The highest rock in the world is Ayers Rock. The red rock of Ayers Rock is the largest and very ancient monolithic rock in the world. This unique place is one of the main attractions of Australia.

Mount Uluru located in the center of Australia in the heart of the continent. The nearest town of Yulara is only 18 km away. On the border of the town, an airport was built specifically to receive 500 thousand tourists a year. But do not forget that for the Australian aborigines, the Uluru rock is sacred, and therefore climbing to its top is not welcome, although not prohibited.

Mount Uluru itself is 348 meters high and 3.5 km long, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Uluru goes underground for about 6 km and reappears at a distance of 25 km. in the form of a Kata-Tjuta complex. The highest of the mountains is called Mount Olga, its height is even higher than that of Uluru 546 m. ​​This place is also revered by the natives.

Once in the center of Australia there was Lake Amadius, and Uluru, according to scientists, is what remains of mountain range towering in the center of the lake in the form of an island. Thus, in ancient times this place was no less interesting.

From afar it may seem that Uluru is very smooth, but in fact it is not, due to the large temperature changes during the day and night, as well as the annual hurricanes, it is covered with cracks.

Uluru has the unusual property of changing its color depending on the time of day. This is due to the characteristics of the red sandstone that makes up the mountain.

An interesting fact: Uluru was also called Ayers Rock in honor of one of the governors of Australia, but at the request of the natives in the 70s, the old name Uluru was returned.

Near Uluru, a spring springs from the ground, and there are also a lot of caves where you can hide from the sun, so it is not surprising that this place in the middle of a hot desert has been a refuge for the ancient Australians for many centuries. At the foot of the mountain, as well as in its caves, you can see examples of ancient rock art.

Previously, Uluru belonged to the Australian government, but in 1985 the relic was returned to the natives, more precisely, the Anangu tribe. True, it must be said that Uluru was immediately bought out again by the Australian government, or rather, leased for 99 years for 75 thousand dollars a year, plus 20% of the cost of entry from each visitor. The entrance ticket costs 25 Australian dollars.

Aborigines are not happy with so many people who want to climb to the top of their sacred mountain but do not discourage tourists.

Uluru on the map:

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Video: Mount Uluru.

The eighth wonder of the world, Red Mountain, sacred place All these words are about amazing grief located in Australia. Uluru or Ayers Rock is one of the recognizable symbols of the Green Continent. Uluru rock, resembling a huge resting elephant, is incredibly beautiful, and is rightfully considered one of the most remarkable natural wonders of our planet.

Chameleon Rock Ayers Rock

The fantastic red mountain is located 450 km from the Australian city of Alice Springs. Its height is 838 m, and its length is 3.6 km. This red sandstone is covered with cracks everywhere. Some of them reach a depth of 2m. It is the properties of sandstone that allow the rock to flow throughout the day. At dawn, the mountain appears dark purple, during the day it acquires a golden hue, and in the late afternoon it becomes completely dark.

Riddles of the ancient mountain

Millions of years ago, in the center of Australia, there was a mountain range that looked like an island. The rocks gradually collapsed, settled and formed a giant rock. It is interesting that Uluru lies in the middle, but hurricanes constantly rush around it, which bring down on the surroundings heavy rains. So deep cracks appear on the surface of the mountain. The alternation of heat and heavy rains causes the sandstone to shrink and then expand. This process does not stop.

sacred mountain Uluru

Scientists believe that amazing mountain is over 6 million years old! The base of the rock has evidence that tells about the life of ancient people. In found cave drawings, depicting ancient deities: the mistress of Mount Kuniya, the Brown Snake Lira, the patron of mammals, the Hare Kangaroo.

Place of pilgrimage for tourists

After the construction in the 1950s of the motorway leading to amazing rock, a real pilgrimage began for those wishing to see the eighth wonder of the world. But the terrain of Uluru's surface is so difficult, cracks and slippery places after rains, plus high temperatures, make it difficult to climb the mountain. In the first 15 years, only 22 people climbed up. The number is currently in the thousands.

