On our planet, along with modern, technologically and industrially developed megacities, there are many places created by ancient masters or by nature itself.

Each such attraction has its own legend and, of course, a lot of things are silent. Mysterious places cause a huge number of questions among scientists, confuse with anomalous phenomena and uncertainty.

1. Devil's Tower, USA

The so-called Devil's Tower is actually a natural rock of amazingly regular shape and consists of columns with sharp corners. This is a truly mysterious place, which, according to research, is more than 200 million years old, located in the United States, on the territory of the modern state of Wyoming.

In size, the Devil's Tower is several times larger than the Cheops pyramid and from the outside it resembles a man-made structure. Due to its unrealistic size and unnaturally regular configuration, the rock has become the object of attention of many scientists, and local residents claim that Satan himself built it.

2. Mounds of Cahokia, USA

Cahokia or Cahokia is an abandoned Indian city, the ruins of which are located near Illinois, USA. This place reminds of how ancient civilizations lived, and its complex structure proves that this area was inhabited by a highly developed people 1500 years ago. The ancient city impresses with its scale, on its territory a network of terraces and 30-meter earth mounds, as well as a huge solar calendar, have been preserved.

It is still unknown why almost 40,000 people left their settlement, and which Indian tribes are direct descendants of the Cahokians. Despite this, the mounds of Cahokia are a favorite place for many tourists who come here in the hope of unraveling the mystery of the ancient city.

3. Chavinda, Mexico

This mystical place, according to the beliefs of the natives, is the center of the intersection of the real and otherworldly worlds. That is why incredible things happen here that are difficult to understand for a modern person.

Chavinda is of interest to many treasure hunters, because according to legend, this area hides unprecedented riches. Unfortunately, no one has yet been able to find the treasure. Unfortunate treasure hunters often attribute their failures to otherworldly forces.

4. Newgrange, Ireland

Newgrange is the oldest building on the territory of modern Ireland, it is already about 5 thousand years old. It is believed that this long corridor with a transverse room is a grave, but scientists have not yet been able to determine for whom.

It is still unknown how ancient people were able to build such a perfect structure, which for five millennia was not only lucky enough to survive, retaining its primitive appearance, but also to remain completely waterproof.

5. Pyramids of Yonaguni, Japan

The mysterious underwater pyramids near the western Japanese island of Yonaguni cause a lot of controversy among modern archaeologists and surveyors. The main question is whether the structures are a natural phenomenon, or whether they were created by the hand of an ancient person.

In the course of numerous studies, it was possible to establish that the age of the Yonaguni pyramids is more than 10 thousand years. Therefore, if the Yonaguna monuments created mysterious civilizations unknown to us, then the history of mankind should be rewritten.

Mysterious civilization. Underwater cities of Yonaguni

6. Geoglyphs of Nazca, Peru

The Nazca geoglyphs in Peru are one of the most mysterious places on the planet. They were discovered in the middle of the last century and are still being actively discussed by scientists who cannot unequivocally say what ancient people wanted to express with these giant drawings of animals and for what purpose they were used?

Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to ask the creators, but scientists offer 2 main versions: some, leaning towards the cosmic theory of the origin of geoglyphs, believe that they are landmarks for alien ships, others argue that these are giant lunar calendars. In any case, the Nazca rock paintings are evidence of the existence of an ancient and mysterious civilization on the territory of modern Peru, which lived here long before the famous Incas and was distinguished by a high level of development.

7. Black Bamboo Hollow, China

The hollow of black bamboo or Heizhu is perhaps the most terrible place on Earth. The locals called it the Valley of Death, and for any money they do not even want to come close to it. One memory of the hollow brings great horror to them.

They say that children and pets disappear without a trace here, which has a lot of documentary evidence. Scientists have been interested in the hollow of black bamboo for more than a decade, who managed to prove that the valley in the Chinese province of Sichuan is an anomalous area with a difficult climate and rapidly changing weather conditions, which together provoke subsidence of the soil, which, according to scientists, are the reasons for the disappearance of people .

8. Path of the Giants, Ireland

The Path of the Giants, or the Road of the Giants in Northern Ireland, is an amazing coastal area that was formed many centuries ago as a result of a volcanic eruption. It consists of about 40 thousand basalt columns that look like giant steps.

The natural attraction belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This place deserves admiration, so it is visited annually by more than one thousand tourists from all over the world.

