The Stone Forest of Bulgaria
In a sandy desert-like patch of Bulgaria, hundreds of stone columns stand in groups, like the trunks of a petrified forest. Geologists still argue about how they formed.
What was reported
Pobiti Kamani, the 'stones beaten into the ground', is a group of natural stone columns west of Varna in north-east Bulgaria. Hundreds of pillars, some 5 to 7 metres tall and hollow inside, stand in clusters on sandy ground, looking like a forest of stone trees.
Local legends say they were giants or the remains of an ancient city. For a long time, they were believed to be fossilised trees.
Explanations offered
Most geologists now think the columns formed about 50 million years ago, when minerals hardened around channels where gas or water seeped up through the sea floor, but there are other theories. It's a protected natural landmark.
- When
- About 50 million years old
- Where
- Pobiti Kamani, Varna, Bulgaria
- Witnesses
- Visitors and geologists
- Status
- Origins debated
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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