts the scale of the landscape into
perspective for you. It does. And it immediately
begs the question, how does an elevated 14 -kilometer
-long flat surface with these insane steep drop
-offs form in the middle of a mountain range?
Right. How did it get there? And the answer takes
us back to a massive terraforming event, the
Worm Glaciation. What's fascinating here is the
mechanics of that glacial era. Break that down
for us. Sure. So this low mountain terrace isn't
composed of, you know, a solid slab of bedrock
that was just pushed upward by tectonic forces.
Okay. It is composed of ground moraines and gravels.
Leftover spaces. Exactly. During the Worm Glaciation.
Colossal sheets of ice moved through this region.
They acted like continental bulldozers. Just
scraping everything in their path. Grinding down
the rock, carrying immense amounts of debris.
And eventually, as they receded, they deposited
these ground moraines. Wow. So the plateau is
essentially a 14 -kilometer -long deposit of
glacial refuse. That is just incredible. You
were standing on... millions of tons of gravel
and debris left behind by retreating ice. It
completely reframes the space when you know that.
It really does. It's a landscape born out of
immense geological violence. But it isn't just
a loose pile of gravel, right? It is highly structured.
Right, and that's where the southern boundary
comes into play. Because to the south, separating
the terrace from the other side of the Inn Valley,
sits the Ochberg Range. Or the Ochberg Zug, as
it's known. Ochberg Zug, thank you. And the composition
of that specific mountain chain is crucial here.
It's the key to the whole structure. The Ochberg
Range is made of main dolomite. Which is a very
specific type of rock. Right. Dolomite is a rigid,
coagulant rock. It doesn't weather into sauced,
sloping, gentle hills. It breaks off. It fractures.
It forms sheer, vertical, highly resilient walls.
Like a fortress. Exactly like a fortress. This
main dolomite acts as a massive retaining wall
on the southern edge of the plateau. So you have
this 14 -kilometer bed of loose glacial gravel
and ground moraines, essentially held in place
or bordered by a solid fortress wall of main
dolomite. Which then drops 200 meters into the
valley below. It is a geographical trap. Or a
funnel. A funnel, yeah. It is a highly defined...
inescapable corridor and that incredibly specific
physical structure dictates exactly where humans
can and cannot travel geography really is the
ultimate funnel for human movement always if
you are navigating a harsh alpine environment
a 14 kilometer stretch of relatively flat gravel
is a highway compared to the surrounding peaks
it's the path of least resistance but because
of those 200 meter drop offs we just talked about
access to that highway is strictly limited You
can't just climb up a 200 -meter cliff with a
horse and cart. You certainly can't. You have
to enter the plateau where the slopes actually
allow it, which, according to our text, is specifically
near those municipalities of Telfs and Mertz.
So once you ascend at Telfs or Mutts, you are
on the terrace. You traverse that 14 -kilometer
expanse, and the geography naturally forces you
toward a specific exit point. Because you're
walled in by the Dolomite. Right. So the plateau
ends in the west at the Holtzleiten Saddle. That's
the natural exit. And from there, the road naturally
continues onward, funneling travelers into the
Gergeltal and eventually toward the Fern Pass
section. Which has been a crucial route for a
very long time. Well, yeah. Here's where it gets...
It's really interesting. Yeah. Because those
transit routes crossing this plateau from Telfsenmutz
heading to the Fern Pass and on to Augsburg.
They bring us directly into the era of the Roman
Empire. Yes. We are talking specifically about
the Via Claudia Augusta. Which is huge. It's
massive. This wasn't just a local trail for shepherds.
This was a massive imperial artery used for military
logistics, for trade, for communication. The
Via Claudia Augusta is an absolute master class.
in Roman engineering adapting to existing geography.
They were so good at that. They were the best
at it. They needed a reliable route to connect
the heart of the empire to Augsburg. And instead
of fighting the mountains, they just utilized
the legacy of the Worm Glaciation. They let the
Ice Age do the heavy lifting for them. Exactly.
They marched their legions and drove their heavy
supply carts right over those ancient ground
moraines. Utilizing the natural ramp at Tulfs
and Metz. And exiting through the Holst Light
and Saddle. like the geography demanded. It is
the perfect marriage of glacial terraforming
and Roman utility. It really is. But, you know,
we don't just assume the Romans used this exact
corridor because it looks convenient on a topographic
map today. No, we have proof. There is tangible
proof left behind on the plateau. Which is the
best part. It is. Near the Holzleiten saddle,
right where the geography funnels the route westward,
an undated milestone was discovered. And that
single artifact... anchors the historical reality
of the space. Just a stone sitting by the road?
