Die Basaltsäulen von Racoș, Volcanic formation in Transylvania, Romania.
The basalt columns of Racoș are a natural formation with vertically rising stone columns made from cooled lava, spread across a protected area. The columns display regular, six-sided patterns that formed naturally when lava cooled rapidly after eruption.
The site functioned as an active quarry in the 20th century, where workers extracted basalt before the area was later designated as a protected reserve. This transformation preserved the geological formations that date back millions of years.
The columns stand as a visible reminder of the volcanic forces that shaped this region, drawing visitors who want to see how nature creates such precise geometric forms. Local people value this site as a connection to their landscape's dramatic geological past.
The reserve lies about an hour from Brașov city and is reached by local roads that lead to the natural formations. Walking through the site works best, with visitors encountering different ground conditions and weather depending on the season.
The six-sided patterns form through a rare geological reaction where lava splits into uniform prism shapes as it cools. This phenomenon occurs at only a few places on Earth, making this location especially valuable to geologists.
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