Pobiti Kamani Natural Monument

Located 18 km westwards from Varna, the Pobiti Kamani (the Stone Forest) is one of the most incredible natural phenomena in Bulgaria. It consists of stone columns fixed in a small desert. They have porous surface, some of them reaching 6 metres high, some up to 12 metres across at their base. Some columns resemble animals, others remind you of frozen fountains or cascades. Several rows of columns create the impression that each is made up of two cones balancing on their sharp points. The prevailing theory is that the “stone forest” near Varna was formed some 50 million years ago. The first impression is of a ruined temple but scientists have discovered that it was once a part of the sea bottom. After the receding of the water the inorganic sediments eroded, thus attaining the marvelous forms we admire today.