POUPÉES DE PIERRE DE KUKLICA

This amazing geological site (Камени Кукли/Kameni Kukli) evokes, in a miniature version, the Turkish valley of Göreme, in Cappadocia. It covers about 400^m2 and owes its name to the hundred and twenty or so rock columns that stand here in a small valley on the right bank of the Kriva River. Most of these "stone dolls" are no more than 5 m high, but a group of about fifteen columns reaches at least 10 m high. According to one legend, they are petrified soldiers while crossing a burning forest. Another version wants that these columns are inhabitants of the region changed into stone while they took part in a marriage between two lovers of rival villages. It is true that some of the shapes evoke human or animal bodies. The scientific reality is that they are "fairy chimneys": columns of volcanic deposits rather friable, whose more resistant top ensured the maintenance against erosion. Here, the phenomenon occurred over a period of about 100,000 years with volcanic rocks (andesite and ignimbrite) that are themselves at least 30 million years old. The site is relatively clean and well maintained. Along the trail are picnic tables and a gift store. On the other side of the parking lot is a rather nice traditional restaurant, Restoran Etno Kuklica (facebook.com/KuklicaEtno) with an outdoor pool and a large garden.