9. Goseck circle, Germany

The Goseck Circle is an ancient Neolithic structure in the German district of Burgenlandkreis. The circle was accidentally discovered in the early 90s of the last century while surveying the area from an airplane.

The original appearance of the building was returned only after a complete reconstruction. Scholars have little doubt that the Goseck Circle was used for astronomical observations and calendaring. This proves that our ancestors also studied space bodies, their movement and kept track of time.

10. Moai Monuments on Easter Island

Easter Island is world-famous for its giant Moai statues scattered throughout its territory. Each such megalithic figure is a large monument created by the masters of an ancient civilization in the crater of the local volcano Rano Raraku.

In total, about 1000 remains of such man-made monuments were found on the island. Most have already gone under water.

Today, the vast majority of the statues are again placed on platforms facing the ocean, from where they continue to meet the guests of the island and remind of the former power of the ancient people who inhabited these expanses.

Easter Island - Moai Message

11 Georgia Guidestones, USA

The Georgia Guidestones are 20 tons of polished granite slabs inscribed in eight of the world's most famous languages. The inscriptions are commandments for future generations on how to rebuild civilization after a global cataclysm. The monument was installed in 1979, the customer is listed in the documents under the name Robert C. Christian.

The height of the monumental structure is a little over six meters, and the slabs are oriented towards the four sides of the world and have holes. In one of them you can see the North Star at any time of the year, in the second - the Sun during the solstice and equinox. A few years ago, the monument was vandalized and damaged by paint, which has not yet been removed.

12. Richat (Eye of the Sahara). Mauritania

On the territory of modern Mauritania, the largest desert in the world hides an amazing natural phenomenon of the Proterozoic period, whose name is Richat or the Eye of the Sahara.

This object has an incredibly huge size (up to 50 kilometers in diameter), so it can be seen even from space. The structure has several ellipsoidal rings formed by sedimentary rocks and sandstones about 500 million years ago.

13. "Gate to Hell" - Darvaza crater in Turkmenistan

In the Turkmen desert of the Karakum, there is the gas crater Darvaza, which looks like a gate to hell. This fire pit, about 60 meters in diameter and up to 20 meters deep, is the result of excavations carried out here during the Soviet Union.

During such geological research, a group of scientists discovered an underground cavern with natural gas, which almost led to the death of a huge number of people. Therefore, the management decided to set fire to the gas so that it would not threaten the local residents. But the fire, which was supposed to burn no more than 5 days, is still burning, instilling fear in everyone who comes close to it.

Courageous people are ready to take a selfie at the "Gate of Hell"

14. Arkaim, Russia

Arkaim is an ancient settlement reminiscent of ancient civilizations, which was discovered several decades ago in the vicinity of Chelyabinsk. It is believed that this landmark of Russia is the birthplace of the ancient Aryans, who gave rise to European, Persian and Indian civilizations.

Arkaim is not only a unique architectural monument with a thousand-year history, but also a place of concentration of healing energy flows that can save a person from any disease.

15. Stonehenge, England

English Stonehenge is a real place of pilgrimage for tourists from all over the world. It attracts with its mystery, legends and mystical beginning. Stonehenge is a megalithic structure up to a hundred meters in diameter, which is located on the Salisbury Plain.

July 2, 2016

We bring to your attention ten fantastic places on planet Earth that will amaze you with their unique, perhaps even unearthly beauty. These mysterious and amazing corners of the planet must be visited by everyone at least once in a lifetime.

The most unusual places on earth

1. Easter Island, Chile

Easter Island, Chile. Easter Island or Rapa Nui is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous mainly for its main attraction - the Moai stone statues. Perhaps there is no more mysterious, even mystical island in the world. The impressive monuments of Moai sculptures inspire the viewer with incredible delight and unjustified fear, indescribable joy and an inexplicable feeling of anxiety. Everyone should certainly visit Easter Island and feel the fascinating history of the people of Rapa Nui.

2. Antelope Canyon, USA

Antelope Canyon, USA.Antelope Canyon is probably the most beloved and popular tourist attraction in the United States. The quaint name of the Antelope Canyon was due to the color of its rocks: reddish-red shades resemble the color of the skin of an antelope. For centuries, water and wind have created that fantastic relief, which today is impossible to stop admiring. The play of intricate shapes and graceful lines of the walls of the canyon rocks is an unusual and unforgettable sight.