Since 1985, Ayres Rock has been officially leased by the Anangu tribe as a national park. Aborigines are interested in the development of tourism associated with the chameleon rock. They equipped a path along which you can climb up. There is a certain place where you can climb the rock. These precautions prevent accidents that have happened before. The scorching sun and bumps pose a danger to travelers. It is better to follow the advice of the conductors.

UNESCO recognized the sacred rock of Uluru as the Eighth Wonder of the World and added it to the List World Heritage. It is difficult to imagine Australia without the famous Red Mountain, which can often be seen on the covers of guidebooks and photo albums about the most interesting places planets.

Mount Uluru in Australia photo

Located 450 kilometers from Alice Springs in Central Australia national park"Kata Tiyuta" has many attractions on its territory. Ayers Rock (new Uluru), which stands out in the middle of the Australian desert, is the most famous of them.

What are the features of Mount Uluru in Australia? You can learn about this and some facts related to it by reading the information presented in the article.

General information about the nature of Central Australia

These are endless deserts with thorny bushes and low trees, with salt water lakes scattered everywhere. As you move through these expanses, canyons and mountains with strange shapes can suddenly appear.

In its very depths there is an amazingly beautiful and mysterious area - the Red Center. It is full of unique natural wonders. Numerous tourists from all over the world come to this place every year, although the weather here is unusually hot.

Australian Mountain peaks not famous and not popular with climbers, however, they are unusual. Any native Australian will call Uluru (Red Mountain) as a symbol of Central Australia.

A bit of history

Mount Uluru is a huge formation in the form of a rock that arose approximately 680 million years ago at the bottom of Amadius - ancient lake. This miracle of nature, destroyed by sharp temperature changes and winds, rises in the very center of the desert, breaking the monotony of the landscape. European scientists found and described it in 1873, giving the name Ayers Rock. This amazing red mountain was home to many tribes. The natives who inhabited these lands 10,000 years ago lived in caves at the foot of the mountain. They revered this rock as the cradle of life. A spring of water gushing out of the rock gave them the bare necessities for survival. And today, the inhabitants of this area regularly conduct their sacred rites at its foot.

Officially, this rock belongs to the Anangu tribe, who leased this park to the government (term - 99 years). Every year, the authorities pay the natives 75,000 dollars with a surcharge of 20% for each ticket sold. Indigenous people are happy to support the development of tourism.

Description of Mount Uluru: photo

In its form, it is similar to a lying elephant. From a distance, the mountain looks absolutely smooth, but as you approach it, all the cracks, bumps, roughness and furrows become visible. It consists of a unique stone block of red sandstone, which can change its color depending on the lighting.

Uluru is the largest solid rock in the world. Its length is 3,600 meters, its width is approximately 3,000 meters, and its height is 350 meters. Its sides are vertically indented with furrows reaching a depth of 2 meters. On the walls of the rocks today you can see a lot of drawings preserved from ancient times. They depict the deities revered by the natives, and some stories of their lives.

In the many caves that dotted the base of the mountain, one can also see ancient sacred altars.

Peculiarities

Mount Uluru is a kind of gigantic monolith that rises above a uniform flat surface. It attracts hundreds of thousands of people with its main feature- the ability to change color during the day. During the dawn period, in the rays of the rising sun, the black mountain gradually turns into dark purple. Further, as the luminary rises across the sky, the color becomes blood red, and then pink. When the sun reaches highest point, the rock turns gold. The play of colors is also celebrated in the afternoon. Only when the sun goes below the horizon, the giant boulder becomes black again. It should also be noted that when it rains, Uluru turns blue with a lilac tint.

The quirkiness of the nature of this area is also connected with the fact that under this colossus there are underground lakes, which come to the surface only in some places. These are small pools inside caves.

It should also be noted that the feature climatic conditions terrain. Although the territory is a desert, heavy rains and hurricanes are frequent. And the temperature in these places during the day fluctuates quite strongly. With a daytime heat of 38 degrees, the nights are very cold here. In connection with these phenomena, many cracks appear on the stone.

Mount Uluru is on the list of UNESCO sites.

Tours for tourists

In order for tourists to see this magnificent natural representation in flowers, special viewing places are equipped at a distance from the mountain.

