18 kilometres from the Bulgarian city of Varna there is a valley with the poetic name "Stone Forest". On an area of 70 square kilometres there are many columns of stone with diameters of up to three metres and heights of up to seven metres. Composed of calcareous sandstone, these stones with a porous structure are covered with hollows and cracks; inside they are hollow and filled with sand. The Bulgarians themselves call them "beaten stones" ("Pobiti kamini"), because when you look at them, you get the feeling that this unique "forest" cannot be natural and its creation is the work of intelligent beings.
The origin of this miracle is a mystery that has not been solved to date, but there are many versions of the origin of the columns. According to one of them, the stones are giant-sized stalagmites with a history of more than 50 million years. According to another, they are lime deposits left here after the sea tide, and the bizarre shapes are just a consequence of the long exposure to wind and air. According to a third version, these are stumps left by ancient trees. However, none of the versions has not been confirmed so far.
Conditionally distinguish several groups of stones. The first is four rows of columns, which are located perpendicular to the road. The next is a group of tall (about 6 metres) "trees". The third - stones, as if put by someone's giant hand on top of each other. But the most interesting for tourists is the fourth group - a circle of relatively small stones, in the centre of which stands a tall column. The Bulgarians themselves have a belief that if you go round the whole "Stone Forest" and then go inside this circle, luck will never turn away from you.
