Sfingy, Rock formations in Měděnec, Czech Republic.

Sfingy is a natural monument of rock formations up to 15 metres high, shaped by frost weathering in the Quaternary from coarse-grained porphyritic orthogneiss. The rock contains feldspar phenocrysts called eyes, up to 5 cm across, and veins of grey-white quartz.

The rock formation was first protected as a protected natural creation on 15 July 1983, and on 27 April 1990 it was declared a natural monument. The first management plan covered 2013–2022. West of the rocks stood the hotel U Sfingy (Zur Sphinx), built in the 1870s, rebuilt in 1927, used in the Second World War as an SS rehabilitation centre and kitchen for a nearby Hitlerjugend camp, abandoned after 1945 and blown up by Czechoslovak army soldiers in 1968.

The rock formations received their name because their profiles resemble Egyptian sphinxes, a connection locals made when observing them. This naming choice shows how people connect natural shapes to familiar images from history and culture.

You can reach this site by bicycle route 35 starting from Měděnec village, with a natural parking area nearby for visitors. The access is straightforward, and the route is well-marked for easy navigation.

The orthogneiss contains feldspar eyes up to 5 cm across, formed when hydrothermal quartz from Variscan magma filled cracks in the rock. The cliffs were once used for occasional climbing, which partly damaged them.