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Prachovské skály - The Prachov Rocks - very interesting and popular rock town formed by hundreds of thin high rock towers,columns and blocks which have often strange, pictorial or bizzare shapes. Between them there are narrow ravines, gulches and valleys, some of them shallow, another very deep.
Prachov Rocks are located in the heart of the area called Český ráj - Bohemian Paradise.
This beautiful region is especially popular for many castles, palaces, romantic castle ruins, sandstone rocks and folk architecture. Another symbol of the Bohemian Paradise - the ruin of Trosky Castle (Trosky means The Ruin) - dominates the landscape for miles and it is visible from probably the best Prachov rocks look-out - „The Look-out of the Bohemian Paradise“.
Prachov Rocks are state nature reserve on the territory of 243 ha.
How did the bizarre rock formations of the Prachov Rocks become? Like most of other sandstone rocks in the Northern Bohemia: by sandstone erosion because of easy water permeability that is a characteristic feature of sandstone. Water quickly seeps into the stone rock and models it vertically. The sandstone blocks cracking is caused by processes that make the water infiltration to the ground easier and this leads to the formation of romantic ravines and gulches.
In the Prachov Rocks there can be seen also stone honeycombs called the aeroxysts. This is a surface rock forming by hollows and small slots. They arise from the rock erosion that is caused by climatic conditions (water, frost, wind, rain) and lichens and mosses that disturb some soft places of the uncovered rocks.