~ Top 10 World's Greatest Living Rocks ~

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Top 10 World's Greatest Living Rocks


1. The Sphinx, Egypt



Built in the third millennium BC the Great Sphinx of Giza is the most ancient statue in the world. It holds one more record - the largest monument in the world. The great statue with a lion's body and a human head is definitely colossal - it is 73.5 meters long, a little over 20 meters tall and its width is about 6 meters! This limestone creation stands proudly on the west bank of the Nile River and attracts millions of visitors from all over the world, being a sculpture one of its kind. Like a protector of the great pyramids the Sphinx is more than charismatic. There are many debates among scientists about its original name, because Sphinx is a word that in ancient Greek means a monster with a body of a lion, wings and a head of a woman, although in this case it is a man's head with no wings. It is also believed that the name Sphinx was given to the monument about 2000 years after it was built. There are a lot of legends, mystic facts and interesting stories that intrigue and attract people to this gorgeous creation of men!

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2. Leshan Giant Buddha, China



Nearby the city of Leshan in China, where the three rivers Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi confluence, there is the magnificent statue of Buddha, called the Leshan Giant Buddha. This gorgeous statue is carved in the cliffs and the rivers are floating in its feet. The whole scene is so dramatic that is hard to describe. Millions of people are attracted to this immense statue, which represents the magical power of the art. It is the largest statue of Buddha carved in a rock and is also 71 meters high, which makes it the highest premodern monument in the world. The statue was enlisted as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 and Chinese Government takes all necessary decisions to preserve this beautiful piece of art and protect it for the future generations. It is known that pollution and environment conditions affect the masterpiece, but everything possible is being done to protect the Giant Buddha and a restoration work is already planned!

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3. Petra, Jordan



The archaeological city of Petra is maybe the most attractive and interesting site in Jordan, which is famous all over the world, because it is cut in the rocks. This ancient structure was built about the sixth century BC and has become a symbol of Jordan! It is cut on the slopes of the Mount Hor and has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1895. It is famous all over the world and was even in the BBC list of forty places, one should see before he dies. This is one of the worlds greatest historical treasures and there is even a poem dedicated to the city of Petra by the famous author John William Burgon, where he describes it with charming words and makes this "rose-red city half as old as time" seem even more intriguing and charming. It is obligatory to visit this architectural miracle, built about 100 BC, this city of stone is considered to be one of the wonders of the new world.

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4. Dazu Rock Carvings, China



Our journey to visit the most amazing living rocks in the world stops in China again where are the most fascinating rock carved monuments, influenced by three different religious beliefs - Buddhist, Confucian and  Taoist! There are more than 5,000 statues and more than 100,000 Chinese characters or epigraphs. The sculpting of the Dazu Rock Carvings began at 650 AD, but continued through centuries to reach this immense number of handmade ornamented statues. Although the greatest part of the Carvings was made in the ninth century, have in mind that this colossal sculptural site was being created during many years and centuries, and this is why it combines a mixture of style and art influences, that makes it even more complicated charming and unique! Visitors keep on going there to see those absolutely gorgeous statues, which were open for foreign admirers in 1980. In 1999 Dazu Rock Carvings was pronounced for a World Heritage Site!

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5. Mount Rushmore, USA



USA hosts one of the most gigantic living rocks in the world, representing the first century and a half of the American history, showing the faces of the most famous presidents of the States. They are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The sculptures of their heads are carved in the granite rock of the Rushmore Mountain and their designers were the sculptor Gutzon Borglum and his son Lincoln Borglum. The measures of the sculptures are actually more than impressive - their height is 18 meters and the whole area covered by them is about 5 square kilometres! According to the statistics this monument attracts more than two million people annually and this number is increasing! The first name of the mountain was the Six Grandfathers, used by the Sioux, but in 1885 after an expedition it was renamed to The Rushmore Mountain after Charles E. Rushmore. Today it is famous all over the world for the magnificent monument of the presidents and became a symbol of the U.S.!

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6. Abu Simbel, Egypt



On the western bank of the lake Nasser in Egypt is located another miracle of the ancient sculpture. The monuments of Abu Simbel are two great temples, built during the reign of Ramesses II about 1257 BC. The temples are carved in the rock and both of the temples were built in order to commemorate the Pharaoh and his beloved queen Nefertari. On the façade of The Great Temple there is a statue of the Great Ramesses who is sitting with three Gods and The Small Temple was dedicated to Queen Nefertari. Even the temples were built originally in the thirteen century BC; in 1968 they had to be relocated because of the building of a big artificial water reservoir at the lake Nasser, and the threat that they could be damaged by the building process. Today Abu Simbel is one of the most famous attractions in Egypt and an obligatory stop for everyone keen on the Egyptian culture!

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7. Mahabalipuram Shore Temple, India



In India you can find another architectural miracle, a temple created about the eight century AD. This magnificent stone temple is five-storey and is more than gorgeous. Its pyramidal structure and Hindu style make it one of the most elegant stone-cut structures in the world. It is among the most ancient temples in the southern part of the country.  There are three shrines combining to form the whole temple, the main one is dedicated to Shiva, and the second in size is also dedicated to Shiva, while the third one is built in honour of Vishnu. It is interesting to mention that the strong and stable construction of the temple survived even the Tsunami in 2004 and was not destroyed by the strong wave that covered it! Today the Shore temple with its colossal stone structure, religious significance and beautiful ornaments is one of the most attractive sites in India!

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8. Cappadocia, Turkey



Cappadocia is a rocky region in central Turkey, the province of Nevsehir, where you can find amazing cities all built into the rocks; there are temples, living spaces, houses and whole villages that are just cut into the rocks. There were places where some of the first Christians lived and this can be proved by the religious signs they left. In Cappadocia we can find whole fields covered by most extraordinary and strange rock formations looking like chimneys, flowers, enormous fields looking like taken from a Sci-Fi movie! Nowadays tourism is very well developed in the region - there are numerous hotels all built in this "rocky" style. The Turkish cuisine, famous all over the world like one of the most delicious accomplishes a perfect stay for the tourists, who are also offered to enjoy a tour by buggy or a hot air balloon!

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9. Borobudur, Indonesia



In Central Java, Indonesia, there is another grand monument Borobudur, which is able to astonish even the most prepared tourists with its colossal size and rich ornaments. It is considered that the monument was built in the ninth century, but according to some specialists it could be much older. The main part is a construction of six square platforms, each smaller than the previous, which are arranged like a pyramid. On the top of the last smallest platform there are three round platforms. There are 507 Buddha statues in the complex and the surprising number of 2,672 relief platforms, which are all masterpieces. On the top of the monument there is a dome, encircled by Buddha statues, which are 72! When you arrive at the monument, there is a special path, leading to the top, which is also telling stories, because the walls are all covered by beautiful reliefs. It is a spiritual journey and climbing to the top of Borobudur is more than a visit to a temple!

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10. Church of St. George, Ethiopia



The Church of Saint George in Lalibela, Ethiopia is absolutely great creation, carved in a piece of rock. There are totally eleven monolith churches in Lalibela, but this one is maybe the most famous and attracts most of the tourists going there. The church has enormous dimensions, regarding the specific way it was built. It is absolutely one of a kind and is still a pilgrimage destination for the people. Its measures referring to 25 by 25 by 30 meters are more than impressive. The church is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and every year the number of tourists visiting Ethiopia, and especially to Lalibela to visit the churches, increases! It is interesting to note that there is a small artificial pool built beside the church, which is believed to be used for baptismal purposes!