After construction through the desert area, expressway railway line tourists flocked here, the number of which is growing every year. Here you can order a walking tour of the surroundings, during which the natives tell many local legends. You can also make a tourist route accompanied by an experienced guide to the very top of the mountain, but the journey is not safe. In total, the climb lasts about two hours under the scorching sun. There have been cases when tourists died as a result of sunstroke. Falls from Mount Uluru in Australia are also not uncommon.

Ancient rock paintings almost disappeared. This is due to the fact that earlier the walls were poured with water by excursion guides to make the image look clearer. As a result, the lower part of the paintings began to wear off. But this was noticed in time and it was forbidden to perform such actions.

Several versions of what Mount Uluru is:

• "Mountain iceberg", connecting underground with the neighboring Mount Olga.
• A meteorite crashed into the ground.
• A small remnant of an ancient mountain range (particles of rock spread over the area over millions of years, and the remaining rock, subjected to erosion, acquired its current rounded shape).

Most of the tourists arriving on the Australian mainland tend to visit the world-famous Sydney Opera House, watch kangaroos and koalas, or go diving at the Bolshoi barrier reef. All these attractions definitely deserve the attention of tourists and vacationers from all over the world. But there is another place here, which in last years becomes a particularly popular tourist destination.

450 km from Alice Springs (often called the middle of Australia - it is located in the center of the motorway and railway connecting northern and southern part mainland) and 18 km from the resort of Yulara (here is tourist area and Ayers Rock Airport) is one of the main historical natural attractions of the Australian continent - Uluru rock. Also known as . This is the largest rock in the world, which is a pure monolith (that is, solid stone). In addition, Uluru is also one of the oldest geological formations, dating back to the Archean era (the age of the rock is about 680 million years).

The size of Ayers Rock is amazing. 348 m high, 1.6 km wide and 2.4 km long. The circumference is about 9.4 km. The location of Uluru is also unusual. The rock rises in the middle of a vast desert plain, which makes it even more majestic and grandiose against the background of the surrounding landscape. When you look at Ayers Rock from a distance of several hundred meters, it seems perfectly smooth. But as soon as you get closer, a completely different picture emerges before your eyes. The monolith is completely covered with cracks, furrows and notches, which nature itself has created over millions of years.

Strong winds, temperature fluctuations (it is unbearably hot during the day and cold at night) and heavy rains have created a natural “drainage system” on the surface of Uluru, through which moisture flows rush to the foot of the cliff. Here, below, there are water sources that allow some aboriginal tribes and dozens of animal species (possums, kangaroos) and plants (eucalyptus, acacia) to exist in this desert area. According to archaeological excavations, Aboriginal tribes already lived in these places more than 10 thousand years ago.

But all these features would hardly make Ayers Rock one of the most famous symbols of Australia, which attracts more than 500 thousand tourists every year. The Uluru rock has another quality, for which it was nicknamed the "chameleon rock".

The rock-monolith gained the widest fame due to its unique feature– change color throughout the day, depending on the weather and time of day. Moreover, Uluru does not just darken or brighten, depending on the lighting, but completely changes color - from brown to fiery red, from lilac to blue, from yellow to lilac. That is why she is often compared with a real professional in disguising the animal world - a chameleon. Just imagine how the ancient tribes living at the foot of Ayers Rock reacted to such a color representation.

In fact, all this magic is easily explained. Mineral composition Uluru is represented by arkose sandstone (with impurities of quartz and feldspar). He is the main culprit in changing the color of the monolith, depending on the weather and lighting. In addition, as a result of chemical analysis, iron oxide was found in the rock, which gives the rock a fantastic fiery color. At night, the rock looks like a huge black silhouette, which in the early morning, under the first rays of the sun, turns purple, then red, pink, and yellow-orange by afternoon. Uluru looks especially unusual when it rains, in cloudy weather, showing a cold lilac-blue gamut of shades. They say that you can photograph Ayers Rock without a break. And all the pictures will be different from the rest.

