Travel

10 BEAUTIFUL NATURAL SHRINES NOW

Ballymacdermot Cairn. Photo by Stephen Emerson.

by Stephen Emerson. Ballymacdermot Cairn, Ireland.

Shrines are monuments to gratitude. Today we are looking at 10 shrines, created by nature, adopted by humans as beautiful everlasting repositories for thanks.

1. BALLYMACDERMOT CAIRN

The Ballymacdermot Court Tomb is a well-preserved Neolithic burial site in Northern Ireland. The tomb, or “Cairn,” has three separate burial chambers, and offers a beautiful panoramic view of the plains of Meigh in Northern Ireland.

Locally known as “The Fairy Ring,” the tomb site is dated between 4000 and 2500 B.C. and is said to be haunted. The fire ring is created by oil lamps.

2. MARBLE CAVES -- CHILE

Take a small boat from the Chilean town of Puerto Rio Tranquilo to the serene Lake General Carrera. There you’ll discover the beautiful Marble Cliffs.

The smooth turquoise and teal green marbleized hues of the cliffs and caves were crafted over millennia by wave erosion. These calcium carbonate formations are about 300 meters in length, and reflect the emerald and aquamarine shades of the lake to create a uniquely striking amalgam of color.

3. SIGIRIYA ROCK FORTRESS -- SRI LANKA

Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a massive column of rock rising out of a lush green tropical forest in Sri Lanka, holds a special place in the island’s history. The structure was once a residence for Sri Lankan King Kasyapa in the fourth century A.D. Kaspaya also used the rock as a military fortress, due to the structure’s remarkable height and 360 degree view of the surrounding area.

After the King’s death, Sigiriya served as a place to give thanks and offer prayer -- a monastery for Buddhist monks until the 14th century. The water and terrace gardens on top of fortress provided a peaceful, spiritual environment for the Buddhists to practice. The gardens of the Sigiriya Fortress are the oldest surviving gardens in the entire Asian continent, and 1,500-year old irrigation systems continue to provide water to these gardens today.

UNESCO acknowledged the historical and cultural significance of Sigiriya by designating the fortress as a World Heritage Site. Sigiriya Fortress is the most-visited historic site in all of Sri Lanka. Throughout its history, the Sigiriya Fortress has stood as a beautiful triumph of early urban planning, military power, and religious refuge.

4. FLY GEYSER -- NEVADA

In 1964, an energy company drilled into a well near Fly Reservoir in Washoe County, Nevada to explore geothermal energy sources. The improper capping of the well resulted in hot water spewing from the geyser ever since.

The brilliantly intense colors emanating from the gushing geyser are the result of thermophilic algae inside the geyser’s walls. These bacteria thrive in high temperatures and add a unique beauty to Fly Geyser.

5. SEA CLIFFS -- ETRETAT, FRANCE

The towering Sea Cliffs of Etretat, France have transformed the small village on the northwest coast of France into a national attraction. Many famous artists and writers have retreated to Etretat for inspiration and solitude, including Gustave Courbet and Claude Monet.

The breathtaking view from atop the Cliffs make Etretat a great location for movie shoots. The natural air flow from the sea to the top of the cliffs provides a great spot for hang gliding and other adventurous sporting activities. The pebbled beach, sparked with quartz geodes, is stunning.

6. MEOTO IWA -- FUTAMI BAY, JAPAN

Meoto Iwa, also known as “The Wedded Rocks”, are a pair of small rocks located right in front of the Futami Okitama Shrine in Futami Bay, Japan. According to Shinto beliefs, the rocks represent the union of the creator of Kami and the spirits. In a modern context, this parallels the marriage between a husband and wife.

The larger rock, Izanagi, represents the husband, and stands nine meters tall and 40 meters wide. Izanami, the wife, is about 3.6 meters high and nine meters wide.

Their marriage is represented by distinctive sacred ropes made of braided rice stalks called Shimenawa. These ropes weigh almost a ton, and are replaced three times per year in special Shinto ceremonies.

The beautiful symbolism behind these rocks is celebrated today as a shrine for marriages. It’s fairly common to see couples praying together before the two rocks in the adjacent Futami Okitama Shrine, hoping for a strong and everlasting marriage.

For those who wish to visit Meoto Iwa, the best time to see the rocks is during a summer sunrise, and the sun appears to rise between them, illuminating the equally beautiful Mount Fuji in the distance. At low tide, visitors can even walk up close to the rocks. Worshippers often leave frog sculptures around the Futami Okitama Shrine as a prayer for the safe return of a loved one.

7. ARROR ROCK -- RORHI, SINDH PROVINCE, PAKISTAN

Much of the history behind Arror Rock is shrouded in mystery, but it’s beauty is clear as day. The layered shape of the rock was shaped by unknown natural forces.

On the shores of France, there is a similar shaped rock crafted by sea waves. Yet, the dry landscape in Pakistan makes Arror Rock’s creation all the more wonderous.

The shrine at its peak is just as mystifying. The nearby ruins of the seventh century Muhammad Bin Qasim Mosque may suggest that the shrine was built around this period.

8. THE TUNNEL OF LOVE -- KLEVAN, UKRAINE

The Tunnel of Love stands as a testament to the power of nature in a man-made environment. The tunnel graces a three kilometer stretch of railway outside the quaint village of Klevan in Ukraine. A train runs along the picturesque tunnel three times a day to deliver wood to a fiberboard factory.

Between these trips, couples can walk hand in hand beneath the rich green shrubbery, with leaves glistening and birds chirping under the light of the warm sun. A shrine to love, it is said that when you and your true love make a wish in the Tunnel of Love, it will come true.

This natural passageway is gaining a reputation as one of the most romantic locations on Earth, and serves as a popular backdrop for newlyweds’ photos.

9. EAST MITTEN & MERRICK BUTTE -- NAVAJO NATION MONUMENT VALLEY, ARIZONA

Monument Valley straddles the Arizona/Utah border on the Navajo Indian Reservation. This vast 92,000 acre valley stands as a sacred place -- a place to offer thanks and respect for nature and its forces.

Formed from an ancient seabed of soft sandstone, with millions of years of weather, winds, and erosion sculpting it into towering spires and formations over 1,000 feet tall.

Enter your own images and ideas about Beautiful Thanks in this week’s creative Photo Competition. Open for entries now until 11:59 p.m. PT on 11.30.2014. If you are reading this after that date, check out the current BN Creative Competition, and enter!

PHOTO CREDITS:

Photo: by Stephen Emerson. Ballymacdermot Cairn, Ireland.
Photo: Courtesy of Dan Lundberg. Lake General Carrera, Chile.
Photo: Courtesy of Sudharsan Narayanan. Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Sri Lanka.
Photo: Courtesy of Peter Thoeny. Spewing Minerals at Fly Geyser. Fly Geyser, Nevada.
Photo: Courtesy of Robin Tournadre. Eroded. Sea Cliffs of Etretat, France.
Photo: by Manmaru. Meoto Iwa. Futami Bay, Japan.
Photo: Courtesy of the Government of Pakistan. Arror Rock. Pakistan.
Photo: Courtesy of Miroslava Rakovets. The Tunnel of Love. Klevan, Ukraine.
Photo: by Hamburgerin. East Mitten & Merrick Butte, Navajo Nation Monument Valley, Arizona.