3. Zhangye Danxia, ​​China

Zhangye Danxia, ​​China. Zhangye Danxia are rocks, but the rocks are not simple, but colored! Variegated mountain formations were formed due to various natural anomalies. The result is truly stunning - bright iridescent colorful stripes adorn the mountains. To believe in the existence of such fabulous landscapes, you need to see them with your own eyes, the opening picture is really breathtaking.

4. Petra, Jordan

Petra, Jordan. The ancient city of Petra is considered one of the wonders of the world. The city is located in the narrow canyon of the Siq. At one time, the city of Petra was the richest and most prosperous trading center. Now Petra is not only an architectural monument, but also a vast tourist area that attracts crowds of foreign guests. The main advantage of Petra is the facade of the building of the temple of El-Khazneh, carved from a single rock. Petra makes an indelible impression, be sure to stay in this amazing city.

5. Phi Phi Islands, Thailand

Phi Phi Islands, Thailand. The Phi Phi Islands are truly heaven on earth. More impressive landscape beauties cannot be found all over the world. Beautiful beaches, clear turquoise waters and spectacular cliffs covered with dense tropical greenery make this a perfect place to relax.

Caño Cristales means "Crystal River" in Spanish. Thanks to the various types of mosses and algae growing on the bottom, an illusion is created that the waters of the river are colored in different colors: red, blue, green, yellow and even black. Therefore, Caño Cristalis is sometimes called the river of five colors. A real miracle is to see such indescribable beauty with your own eyes.

The Socotra Islands are a World Heritage Site. They are quite difficult to access and are suitable only for ecotourism. Restaurants, hotels and a high level of service? Forget about it, because here the first roads were laid only a couple of years ago. However, visiting Socotra will be the most unforgettable trip of your life if you dare to endure discomfort. Being here is like being on another planet. The flora of this land is unique: you will not see a huge number of plants growing on the island anywhere else. This exceptional flora originated here due to the isolation of the island and the favorable climate.

8. Uyuni, Bolivia

Uyuni, Bolivia. Uyuni is the largest salt lake in the world. But an interesting feature of this lake lies not only in its scale. Uyuni is a hard salt marsh with a smooth, mirror-like surface that you can drive a car on. In fact, Uyuni is a huge block of salt. The lake has a high economic value to Bolivia, due to the extraction of its colossal salt reserves. Here, salt is used not only for food, it is even used as a building material. Therefore, travelers have the opportunity to stay in a real salt hotel.

Wonderful Lake Kliluk is located in British Columbia. The waters of the lake are rich in various minerals and during evaporation, many mineral spots form on the surface, which, depending on the season, turn into different colors - an incredibly amazing sight. In addition to its magical appearance, Kliluk is also famous for its healing properties.

TRAVELERS' CHOICE AWARD is the most important travel rating of the year, compiled by TripAdvisor.com, the largest travel service in the world. The winners were selected using an algorithm that takes into account millions of reviews and ratings from online users about thousands of attractions, hotels and restaurants around the world over the past 12 months. Want to know which cities won? See the top 25 best travel destinations in the world.