Origin rock Ayers Rock

Around the formation of a stone block in the middle of the endless Australian desert, there were many rumors, assumptions and conjectures. Scientists, explorers and travelers have put forward dozens of theories, many of which are simply fantastic. Some time ago there was a theory according to which Uluru is part of a meteorite that once fell in these places. And only recent research has been able to shed light on the origin of the Ayers Rock monolith.

Thousands of years ago, in the middle of the salt lake Amadius (which today dries up and loses its area), there was a large Mountain chain Peterman, which is, in fact, an island. So, the Uluru rock was once part of this mountain range, which almost completely disappeared under the influence of natural forces. According to scientists, Ayers Rock in its "structure" resembles icebergs plowing the waters of the Northern Arctic Ocean. After all most of rocks are under the surface of the earth. Somewhere at a depth of 6 km.

The history of the discovery of Uluru

No less interesting is the history of the development of these places. The first European traveler who saw with his own eyes grandiose creation of Australian nature was the Englishman Ernest Giles, who emigrated to Australia with his family in 1850. It happened in 1872 when an explorer spotted Ayers Rock from the shore of Lake Amadius. The monolith was located about 40 km from the traveler, but the discoverer did not manage to get to it.

He nevertheless conquered the summit of Uluru a year later, but he no longer became the first. Before him, another traveler, William Goss, had already climbed the chameleon rock. It was he who named the rock Ayers Rock, after the future Prime Minister of Australia (at that time it was "fashionable" to call natural monuments in honor of statesmen).

Aboriginal legends and mysteries of Uluru rock

No other symbol of Australia is surrounded by as many legends and stories as the rock of Uluru. For the natives, this is not just a rock - it is a sacred place, to which they treat with all honors and respect. They tell ancient legends about the origin and purpose of Ayers Rock.

At the top of Uluru there are giant dents, which the natives believe are the traces of a mythical creature - the huge dingo dog Kulpunya. The monster left dents when it tried to sneak up on the sleeping hunters to maul them. But people are lucky. They were saved by a kookaburra - a bird that woke people up in time with its cries.

According to one of the legends, Ayers Rock appeared in the "time of dreams", when our planet was just forming its current appearance. The rock served as a guide to one of the so-called "dream paths". It was built by the giants who also created man and the earth. They gave the earth to the water serpent Wonambi, who was the highest deity. Later, people multiplied and gave rise to all existing Aboriginal tribes. And all these tribes to this day annually return to the Uluru rock to pay respect to the gods. And the Anangu tribe, which considers itself the direct descendants of those ancient giants, is today recognized as the oldest human race on Earth.

Another legend says that two tribes lived near Uluru - hare kangaroos and python people. According to legend, the female python Kunya laid her eggs in one of numerous caves in Ayers Rock. Later, natives hatched from these eggs. A tribe of venomous snakes originated from the brown snake Liru. They attacked a tribe of python people. The latter were able to escape thanks to the intervention of the goddess of the earth, Bulari, who was the patroness of the hare kangaroo tribe. The hare kangaroos themselves were also attacked by the descendants of Liru, but were able to escape thanks to the ability to gallop like a kangaroo. Bulari unleashed a poisonous cloud on her enemies. And the bodies of the defeated enemies were buried inside the Uluru rock, which, according to the natives, is empty inside. Numerous recesses that can be seen around the rock, locals considered the footprints of the hare kangaroo tribe.

According to other legends, inside the empty area, which is located inside the rock of Ayers Rock, there is a source of great energy. Another belief tells us about the water python, which was the owner of the rock. And on its slopes lived another hero of Australian myths - a black monitor lizard.

According to one legend, Uluru is a living animal that, like an ostrich, stuck its head in the sand. On one of the days of the year, he straightens up to look around. We do not know how shamans learn about the approach of this day, but during this period festivities are held in honor of the "living rock". Perhaps that is why no Austrian native dares to climb to the top of Ayers Rock. After all, such an action is considered a terrible sacrilege that can anger the gods.

Pavda, tourists do not really believe in all these stories and confidently storm the steep slopes of Uluru. And, I must say, in vain. After all, as statistics show, every year several people die, never having overcome a one and a half kilometer climb up the mountain. And all accidents occur under very mysterious circumstances: due to heart failure.

