Shipton's Arch, Natural stone arch in Kizilsu Kirghiz Prefecture, China
The arch rises 457 meters high and stretches 366 meters wide, making it one of the largest natural stone formations in the world.
English mountaineer Eric Shipton documented the arch in 1947 while serving as British consul in Kashgar, leading to its international recognition.
Local inhabitants refer to the formation as Toshuk Tagh in the Uyghur language, which translates to hole in the mountain.
Visitors need to complete an hour-long drive to Irkeshtam pass, followed by a 20-kilometer journey and a 45-minute hike through mountain terrain.
The National Geographic team's expedition in 2000 led to the arch's reinstatement in the Guinness World Records after years of uncertainty about its existence.
Location: Xinjiang
GPS coordinates: 39.66050,75.52356
Latest update: April 19, 2025 12:57
Geological forces have carved openings, arches, and caves into rock formations across continents through millions of years of erosion. Water, wind, and weathering have shaped these natural structures from various rock types, creating landmarks that reveal the Earth's ongoing transformation. The formations appear in diverse environments, from coastlines where ocean waves carve passages through limestone cliffs to desert regions where wind erosion creates openings in sandstone walls. This collection spans locations such as Durdle Door along England's Jurassic Coast, where a 200-foot (60-meter) arch rises from layers dating to the Mesozoic era. The Faraglioni Rocks off Capri reach heights of 360 feet (109 meters) and include a natural passage navigable by boat. In landlocked regions, formations like the Eyes of God in Bulgaria's Prohodna Cave display symmetrical ceiling openings where sunlight penetrates the rock. Desert sites such as Las Ventanas in Argentina's Andes showcase wind-carved arches in remote sandstone landscapes. Each location offers direct evidence of erosion processes that continue shaping these geological features, from readily accessible coastal points to isolated areas requiring significant travel to reach.
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