The lithosphere thickness in the Variscan belt of central Europe varies between about 60 and 150 km with typical values of 100-120 km. Our estimates, derived from directionally independent representative P-wave residuals, are in good agreement with magnetotelluric determinations of a layer with increased conductivity in the upper mantle. The large-scale anisotropies of the subcrustal lithosphere beneath four seismological stations determined from spatial variations of relative P residuals vary between 6.5 and 15.2% for P velocities; the S-wave anisotropies determined from SKS polarizations vary between 2.2 and 6.7%. These values are in reasonable agreement with the anisotropies of peridotites determined in laboratory. Systematic spatial variations of the directional terms of relative residuals in dependence on azimuths and incidence angles suggest the existence of large dipping anisotropic structures in the subcrustal lithosphere. The residual patterns at most stations in the Saxothuringicum, Rhenohercynicum and in the Massif Central imply northwesterly orientated dips of the anisotropic structures while stations in the Moldanubicum, the Alpine Foredeep and most of the Alps north of the Insubric line, suggest southeasterly orientated dips. In our interpretation the dipping anisotropic structures may represent paleosubductions which retain olivine preferred orientations originating from an ancient oceanic lithosphere. The Variscides of central Europe may thus represent a collision zone characterized by two systems of paleosubductions divergent relative to the suture between the Moldanubicum and the Saxothuringicum.