Aborigines also do not recommend taking fragments of the monolith as souvenirs. And thousands of pebbles returned by tourists are proof of this. Often, along with a stone, people send letters in which they talk about the streak of misfortune that appeared in their lives after they picked up and brought a piece of Uluru with them. According to management national park Uluru-Kata Tjuta, of which Ayers Rock is a part, sometimes tourists return real cobblestones weighing 5-7 kilograms. And everyone complains about the losing streak.

Another mystery of Ayers Rock is the rare torrential rains that hit the desert once every few years. All of them go exclusively over the rock-monolith. Moreover, not a single weather forecaster has yet been able to predict the approach of precipitation in these places. Clouds appear from nowhere and disappear into nowhere. It is also interesting that the shamans of the local tribes always know about the approach of rain in a few weeks. During this period, the tribe begins to pull up to the sacred stone.

Caves, rock art and the connection to UFOs

The countless caves that adorn Ayers Rock have preserved a large number of rock carvings left by ancient tribes. Some of these underground corridors are just under a kilometer long. Inside you can find whole lakes that are filled with life-giving moisture during the rainy season. Not all caves and lakes are open to tourists, as they are sacred to local tribes.

If you study well rock art in the caves of Uluru, you can see the image of the sky god Wanjin, who, with his outlines, very much resembles some kind of astronaut. But the drawing is about 5000 years old. By the way, in Lately from Uluru-Kata Tjuta Park comes a large number of statements from eyewitnesses who allegedly observed UFOs over Ayers Rock. In any case, something similar to the plates of aliens. True, flying objects had the shape of a large triangle.

Ayers Rock for Tourists

It is interesting to observe the growing interest in the Uluru rock from tourists. In the first half of the last century (more precisely, from 1931 to 1946), only 22 travelers climbed to the top of the monolith rock. Such a small number is connected, first of all, with the absence of any roads.

But since 1950, when the construction of the highway was completed here, a stream of tourists who want to see with their own eyes Australian miracle, increased significantly. People travel here to this day in cars and planes. In 2000, the number of tourists exceeded 400 thousand people, and today the annual flow of people who want to see Ayers Rock exceeds half a million people.

Since October 26, 1985, Ayers Rock has been officially recognized as the property of the Anangu tribe. True, modern natives did not become "greedy", but decided to let tourists into these places. True, for the benefit of his tribe. Uluru was leased to the Australian government for 99 years. annual rent is $75,000. In addition, Aboriginal people receive 20% of the cost of each ticket to Uluru-Kata Tjuta. The cost of a three-day ticket for one person is $25.

The most desperate tourists can try to climb to the top of Ayers Rock to enjoy a beautiful view of the desert that stretches for many kilometers around. True, to walk 1.6 km of the way, you need to have remarkable health and strength. Indeed, in addition to necessary equipment, have to bear large stock water, without which the rise becomes deadly. Fortunately, metal railings were installed in the most difficult places.

But don't think that comfortable rest and Ayers Rock is incompatible. After all, there are luxury hotels nearby, ready to provide vacationers with all the necessary range of services. At the service of tourists is the five-star Ayers Rock Resort (Ayers Rock Resort) or the three-star Lost Camel (Lost Camel).

Uluru Rock has been part of the biosphere reserve which is included in the UNESCO heritage list. And ten years later, in 1987, Ayers Rock was officially recognized as a monument of world importance.

Uluru rock It is rightfully considered one of the main natural attractions of Australia. It is located in the very center of the mainland in the middle of an endless desert.

Uluru rock is a monolith. It was formed about 600 million years ago at the site dry lake Amadius. In the center of this lake was an island. Over time, it began to collapse. Its parts fell to the bottom and after a certain period of time Mount Uluru was formed. It consists of coarse-grained sandstone. It also contains quartz, spar and iron oxide, which gives the monolithic rock such a "rusty" hue. From a distance, Uluru resembles a stone with a smooth surface, but being near it, cracks and irregularities are clearly visible. They are formed due to hurricanes and sudden temperature changes. During the day, the temperature in the desert can reach up to 38 degrees, and at night it can drop significantly. When heated, the stone expands, and when cooled, it contracts, which causes cracks. Uluru is 3.6 km long, 3 km wide and 348 meters high. A huge monolith, like an iceberg, goes deep into the earth for 6 km. The red sandstone that makes up the rock has the unique property of changing its color depending on the time of day. Early in the morning, with the appearance of the first rays of the sun, the silhouette of Uluru becomes purple-dark. Closer to noon, the color of the mountain changes. At first it appears in purple-red tones, then in pink and in the afternoon it acquires a golden hue. In the evening the sun goes down and the mountain remains in dark colors until the morning.

