Giant’s Causeway (Giant’s Causeway)

More than 60 million years ago, a primordial element pushed out of the bowels of the earth in northeast Ireland one of Europe’s most famous natural wonders: 40000 basalt columns called the Road of the Giants.

The Road of the Giants is one of the strangest and most wondrous places on our planet. It is located near the town of Bushmeath on the northeast coast of Ireland. This section of the sea consists of several thousand basalt columns, which have a regular hexagonal shape, reach 12 meters in height and 50 cm across. They are arranged vertically and driven into the ground so tightly that even a thin knife blade cannot pass between them. If you look at this stretch of coastline from above, it looks as if it is completely paved. The three-dimensional plan of the structure is an image of a huge springboard with descending cascades of faceted steps to the sea.

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General Information

The Giant’s Causeway extends 275 meters along the coast, besides entering the sea for 150 meters. Geologists determine the age of the columns to be 60 million years old! Despite this, they are in excellent condition, almost undestroyed and still delight tourists coming here with their splendor.

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Here you can see picturesque caves, some can be seen from land, others – only from the sea, visit ruined castles and beautiful sandy bays. The 13th-century Dunluce Castle stands on a cliff connected to the mainland by a bridge over a chasm with the sea splashing at the bottom. Dunseverick Castle is an earlier fortification to the east of the Giant’s Causeway, and to the east stands 16th-century Kinbane Castle. In summer there is a daily cruise boat service to Rathlin Island, five miles from Billy Castle. Most interesting here is Bruce’s Cave, where in 1306 Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, watching a spider weaving its web again, had the idea of reclaiming his kingdom and becoming lord once more.

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The legend of the origin of the stone prisms

According to ancient Celtic legend, the stone prisms on the shores of the Irish coast were built by a fairy tale hero, the giant Finn Mac Cummal. One day he wanted to compete with the one-eyed Gol, who lives on Staffa Island on the other side of the strait. Unfortunately, Finn Mac Cummal was very afraid of water, and he had no suitable means of crossing the waters. So he decided to build a road across the sea straight to Staffa Island. It took him seven days to build it, dragging the faceted columns, driving them deep into the ground and pressing them tightly together so that they would not sag under the weight of his body.

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When the construction was finished, the giant was very tired and decided to rest before the difficult battle. At this time, the Cyclops noticed a stone bridge, out of nowhere in the middle of the sea. He smelled danger and decided to attack his enemy first. Crossing the bridge, he found the dwelling and began to break through the doors. Finn Mac Cummall would have been unfortunate if it hadn’t been for the ingenuity of his wife. She wrapped her husband in a sheet and only then let the cyclops into the house. To the furious cries of the woman calmly replied that the owner is not at home, and in the cradle asleep in their son. Gol was frightened when he saw the size of the child and imagined the height of his father. He fled the island in terror, destroying the bridge he had built behind him so that the enemy would not catch up with him.

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Ancient building

Some researchers believe that Irish columns are the creation of ancient people. After all, such a construction is not the only one of its kind. It can be compared to Hadrian’s Wall, a magnificent Roman monument built in the 2nd century AD in Britain. It was 130 km long, 5 km high and 6 km wide. Similar to both of these structures is the famous Stonehenge in England, which was made of huge blocks of stone 5,000 years ago.

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At the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, scientists have discovered an entire vanished city built mostly of hexagonal hewn slabs that looked a lot like Irish columns.

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From all of the above, it should be concluded that technically the people of antiquity had the ability to build impressive sized stone structures.

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Scientists’ Opinion

Scientists, however, explain the Irish miracle very simply. Millions of years ago, magma formed after volcanic eruptions began to solidify. When similar processes occur on the seashore, the layer of magma at the top breaks up into geometrically correct hexagons. The crystallization process then deepens inward and produces faceted basalt columns. This is the usual explanation for one of the most seemingly mysterious structures of our century.

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Some time ago, the Giant’s Causeway was recognized as the fourth wonder of the world in the UK (by the Times). These ancient formations are protected by UNESCO and owned by the National Trust.

Facts about the Giant’s Causeway

  • Time of formation: the Giant’s Causeway appeared about 60 million years ago.
  • Number of basalt columns: Approximately 40,000.
  • Height and dimensions: The tallest is -12m, the widest is -25m thick.
  • Attractions: Chimneypieces, Giant’s Organ. Giant’s Flute, Giant’s Boot, and Shepherd’s Staircase.
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