Carpathian Rocks

There are places that we seem to know a lot about and at the same time very little. Surrounded by legends and mixed with scant historical facts, they always draw the unquenchable interest of explorers.

A quaint pile of sandstone rocks in this region appeared more than 70 million years ago at the bottom of a warm sea. They passed through all geological and biological epochs and witnessed astonishing historical events. Opryshky (rebels) and warriors of the national liberation movement used them as shelter and built temples, monasteries and churches.

Today they bring us the memory of ancient events wrapped in legends preserved in the tales of the local population.

There are many Dovbush Rocks in the region. Powerful and legendary rocks are located in Yaremche and Bubnyshche (Bolekhiv). In Bubnyshche they are called the "Carpathian Sphinx". Distinctive geomorphological systems of scientific and aesthetic significance - the Dovbush Stone - can be seen in the village of Kosmach, Kosiv district, Ivano-Frankivsk region, and in the village of Roztoky, Putylskyi district, Chernivtsi region.

Interesting natural sites are found in Transcarpathia - Sokolovi Rocks in Perechyn district; Smerekiv Stone, or "Charmed Valley" (Zacharovana Dolyna), in Irshava district; the "Stone Gate" (Kamiani Vorota) near the village of Mala Uholka, Tiachiv district; "Lovers Rocks" (Skeli Zakokhanykh) on the outskirts of the village of Kostylivka, Rakhiv district; rocks with "hieroglyphs" near the village of Seredne Vodiane, Rakhiv district.

In Ivano-Frankivsk region, places of interest include Pysanyi Kamin (Painted Stone), Vukhatyi Kamin in Verkhovyna district, Mount Dovbushanka in Nadvirna district, and the Ternoshory tract in Kosiv district.

Among the landmarks of Lviv region are "Trynih" Rock near the village of Ponykva; "Devil's Stone" (Chortiv Kamin) in the village of Pidkamin, Brody district; and the Urytsky Rocks in the village of Urych, Drohobych district, which form a picturesque system of steep massive rocks. These are distinctive large-block outcrops of Yamna sandstone (Paleocene) that here form several separate ledges: Hostryi Kamin (Sharp Stone) - to the west, Kamin (Stone) - in the center, Zholob (Gutter) - to the east. On the central ledge, rising 51 meters above the plane, there are signs of artificial walls, more than 3,5 thousand recesses (grooves) for assembling a wooden structure, under-rock corridors, caves, a well (2 meters in diameter and 35 meters deep), and two artificial tanks for water collection. There is a well-known well at Hostryi Kamin. Near the village of Rozluch, Turkivskyi district, Stupinchasti Rocks are mentioned. The Devil's Rocks lie on the eastern outskirts of Lviv, about 1 km from Lake Vynnykivske, toward the suburb of Vynnyky. Quaint precipitous rocky outcrops nearly 20 meters high, with honeycomb erosion, look like a distinctive fortress.

Ternopil region is rich in unique rocks: I. Franko Rocks in the village of Vikno, Husiatyn district; Slowacki Rocks near Kremenets, Kremenets district; Rivna, Monastyryska, Travertynova and Rukomyshska Rocks in Buchatskyi district; travertine rocks in the village of Lytiache, Dorohychivki Rocks, "Senomanski Bogatyri" in the village of Vovchkiv and Dnistrovski phenomena in the tract "Kryve", Zalischyky district; Babynetskyi menhir (vertical stone) in the village of Babyntsi, Borschiv district; Devil's Stone in the village of Lisnyky; Kurianivski phenomena of Berezhany district; Kydanetsi Rocks on the outskirts of the village of Kydantsi, Zbarazh district; "Kasperivski Sphinxes" in Zalischyky district.

A stay in Bukovyna can be combined with visiting Sokolyna Rock on the outskirts of the village of Vyzhenka, Vyzhnytsia district; the stone "Zhaba" (Frog) in the village of Marynychi; "Kamiana Bahachka" (Stone Rich-woman) in Ust-Putyla; "Tovarnytsia" and "Protiate stones" in the village of Roztoky; "Chorne Dyvo" (Black Miracle) in the village of Shepit; and "Try Chekisty" in Putylskyi district.