But it means so much more. An undated milestone
might seem like a minor archaeological find compared
to, say, a temple, but it represents continuous
utilitarian transit. Everyday use? Right. It
wasn't necessarily a grand monument to a specific
emperor's ego. It was a functional marker for
generations of travelers. Soldiers, merchants,
messengers? All of them. forced onto this 14
-kilometer terrace by the dolomite walls and
the sheer drop -offs. If we connect this to the
bigger picture, you really have to visualize
the sheer scale of time intersecting in this
one corridor. It's mind -boggling. It is. Picture
this for a second. You have a Roman legionnaire
tasked with expanding an empire, marching along
the Via Claudia Augusta. Right. Every single
step they take is on ground marines and gravels
deposited by an ice age that predates their empire
by massive geological eras. Thousands and thousands
of years. And they are walking toward the Holzleiten
saddle, not by choice, really, but because the
Wurm glaciation carved the earth in a way that
made it the only logical path through the Alps.
It just highlights how human ambition is entirely
constrained by geological reality. We think we're
in charge, but the rock is in charge. Always.
The Romans built the road, sure. But the glaciers
decided where the road could be built. Exactly.
The entire logistical network of that section
of the empire was dependent on a deposit of glacial
gravel suspended 850 to 1 ,000 meters in the
air. That is such a cool way to frame it. So
we have the Worm Glaciation setting the physical
stage. Right. And the Roman Empire utilizing
that stage to forge a vital transit route, leaving
behind an undated milestone as proof of their
passage. Which brings us to the present day.
It does. It brings us to how this 14 -kilometer
stretch of land is utilized today because the
modern municipality is located here. And there
are four main ones mentioned. Yes. Wildermiming,
Maming, Obstig, and Mutz. They present a wildly
different aesthetic than a harsh Roman mill.
The utility of the land has completely shifted,
and the visual landscape reflects that shift
perfectly. It's not a rough frontier anymore.
No, it is no longer just a rugged thoroughfare
to be endured on the way to Augsburg. has been
cultivated into a highly specific, curated environment.
Our text describes it as a small -scale division
of the land. Which means it's heavily managed.
Very managed. Instead of monolithic, unbroken
tracts of wild forest, it is a delicate patchwork.
Right. You have pasture fields alternating with
crops. And interspersed among the agriculture,
you have these beautiful larch meadows mixed
with open forest. It is an idyllic, highly manicured
landscape. that really softens the harsh geological
reality beneath it. It's a striking contrast
when you really think about it. It is. You have
a platform born from the crushing weight of glacial
ice. Bordered by severe fortress -like walls
of main dolomite. Dropping 200 meters straight
down into a valley. Yet the surface itself has
been transformed into this pristine quilt of
larch meadows and pastures. The land has been
totally tamed. Tamed is the perfect word, and
that taming of the landscape has entirely changed
its economic and social function. The roads are
still there, but their purpose is different.
Completely. Those ancient transit routes, the
ones pioneered out of absolute necessity to cross
the mountains, have evolved. Today, that exact
same geography supports a network of walking
paths and cycleways. The purpose of movement
on the plateau has changed from survival and
military logistics to recreation and leisure.
People are choosing to go there just to be there.
Exactly. People now seek out the memeing plateau
specifically to experience the landscape, rather
than merely passing through it to get somewhere
else. And in the winter, that shift in utility
becomes even more apparent. Oh, definitely. Because
those walking paths and cycleways transform into
cross -country skiing routes. A huge draw for
the area. The entire 14 -kilometer stretch of
alternating larch meadows, open forests, and
pastures becomes a highly popular recreation
area. So you have modern recreationists gliding
over the exact same ground moraines that the
Romans marched across in sandals. It is the ultimate
luxury of the modern era, isn't it? It really
is. We can look at a 200 -meter sheer drop and
a fortress of dolomite not as a terrifying obstacle
that threatens our journey or our lives. but
as a breathtaking vista to be enjoyed on a weekend
cycling trip. The physical geography hasn't changed
an inch. Only our relationship to it has. And
because that relationship has changed, because
the landscape has been cultivated into something
so idyllic and visually stunning, it has drawn
a completely different kind of industry. This
is my favorite part of the source material. It's
so good. The Meeming Plateau isn't just a hub
for agriculture and cross -country skiing anymore.
It has become a literal stage for pop culture.
The transition from a geological anomaly to a
television set is perhaps the most surreal evolution
of the space. It really is. So this plateau,
with its large meadows and striking mountain
backdrops, is the setting for the fictitious
village of Sonnenstein. Sonnenstein, right. And
Sonnenstein is the primary location for a highly
popular TV series called Bergdoktor or Mountain
Doctor. So think about that. Millions of people
who have never set foot in Tyrol. Who know absolutely
nothing about the Worm Glaciation. Or the Via
Claudi Augusta. They have an intimate visual
relationship with the Maiming Plateau. Exactly.
To them, it isn't a 14 -kilometer deposit of
glacial gravel. It is simply the picturesque,
charming home of a fictional doctor. You have
audiences tuning in to watch modern medical drama
unfold, and the dramatic tension of the scenes
is visually supported by the Ackberg range, made
of Maine Dolomite right in the background. Hiding
in plain sight. Yes. They're looking at the whole
slight and saddle and the 200 meter drop offs,
completely unaware that the idyllic village of
Sonnenstein is resting on an ancient strategic
military thoroughfare. It really reinforces the
idea that a landscape is a deeply layered palimpsest.
A canvas that keeps getting painted over. Exactly.
You have the raw, unforgiving canvas created
by the Ice Age. Then you have the utilitarian
lines drawn by Roman engineers. And now you have
the glossy, highly produced veneer of modern
entertainment and leisure painted right over
the top of all of it. But all those layers exist
simultaneously in the exact same physical space.
When you cross -country ski through those large
meadows today, you are interacting with all of
it at once. You're touching all that history.
The snow is falling on the crops of Obsteng and
Wildermyming, covering the walking paths that
evolved from Roman transit routes, burying the
glacial gravels that formed the very foundation
of the terrace. And that simultaneity is what
makes studying a single geographical location
so rewarding. You don't have to travel across
the world to see different eras of history. No,
you just have to dig straight down. I love that.
The ground moraines, the undated milestone. the
cycleways, the television cameras, they are all
anchored to the exact same 14 kilometers of Earth,
bound by the exact same dolomite walls. So what
does this all mean? Yeah, it is the big question.
When we look at this deep dive into the miming
plateau, the ultimate takeaway is that geography
is the longest running architect of human behavior.
Without a doubt. The Meming Plateau is far more
than just a mountain terrace suspended 850 to
1 ,000 meters above the inn valley. It is a defining
corridor where the physical constraints of the
earth, you know, the sheer drop -offs, the holtzleiten
saddle, the flat expanse of gravel, dictated
centuries of movement. It forced the Romans to
funnel their empire through a specific mountain
pass. And thousands of years later, that exact
same geography provided the perfect, secluded,
picturesque patchwork of open forests and crops
for modern recreationists and fictitious TV doctors
to play out their lives. The land doesn't change,
only the people walking across it do. That is
beautifully said. Well, before we wrap up today,
I do want to leave you, the listener, with a
final thought to consider. regarding the layers
of history we've been discussing. Go for it.
We noted earlier that an undated milestone near
Holtzleiten serves as the primary tangible proof
of ancient Roman transit along that route. Right,
just a simple stone. Exactly. And that detail
is a profound commentary on the discrepancy in
timescales. Well, the Wurm glaciation took immense,
almost unfathomable geological eras to carve
out this mountain terrace. It moved unimaginable
amounts of earth to create those ground moraines.
Just a terrifying amount of power over thousands
of years. Yes. Yet when it comes to human history,
it is a single, small, undated stone that anchors
our understanding of an entire empire's logistical
network in that space. That puts things in perspective.
It forces a very specific perspective. I ask
you this? As we cross -country ski or cycle across
this ancient ground today, enjoying the curated
large meadows and the modern recreation areas,
what seemingly insignificant, undated milestones
are we leaving behind? Oh, wow. What small, everyday
objects will define the reality of our modern
era to whoever walks the meaning plateau thousands
of years from now? That is the exact kind of
question this landscape demands we ask. It really
makes you think about our footprint. Absolutely.
Well, I want to warmly thank you for joining
us on this deep dive today. Exploring the physical
and historical layers of the Miming Plateau alongside
you has been a fantastic journey. It really has
been a pleasure. We hope this conversation encourages
you to look a little closer at the topography
of your own surroundings and to keep seeking
out the incredibly deep stories hidden in the
landscapes you interact with every single day.
Until next time, take care.