Within 50 km of Uluru is at least interesting mountain Olga, named after the wife of the King of Württemberg Charles 1, Princess Olga. She was the daughter of the Russian Tsar Nicholas 1. In the language of the local natives, this mountain is called Kata Tjuta, which means "many heads". Some scientists deny that Uluru is a monolith. According to their version, it connects with Mount Olga deep underground.

Mountain discovery

Australian aborigines have known about the rock for a very long time, but the first European who first noticed Mount Uluru was the English traveler Ernest Gyle. This happened in 1872. He saw the rock while on the shore of Lake Amadius but failed to approach it. Uluru was conquered a year later by another Englishman, William Goss, who called unusual mountain Ayers rock in honor of Henry Ayres, who was the governor at the time South Australia. However, the indigenous inhabitants of Australia - the Aborigines did not like this name and they insisted on their name. There is no exact explanation for the word Uluru. Linguists suggest that it translates as "mountain" from the language of one of the Australian tribes.

legends Australian aborigines

For the indigenous inhabitants of the Australian continent, Mount Uluru is sacred. Many myths and legends are associated with it. They talk about the once inhabited water python, which was the owner of the mountain. The surviving rock paintings give archaeologists hypotheses that the surroundings of the rock were inhabited by natives about 10 thousand years ago! Caves in the mountain were a haven for people, and a nearby spring provided them with water. The natives have many legends about the creation of Uluru. One of them tells that a long time ago two tribes lived near the Uluru rock: Mala and Kuniya. Once they were invited to visit by people from the Windulka tribe, but at that moment beautiful lizard women, representatives of the Liru tribe, came to the representatives of Mala and Kunia. The male half of the Mala and Kuniya tribes were so carried away by their courtship that no one came to visit Windulka. The angry representatives of Windulk could conquer nature, which they took advantage of. Their sorcerers sent huge hungry dogs and poisonous snakes that lived near Mount Olga to the guests who did not appear. In this battle, none of the representatives of the Mala and Kuniya tribes survived. After all that happened, the Uluru rock increased in size and, as legend has it, took the souls of the dead. On the sakla, images of the gods Liru (Brown Snake), Mala (Hare Kangaroo) and Kuniya (Python Woman), whom the natives revere, are preserved. According to their beliefs, pebbles taken from the sacred mountain bring misfortune to people, as they disturb the souls of the dead. There were cases when unlucky tourists returned stones back by mail, because upon arrival home they suffered all sorts of troubles.

Information for tourists

The unusual shape of Mount Uluru attracts a lot of tourists from different countries. Their number especially increased in the 50s of the 20th century after the construction of a road leading directly to the mountain. Nowadays, about half a million people come to see this miracle of nature every year. Many managed to conquer its peak and enjoy great views opening panorama. But it's not safe at all. The surface is slippery in some places. Not everyone can withstand the steep climb and high air temperature. Every year, people die on the mountain from sunstroke from the scorching sun, falls from a height and unbearable heat, so only a trained person needs to climb to the top. You can also go around Uluru. Its length is 9 km. It is less tiring and during the walk there is an opportunity to get acquainted with the life of the local Anangu tribe.

Yulara is located 18 km from Mount Uluru. It has cafes, restaurants, a museum and hotels where travelers who want to visit the mountain stay. The nearest airport to Yulara is Ayres Rock Airport, located in Alice Springs. You can get to it from Yulara by bus. Travel time will take 6 hours. direct flight from Russian cities to Australia is not. When flying from Moscow, you need to make two transfers: in Dubai and Melbourne or Perth, and from Novosibirsk: in Beijing and Sydney.

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