The Kyffhäuser district is the northernmost site of the lesser horseshoe bat in Germany. It is also rare case where, so far to the north, horseshoes use the same winter and summer roosts, which is possible thanks to the presence of warm gypsum caves.

The region is full of history memorials, one of them the Kyffhäuser Monument, a symbolic grave of Barbarossa, sleeping here under the ground, and waiting to be awaken for the task of restitution of the Holy Empire and Germany. The group was greeted by the monument by the District Head Ms Antje Hochwind.

The Moonument built on the ruins of the Kyffhausen Castle and on top of the mountain full of gypsum caves, itself is a roost for quite nice winter and summer colony of the lesser horseshoe bats. The deepest castle well in the world, located here, is 176m deep.

Inside the Monument, there are exhibition rooms, mainly related to the history but a station explaining bat sound recording is located here as well. Recording station, registering passing of bats with radio transmitters has been installed on the Monument Hill, placed away from the tourists. It can detect signals of bats passing by in the circle of ca. 5 km. Each transmitter sends different code – likewise bar markings on the purchase goods, thus identifying bat specimens.

Near the Monument, there is an anthracite Barbarossa Cave, warm and very large, but not diverse, despite different allotropic forms of gypsum may be found here. The cave had no connection to outside world until its discovery during mining for copper. Once opened, it created good conditions for animals, especially bats, and several species winter here. In front of the cave there are information plates about the bats.