Roques de García, Rock formation in Teide National Park, Spain.
Roques de García is a group of volcanic rock formations sitting on the high plateau of Teide National Park, on the island of Tenerife in Spain. The most recognizable of the group, Roque Cinchado, rises about 27 meters (90 ft) above a floor of pale sand and dark lava stone.
The rocks are what remains of an ancient volcanic crater that was gradually shaped by eruptions over millions of years, followed by slow erosion. What stands today was once part of an earlier summit that was worn down by wind and further volcanic shifts over time.
Roque Cinchado once appeared on the Spanish one thousand peseta banknote alongside Mount Teide, making it one of the most recognized images of Tenerife. Today visitors from around the world photograph this exact rock, often unaware they are looking at a former currency motif.
A circular trail starting from the Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide passes directly by the formations, and parking is available at the starting point. Information panels along the route explain the geology and help you find your bearings.
Roque Cinchado owes its shape to two layers of hardened lava inside the rock that made it more resistant to erosion than the surrounding formations. Without this internal structure, it would likely have worn away just as the other rocks around it have.
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