What is a Monolith?
what is a monolith?
Introduction:
A monolith is a geological feature consisting of a single massive stone or rock, such as some mountains. For instance, Savandurga mountain is a monolith mountain in India. Erosion usually exposes the geological formations, which are often made of very hard and solid igneous or metamorphic rock. Some monoliths are volcanic plugs, solidified lava filling the vent of an extinct volcano. In architecture, the term has considerable overlap with megalith, which is normally used for prehistory, and may be used in the contexts of rock-cut architecture that remains attached to solid rock, as in monolithic church, or for exceptionally large stones such as obelisks, statues, monolithic columns or large architraves, that may have been moved a considerable distance after quarrying. It may also be used of large glacial erratics moved by natural forces.
Monoliths in Africa:
- Aso Rock, Nigeria
- Ben Amera, Mauritania
- Brandberg Mountain, Namibia
- Sibebe, Eswatini
- Zuma Rock, Nigeria
- Mount Lubiri, Angola
- Mount Poi, Kenya
- Great Sphinx of Giza
Monoliths in Antarctica:
Monoliths in Asia:
- Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia
- Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
- Bellary Fort, Bellary, India
- Bhongir, Telangana, India
- Madhugiri Betta, Karnataka, India
- Kailasa temple, Ellora. Maharashtra, India
- Namakkal Fort Namakkal , Tamilnadu India,
- Mount Kelam, Indonesia
- Mount Pico de Loro, Philippines
- Mount Pulumbato, Philippines
- Sangla Hill, Pakistan
- Savandurga, Karnataka, India
- Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
- Yana, Karnataka, India
- Gilbert Hill, Mumbai, India
- Rockfort, Trichy, India
- The Tsunami Penile Monument, Malé, Maldives
- Ekasila, Warangal, India
Monoliths in Australia:
- Bald Rock, near Tenterfield, New South Wales
- Mount Augustus (Burringurrah), Western Australia (NOTE: this is not actually monolith as popularly claimed, but rather a monocline)
- Mount Coolum, Queensland
- Mount Wudinna, South Australia
- Pine Mountain, Victoria
- Uluru, Northern Territory
Monoliths in Europe:
- Kalamos, Anafi, Greece
- Katskhi pillar, Georgia
- Levski G., Sofia, Bulgaria
- Logan Rock, Treen, Cornwall, England
- Monolithe de Sardières, Sollières-Sardières, France
- Penyal d'Ifac, Calpe, Valencian Community, Spain
- Peña de Arcos, Arcos de la Frontera, Andalusia, Spain
- Peña de los Enamorados, Antequera, Andalusia, Spain (a World Heritage Site)
- Rock of Gibraltar, Gibraltar
- Rock of Monaco, Monaco-Ville, Monaco
- Rock Cappa, San Luca, Italy
Monoliths in North America:
- Angels Landing, Zion National Park, Utah
- Beacon Rock, Columbia River Gorge, Washington
- Bottleneck Peak, Sids Mountain, Utah
- Castle Rock, Pineville, West Virginia
- Chimney Rock, Bayard, Nebraska
- Chimney Rock, Chimney Rock, North Carolina
- Courthouse and Jail Rocks, Bridgeport, Nebraska
- Devils Tower, Wyoming
- El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California
- Enchanted Rock, Llano County, Texas
- Frog Woman Rock, Mendocino County, California
- Great White Throne, Zion National Park, Utah
- Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California
- Haystack Rock, Clatsop County, Oregon
- Looking Glass Rock, Transylvania County, North Carolina
- Morro Rock, Morro Bay, California
- Quincy Quarries Reservation, Quincy, Massachusetts
- Scotts Bluff National Monument, Gering, Nebraska
- Shiprock, San Juan County, New Mexico
- Stone Mountain, Stone Mountain, Georgia
- Stone Mountain, Stone Mountain, North Carolina
- Tooth of Time, Cimarron, New Mexico
- Wolf Rock, Linn County, Oregon
- Stawamus Chief, Squamish, British Columbia
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La Peña de Bernal, Queretaro; claimed to be the world's third largest monolith.
Monoliths in South America:
- El Peñón, also known as El Peñol Stone or simply La Piedra, Colombia
- Pão de Açúcar, Brazil
- Pedra da Gávea, Brazil the world's largest monolith on the coastline
- Pedra da Galinha Choca, Brazil
- Torres del Paine, Chile
