Switzerland, home of the original Jurassic park

The name of the period in the Mesozoic Era originates in the mountain range dividing Switzerland and France. When one thinks of Switzerland, one thinks of mountains. And when one thinks of Swiss mountains, one thinks of Europe's highest mountain range, the Alps. However, the Swiss territory also boasts others. Although far less well known than the Alps, the Jura massif is in fact a true symbol of western Switzerland and, lying between the cantons of Geneva and Basel, forms an arc on the border between Switzerland and France. What few people know – even those familiar with the Jura – is that, apart from giving its name to the canton, it is from Jura that the term Jurassic is derived. The Jurassic, understood as a proper name and not just as an adjective, is, together with the Triassic and Cretaceous, one of the three periods that make up the Mesozoic Era, between the Palaeozoic and Cenozoic, so roughly 65 million-250 million years ago. Celtic origins The name was given to this ...