Nīcgale Great Stone, Glacial boulder in Nīcgale Parish, Latvia.
The Nīcgale Great Stone is a massive glacial boulder found in Nīcgale Parish that rises prominently from the surrounding forest floor. Its flat top surface and the steps carved into it in 1938 make it an easy landmark to identify and navigate to when walking through the area.
This boulder was moved and deposited by glacial ice during the last ice age, originating from regions that are now Sweden, Finland, and Karelia. In 1938, a forest worker carved the three steps into the stone to make the flat top more accessible to visitors and travelers.
Local hunters from nearby districts used this stone as a natural meeting place, gathering on its flat top to rest and share meals during trips into the forest. The space became a familiar landmark where people paused during their journeys through the woodland.
The stone sits at a crossroads where multiple forest paths meet, making it easy to find and approach from different directions. Wear sturdy shoes when visiting, as the carved steps can be slippery in wet conditions and climbing to the top requires solid footing.
This is the largest known glacial boulder in Latvia, a distinction that makes it a geological landmark of regional importance. Its position where forest paths converge creates a natural meeting point that has served travelers and forest workers for generations.
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