The hot springs isn't just a
place to relax and let your hair down; in its depths, you may find
significant deposits of a form of limestone known as travertine.
Through the rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, travertine is
born often at the mouth of a hot spring or cave teeming with
limestones. This sedimentary rock comes in hues of white, tan, and
cream and has made a name for itself as an excellent building
material.
Aside from its role in the
creation of various
building materials such as tiles, travertine has been known to
form in stalactites, stalagmites, and other rock formations that can
be some of a cave's most prominent features. It's distinctly porous
thanks to the organisms that colonize the surface of this precious
mineral.
The Romans were said to be
the first ones who saw travertine's potential to be a good component
for the construction of various structures. In fact, the Roman
Colosseum, touted as one of the largest buildings in the world, is
made up mostly of travertine. Centuries later, travertine is still a
widely-used building material and has paved the way for many renowned
buildings to be erected such as the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the
Sacre-Coeur Basilica in Paris, and the Shell-Haus in Berlin.
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