A method for producing a monolithic silica molded body with a hierarchical pore structure of primary pores and secondary pores , the average pore diameter of which is larger than the average pore diameter of the primary pores , wherein the primary pores have an average pore diameter between 1 nm and 100 nm and the secondary pores have an average pore diameter between 500 nm and 20 μm, comprising the following steps: - providing a starting material containing at least a silica precursor, wherein the silica precursor is tetraethylorthosilicate or tetramethylorthosilicate; - hydrolyzing the starting material to form a silica-solvent mixture, wherein the silica-solvent mixture contains as solvent a reaction solvent resulting from the hydrolysis, wherein the reaction solvent is ethanol when using tetraethyl orthosilicate as silica precursor and methanol when using tetramethyl orthosilicate as silica precursor, wherein the amount of solvent in the silica-solvent mixture is increased by adding a predetermined amount of an additional solvent which is materially identical to the reaction solvent, wherein the amount of substance of the additional solvent added is in the range of 0.5 to 6 times the amount of substance of the silica precursor contained in the starting material, - initiating a polymer-induced phase separation in the silica-solvent mixture by adding a polymer, wherein the polymer is polyethylene oxide; - gelling the silica-solvent mixture in a mold containing the starting material at a gelling temperature to form a silica gel molded body, wherein the hierarchical pore structure is formed from primary pores as a result of hydrolysis and from secondary pores as a result of polymer-induced phase separation, wherein the walls of the silica gel molded body are penetrated with the primary pores between adjacent secondary pores , wherein the gelling temperature is greater than 40 °C and less than 70 °C; and - drying the silica gel molded body to form the silica molded body . - providing a starting material containing at least a silica precursor, wherein the silica precursor is tetraethylorthosilicate or tetramethylorthosilicate; - hydrolyzing the starting material to form a silica-solvent mixture, wherein the silica-solvent mixture contains as solvent a reaction solvent resulting from the hydrolysis, wherein the reaction solvent is ethanol when using tetraethyl orthosilicate as silica precursor and methanol when using tetramethyl orthosilicate as silica precursor, wherein the amount of solvent in the silica-solvent mixture is increased by adding a predetermined amount of an additional solvent which is materially identical to the reaction solvent, wherein the amount of substance of the additional solvent added is in the range of 0.5 to 6 times the amount of substance of the silica precursor contained in the starting material, - initiating a polymer-induced phase separation in the silica-solvent mixture by adding a polymer, wherein the polymer is polyethylene oxide; - gelling the silica-solvent mixture in a mold containing the starting material at a gelling temperature to form a silica gel molded body, wherein the hierarchical pore structure is formed from primary pores as a result of hydrolysis and from secondary pores as a result of polymer-induced phase separation, wherein the walls of the silica gel molded body are penetrated with the primary pores between adjacent secondary pores , wherein the gelling temperature is greater than 40 °C and less than 70 °C; and - drying the silica gel molded body to form the silica molded body . <EOS>