25 PHOTOS

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1. Marrakesh in Morocco was ranked #1 on TripAdvisor.com's Best Travel Destinations. “Amazing bustling old market in the city center” is the most attractive place in the city, according to portal users. (Photo: CNN).
2. Siem Reap in Cambodia is number 2 in the ranking of the best travel destinations. The sunrise over the Angkor Wat temple causes a special delight among tourists, because it is not for nothing that it is considered one of the seven new wonders of the world. (Photo: CNN).
3. Istanbul in Turkey is a city full of contrasts. A trip to Istanbul is a fantastic journey through different eras, styles, religions, tastes and aromas. (Photo: CNN).
4. Hanoi in Vietnam. Users call it a lively, interesting and chaotic, in the good sense of the word, city. (Photo: CNN).
5. "Beautiful and charming" Czech Prague. Here on every corner you can stumble upon "strange shops" that will pleasantly surprise you. (Photo: CNN).
6. "Eclectic" London is a mixture of lifestyles, people and history. (Photo: CNN).
7. Rome, Italy "Such a huge piece of history in one city." (Photo: CNN).
8. Buenos Aires, Argentina “Cool, trendy, absolutely delightful city.” (Photo: CNN).
9. Paris, France Nowhere else in the world will you find such an amazing atmosphere as in Montmartre, a beautiful and colorful area with its small shops, art galleries and charming cafes. (Photo: CNN).
10. Cape Town, South Africa. One of the main attractions of Cape Town is the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, about which users write only admiring reviews. (Photo: CNN).
11. New York, USA. According to TripAdvisor.com users, the city's top must-see attraction is Times Square. (Photo: CNN).
12. Zermatt, Switzerland “Once you get to the top of the Matterhorn Glacier, you will feel like you are standing on the roof of the world.” (Photo: CNN).
13. Barcelona, ​​Spain. “In some corners of this city, you will feel like you have traveled back in time… 500 years into the past!” (Photo: CNN).
14. Gorem, Turkey. "This is the most unusual and surreal landscape in the world!" (Photo: CNN).
15. Ubud, Indonesia. This is the best place for those who love spa: massage, acupuncture, reflexology, aromatherapy - here you can try absolutely everything. (Photo: CNN).
16. Cusco, Peru "It's a wonderful city with charming cobbled streets, very hospitable people and good restaurants." (Photo: CNN).
17. St. Petersburg, Russia. One of its main attractions is St. Isaac's Cathedral, which offers a breathtaking view of the entire city. And the beauty of the interior of the cathedral makes tourists "goosebumps!". In the photo: Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on Blood. (Photo: CNN).
18. Bangkok, Thailand. Khao San Street is "the heart and soul of Bangkok, the best place for all travelers, with its lively streets and bars at every turn." (Photo: CNN).
19. Kathmandu, Nepal. Kathmandu is primarily a city of Buddhist temples, unique monuments worth visiting. (Photo: CNN).
20. Athens, Greece. The hallmark of this city is the "exciting" Acropolis. (Photo: CNN).
21. Budapest, the capital of Hungary, has been dubbed the "Queen of the Danube" by internet users. (Photo: CNN).
22. Queenstown (New Zealand) is the best place for lovers of sports and stunning nature. (Photo: CNN).
23. Hong Kong (China) is the only city of its kind that features floating restaurants serving delicious dim sum (Chinese dumplings). (Photo: CNN).
24. Dubai (UAE) - A cosmopolitan oasis with futuristic cityscapes that rises above the Arabian Desert. (Photo: CNN).
25. Sydney (Australia) is a city that will appeal to both lovers of history and modernity. The landmark of the city is the Sydney Opera House, which looks like a sailboat floating peacefully in the harbor. (Photo: CNN).

Jan 29, 2016

On the surface of our planet, there are beautiful landscapes and unique landscapes that give rise to associations with other galaxies. site prepared an overview of the most unusual places and offers to admire the marvelous and bizarre fantasy of nature.

Photo by Wolfgang Staudt

The grandiose and ethereal view of Niagara Falls is forever amazing. It is located on the border between the US and Canada, in the state of New York. In general, this is a whole complex of powerful and rolling waterfalls, which include: "Horseshoe" (aka "Canadian"), "Veil" and "American". It is surprising that with relatively small differences in height, all the sources are very wide, and the water beats with such force that its roar is deafening. That is why Niagara Falls is considered one of the largest and noisiest on the entire planet. And in terms of picturesqueness, this place is so beautiful that, having been here once, you will often remember it and share your impressions with friends.

This natural object is located in Hawaii, the island of Oahu. In the local language, the name of the staircase is somewhat reminiscent of Japanese - "Haiku". In essence, the stairway to heaven is a mountain path of unique beauty, passing right along the tops of small mountains. For the convenience of tourists, the amazing object is surrounded by railings. From the steps of this staircase, simply bewitching views of both the heavenly beauties and the valley open up. And the air seems to saturate, it is so clean, transparent and even delicious. This is one of the most magical and unusual places, worthy of Tolkien's tales of hobbits and light, almost weightless, elves.

3. Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon in Arizona (USA) fully justifies its name, translated into Russian as "The Great, or Huge Canyon." Its size is truly amazing. A very winding and unpredictable Colorado River passes through it, which makes its way through the limestone rock with a powerful current. The Grand Canyon is an amazing and historically valuable place. It is in it that one can trace the stages of formation of the modern surface of our planet; 4 historical layers are presented here. It is not only fantastically beautiful here, this place is invaluable for the development of such sciences as geology and history. It is for this reason that the Grand Canyon is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It turns out that not only the USA and Hawaii can boast of amazing places on the planet. In Belgium there is a beautiful forest with the sonorous name of Hallerboss. He is very famous not only in his native country, but throughout the world. With what? Every spring, unusual forest flowers bloom here - bluebells. Rather, they would be quite ordinary, if not for their number. Every year, the forest seems to be lined with a blue carpet, stunning both in its appearance and in the subtle aroma in the air. That is why Hallerboss, which stretches south from Brussels (the border of Flanders and Wallonia), is popularly called the "Blue Forest".

Of course, amazing and unusual places are formed not only on the surface, but also in the most secret depths of our planet. One of them is the huge Son Doong Cave, which can be found right in the center of Vietnam. To do this, you need to walk through Phong Nha Kebang National Park, which is located near the border with Laos. The size of this natural object is truly amazing. No wonder the cave was recognized as the largest on the entire planet. Unexplored views open here, and the highest vaults give scope for the most colorful fantasies. Here are just some of the data: the height is about 200 meters, the width is about 150, and the length has not yet been fully studied, but approximately 5 km. There are places to walk.

6. Monument Valley

If you rely on the name, you might think that we are talking about something man-made, created by artists or sculptors, but our review includes unusual places on Earth created exclusively by nature itself. So Monument Valley, which is again in the state of Arizona, USA, is amazing precisely because a person did not take part in its creation at all. The upper layer of the Colorado Plateau in this particular place once consisted of very soft and unstable rocks of sedimentary origin. Over time, they were completely destroyed, and small rocks-fragments remained in the valley, which are now called monuments, or monuments. Only now they are set by history itself and built by the hands of nature. Some rocks even have names, such as Three Sisters, Mitten (Western and Eastern), etc.

It would seem that there is nothing more majestic and silent than the endless sands to the very horizon. However, deserts are amazing in their beauty. In New Mexico (USA) there is a valley called Tularosa. It is already beautiful in itself, but there are more unusual places here. This is the White Desert. It is nicknamed so because the sands are not golden yellow, but glossy white. It may seem that you find yourself in a hot winter. The Indians gave the desert a very romantic name - Porcelain, but among tourists it is better known as the White Sands Desert. Due to its natural beauty, this place has received the status of a US National Monument, and because of the composition of the dunes, the title of the largest gypsum deposit on the entire planet.

8. National Park in Australia

Another amazing place in its bewitching beauty is the Australian park Port Campbell, which you can visit in the state of Victoria. Just drive 190 km southwest of Melbourne and you'll be in a pristine piece of Paradise. Here, the coastline of the park is especially striking. It is all streaked with rocks of various, sometimes very bizarre, forms. In addition, it was here that grandiose shipwrecks occurred more than once. And the memory of them is stored in the names of mountain fragments - "The Twelve Apostles", "London Arch". On the territory of Port Campbell you can also visit the beautiful Thundering Cave.

South America is also famous for its unusual places, which are a must to visit. One of them is the Dragon Falls pouring its waters in Venezuela. It is an object of national importance and in itself is very popular with tourists. Education is entirely the work of Mother Nature. By the way, the Dragon shares the same valley with the equally famous Angel Falls, which is considered the highest on the planet. Both of these places fascinate with their majestic beauty. They are carefully guarded and cherished in order to continue to delight, delight and surprise.

The city of San Francisco, which is located on the west coast of the United States, is well known to many. But few people know that it is located on the hills left over from the times of the Gold Rush. Most of them are monuments of historical importance, others are simply beautiful, and others offer a fantastic view. How many exactly hills are located here is not known for certain, but, they say, at least fifty. The objects are very popular among tourists. First of all, because they are unusual, nowhere else on earth is there such a thing. And secondly, many of them offer a bewitching view of the city. One of these hills is Twin Peaks, which offers a panoramic view of the entire central part of San Francisco.

A river of extraordinary beauty flows on the territory of Slovenia and Italy. It meanders between the mountains, either expanding or narrowing to the size of a fast stream. The path of Sochi, or, in Italian, Isonzo, runs through incredibly beautiful places, but this is not the only reason why it is famous all over the world. The color of the river's waters is amazing: bright turquoise, blinding in the sun. And surprisingly, throughout Socha does not change it, and remains pale blue. The famous Slovenian Alps, the lush vegetation in the valley and the unique color make Isonzo one of the most extraordinary places on the planet.

