Description
Pobiti Kamani is Bulgarian and probably best translated as "stones driven into the ground," or perhaps more accurately, "planted stones." It is better known as the stone forest and is one of the rarest natural phenomena in the world. It is, after Tabernas in Spain, the second largest desert in Europe. It is also one of the few places where desert-like vegetation grows. The exceptional biodiversity, including several protected plant species, can thrive here because the area consists of sand dunes and various rock formations where the seabed once was. The area is divided into seven large and seven small stone groups, located north and south of Lake Beloslav. These stones consist mainly of hollow, solid cylinders, most of which reach a height of between five and seven meters. Remarkably, the limestone pillars are clustered in groups. Some stand upright, while others lie flat. Some pillars are broken into pieces, while others contain rare fossils such as nummulite, mussels, cockles, and giant snails. They look far from natural, and it's almost like walking around an ancient city on another planet. This isn't surprising, considering the Stone Forest in Bulgaria likely formed around fifty million years ago. Still, it's a strange sensation and a very special experience to be here. Fun fact: the Stone Forest is the only place in Bulgaria where archaeologists have found evidence of human life in the Mesolithic period.
