Bílé Kameny
The Bílé Kameny (also Sloní Kameny , German elephant stones ) are striking rock formations in the Lusatian Mountains in Liberecký kraj (Liberec region) in the Czech Republic . Because of their peculiar shape and special geology, the rocks have been under state protection as a natural monument on 0.5 hectares since 1955.
Location and surroundings
You are about 1 km north of Jítrava ( German Pankratz ). Almost isolated from other elevations, they are on the edge of the forest in front of the Vysoká (Trögelsberg). Due to their round shape and light color, they are reminiscent of lying elephants and are therefore called "elephant stones" or "white stones".
Since the individual rocks are separated from each other by disturbances, they form a small "rock town". It extends over an area of approx. 50 × 150 meters and is up to 20 meters high.
geology
The Bílé Kameny owe their formation to tectonic movements of the Lusatian fault . These movements in the Tertiary disrupted the light-colored sandstones of the Upper Cretaceous and set them crooked. After that, the material was exposed to continuous erosion , which led to the shape of the rocks today. The typical curves were created as a reshaping of an Ice Age glacier, which crossed the mountains here.
The white color is due to the kaolin content of the sandstone. The stone is relatively soft. Since the stone in the lower part is less resistant, smaller caves and a small rock tunnel have formed here.
Mountain sports
The elephant stones were also used as a mountain sports area in the past. Because of the extremely soft sandstone, however, a general ascent ban was issued in 1975 to prevent further rock damage. Climbing routes once existed on the western elephant stone (Alter Weg II) and on the Elefantenscheibe (Alter Weg V).
Accesses
- From Rynoltice , a green marked hiking trail leads past the rocks, which connects to the red marked ridge trail ( European long-distance hiking trail E3 ) at the nearby Jítravské sedlo .
- The cross-border nature trail of the Lausitzer and Zittau Mountains also leads to the Bílé Kameny. On a board you can get information about the geological development of the area.
See also
literature
- Michael Bellmann, Manfred Thiele: Climbing Guide Northern Bohemia . Michael Bellmann Publishing House, Dresden 2003
Web links
Coordinates: 50 ° 48 ' N , 14 ° 51' E