One of the world's most famous natural monuments is the victorious Victoria Falls, which is located in South Africa. If you want to visit such unusual places, then you need to come to the border between the African states of Zimbabwe and Zambia, to the Zambezi River. It is here that the main attraction of the entire continent makes noise, growls, overthrows tons of water - a waterfall named after Queen Victoria. Its width is almost 2 km, and its height is more than 120 m. The local name is more poetic - "Thundering Smoke". Due to its impressive size, this natural monument is unique, there are no others like it all over the world.

On our planet, there is also a real entrance to the underworld. It is called "Thor's Well" and is located in Oregon (USA). It looks like a huge funnel, into which whole tons of water fall with noise. These places are famous for their gorgeous sunsets, which are impossible to forget. An amazing well, formed by nature itself, provides endless scope for various fairy tales and beliefs. In fact, this is an almost perfectly round hole, with a diameter of 5 m, located in the high tide zone at Cape Perpetua.

14. Himalayas - mountains with history

The Himalayas are translated from Sanskrit as "the abode of snows", and for good reason. Here and, the truth is always snowy, cloudy and fabulous. A chain of mountain ranges and peaks stretches across India and Tibet, as well as Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan. These are very picturesque and unforgettable places, which every climber must conquer! The Himalayas are famous for their unearthly beauty, and the famous one, about which many legends, poems and songs have been composed. In general, it is here that more than 10 mountains are located, the peaks of which exceed 8 km, while the average figures for the Himalayan mountains are 6 km above sea level. This is a world altitude record.

Australia, surrounded on all sides by oceans, is famous for its coral reefs, but the Great Barrier is a separate story. It is huge in size, but more than that, it is a truly living, constantly evolving organism, beautiful in its uniqueness. It is recognized as the largest all over the world, and here are just a few figures to prove it: the length is about 2500 km along the northeast Australian coast, the number of individual reefs is almost 3000, and the formed coral islands of various sizes - 900. The view of this landscape makes such an impression that impossible to compare with anything.

Iceland is a beautiful northern country, at any mention of which a picture of geysers immediately appears in the mind. But there are other places, no less unusual and beautiful. The glacial lake Jokulsarlon is one of them. Not only is this reservoir formed by glacial waters, which is why it is crystal clear and terribly cold. Also, the whole area around is just fantastic. It seems like he landed on another planet. Blocks of transparent ice rise straight from the water, crawling on top of each other and forming a truly beautiful landscape worthy of the Snow Queen herself. Considered a natural wonder of the country.

And finally, it's time to move to the Alps - the oldest and most picturesque mountain ranges on Earth. It is here that the famous Matterhorn mountain, the snow-white miracle of the Alps, is located. Where can you see it in person? Not far from the resorts of Switzerland Zermatt and Italy Breuil-Cervinia. If you translate the name into Russian, you get something like a "meadow peak", that is, a peak abundantly overgrown with vegetation. The mountain is considered one of the highest and most difficult (in terms of climbing) in the world, its height is 4478 m. The valley around is very picturesque.

There are a lot of amazing landscapes in Japan, but one of the most stunning is the Biei blue pond (Hokkaido). It spilled at the foot of the no less picturesque Mount Tokachi, and if you go from the town of Biei strictly to the southeast, you can certainly see this natural object. The pond is unique for its extraordinary color. The gentle, blue hue of the waters makes the heart freeze in true admiration for the creation of nature. This color is not always constant, and under certain weather conditions, it can become either more transparent or darker.

Amazes even the most sophisticated imagination. Taganay National Ural Park is one of them. This is the west of the Chelyabinsk region, not far from the ancient town of Zlatoust. This area was awarded the title of national treasure relatively recently, in 1991. The places here are unique in that they have preserved intact the most valuable natural areas - mountain tundra and meadows, with their unusual vegetation and fauna. In addition, only here you can find primordial moss swamps and relic forests that have kept secrets for thousands of years.

Oh, this is perhaps the most unusual place in the world. The island is located in the Indian Ocean, not far from Somalia. In essence, it is even an archipelago consisting of 4 parts. Three islands are inhabited, but one is not, and it is just the most interesting. It was here, under the conditions of the most severe selection (sandy soil, climate like in the desert), that unique vegetation survived, the representatives of which are not found anywhere else. And indeed it is. If you want to see bizarre plants and animals that are not found anywhere else on the planet, then you should visit this uninhabited, and therefore even more mysterious and amazing, island. And it is here that the rarest and most beautiful type of pearls is mined - black.

