Stone

The Stone forest | Bulgaria

THE STONE FOREST

“The Stone forest” is a unique phenomenon with no analogue in the world. This is the central group “The  Stone forest”. Another 15 smaller groups exist in the area of about 50 sq.km around it. The central group is the biggest and the only one that is identified as an international tourist site. It is 800 m long. Geologists from all over the world have come here trying to reveal their secret. There are about 15 official hypotheses related to their origin.

The most popular version claims that 50 millions of years ago there was a sea in this region. Geologists called it Lutesc sea. In the course of time, three layers formed on the sea bottom. The bottom layer consisted of gray and yellow marly sediments. A thick layer of quartz sand accumulated above it. A layer of limestone piled up at its top. Over the years the water subsided from these places. Under the atmospheric conditions, the top layer began to erode. The rain water, saturated with the limestone from the top layer, started to infiltrate into the bottom layer of quartz sand. Thus , it began to solder tightly and formed large stone columns from the bottom up, like the stalactites in caves. Gradually, the wind blew away the unsoldered  sand.

It is interesting that most of the large stone pillars are hollow. According to another hypothesis, large trees resembling the tropical mangroves grew there. The stone columns were formed around them by the nature and after the trees rotted, the columns remained hollow.

Another hypothesis asserts that there were huge rocks in that region. In the course of time, erosion took place. As a result, only the strongest parts of the rocks remained in the form of the stone columns.

There is also a suggestion that the stone pillars are in fact coral formations. Their origin dates back to the Lutesc period. The climate was tropical in these times.

The latest hypothesis claims that a gas – methane sprang from the bottom of the sea. The flow rose upwards and the dying away sea microorganisms precipitated around it, soldering with the quartz sand. Thus, the stone pillars formed from the bottom up and the hollows remained where the gas was. There are also numerous beautiful legends about the origin of that fantastic stone forest. While walking through it, the tourists find themselves in a different world and feel as if the time itself has stopped its course.

There is an assumption that the Stone Forest is an extremely powerful energy source. When someone wanders over the area (especially healthy if barefoot), touches the stone columns and embraces them for a while, the pillars take away his/her negative energy and load him/her with positive one. The only manmade thing here is the stone circle which is placed at the very end of the area around three not very high columns. It is believe that this is the most powerful energetic center of the unique forest and if the tourist reach it, they should sit there for a few minutes for good health.

The flora and fauna in the area comprise 21 species of birds, 7 of mammals and about 240 sorts of plants, some of which are extremely rare.

  • This place you can reach by car.
  • Luxurious hotel near the sea in Varna PANORAMA HOTEL
  • Opening hours. In winter: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Days off – Saturday and Sunday. In summer: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Day off – Monday.
  • Tickets: Adults: 3.00 leva, Children/Students: 2.00 leva.
  • Special car rental prices in Bulgaria

1 thought on “The Stone forest | Bulgaria

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *