Travertine facts for kids

Travertine terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park

Calcium-carbonate-encrusted, yet growing moss, early stage of porous travertine formation.

Travertine is a terrestrial sedimentary rock. It is a natural chemical precipitate of carbonate minerals; aragonite or calcite. This happens from solution in ground and surface waters, and/or geothermally heated hot-springs. Similar (but extremely porous) deposits formed from ambient-temperature water are known as tufa.

The Colosseum built by the Romans, was made of travertine.

Travertine in a 400 year old wall of the castle Hohen Tübingen. The material is extremely hard and weatherproof. The cavities and impurities - remnents of small debris, scrub and biotic materials - make the rock porous and lightweight.

Images for kids

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  Travertine terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, in 2016

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  Badab-e Surt's stepped travertine terrace formations. This travertine owes its red color terraces to iron carbonate.

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  Burghausen Castle, Europe's longest castle, is 1,000 years old and built mainly with travertine.

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  Travertine vessels found in El Tapesco del Diablo Cave in Ocozocoautla, Chiapas, Mexico (600–900 CE)

See also

In Spanish: Travertino para niños