Text: Maria Nikitina

There are various places in the world that are distinguished by their natural beauty, colorfulness, landscapes and rich vegetation. Others are beautiful in their simplicity and subtlety. In this article, you will find something that you probably have not seen before: the strangest places in the world, but at the same time incredible beautiful.

1. "Bloody Pond" in Japan

Opening our list of the strangest places on Earth is the bloody spring (called Jigoku, which means hell) - a landmark of the city of Beppu, one of nine thermal springs that are more appropriate to look at than to swim in them.

The reddish color is due to the presence of high levels of iron in the hot waters, which makes this place rather strange.

2. Ice Caves Eisriesenwelt (Austria)

These are the longest ice caves in the world. Today, only a small part of them is open to the public, but this is surprisingly enough to allow visitors to feel the wonderful and mysterious whim of nature.

This strange place is located in the Richat structure, on the African continent. It can be seen from space due to its length of almost 50 km. The structure is located at an altitude of about 400 meters above sea level in the Sahara desert in Mauritania and has curious concentric rings. It is believed that the Eye of the Sahara was created from a meteorite impact.

4. Salt Desert

This is a huge salt desert in Bolivia, also known as. It is the largest salt marsh in the world and here you can see active volcanoes, plains with geysers, tall cacti, etc., which make the environment an endless illusion or landscape of another world.

5. Stone forest of China

Shilin Stone Forest, known as the "first wonder of the world", is located in Yunnan province. This forest covers an area of ​​over 400 square kilometers and showcases amazing rock formations with breathtaking views. The forest was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2007.

6 Spotted Kliluk Lake

This huge unusual lake is located between the state of Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is rich in natural resources, but the most surprising thing about it is the strange formation of circles with white borders and puddles inside, reflecting sunlight in blues and greens, like mirrors or doors to other worlds.

7. Dry deserts of Antarctica

These are genuine dry valleys in Antarctica with dark gravel scattered across the ground, similar to the volcanic areas in the Canary Islands that are equated with Mars. The valley is so cool and dry (the driest place on earth) that everything that dies there is preserved like a mummy. It is like a natural freezer. In addition, here you can find the corpses of seals that died several centuries ago.

Our own little Mars on Earth is in Spain. The similarity of this strange place with the red planet is so high that NASA conducted various experiments here because of this. This river creates such an unusual environment because of the huge acidity, namely the red color betrays the high content of copper. All this is due to the fact that gold and copper were mined on the river.

This island has very interesting vegetation which makes it a unique and almost anomalous ecosystem. It is part of an archipelago consisting of four islands in the Indian Ocean, which were separated from Africa about 7 million years ago. Like the Galapagos Islands, they contain over 700 very rare species of both flora and fauna, and about a third are unique to this area.

Ethiopia's Afar Depression, better known as the Danakil Depression, is one of the hottest inhabited places on Earth, with temperatures ranging from 35 degrees Celsius when cool to around 60 degrees Celsius when hot. This is an area in the Horn of Africa where tectonic plates separate, which contributes to the release of the waters of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. This is the reason for such bright colors of the landscape. It is worth noting that this is a very volcanic and radiation zone. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most unusual places on Earth.

11. Soaring Geyser Nevada

This geyser in Nevada is one of the strangest sights in the United States. It was created in 1916 by accident while drilling for oil wells: water heated by geothermal energy came to the surface, provoking this colorful spectacle. The geyser is made up of various minerals and thermophilic algae that spew jets of water 1.5m into the air and give it such a variety of colors and plastic appearance. This terrace consists of about 40 pools of water on an area of ​​30 hectares.

Located in Yellowstone National Park. It is the largest geothermal spring in the United States and the third largest in the world. With its appearance, it undoubtedly deserves a place in the list of the strangest places on the planet. The source is formed by thermophilic bacteria that produce colors from green to red. The colors depend on the ratio of chlorophyll and carotenoids, and on the temperature of the water.

These were strangest places on earth . I hope that the article was interesting for you. Thank you for your attention!

P.S. To consolidate the topic, I suggest watching a video selection of the most beautiful and unusual places on our planet: