Sophienhöhe
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Sophienhöhe

by Silvia Inzoli, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy

The Sophienhöhe is an artificial hill created by tailings of the lignite open pit mine of Tagebau Hambach (North Rhine-Westphalia), starting from 1978. Covering about 13 km2, it is the largest artificial hill worldwide. The highest point of the Sophienhöhe is at 301.8 m asl, while the lowest point in Tagebau Hambach is at 293 bsl (lowest surface point in Europe).