Colored rocks of zhangye danxia in china. The colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia: you can look at them for hours ...

The colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia are rock formations made up of many layers of reddish sandstone. They are located on the territory of the national geopark of the same name in the Chinese northwestern province of Gansu. This place is a unique example of petrographic geomorphology found only in China. The colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia include red sandstone and conglomerates (sedimentary rock) formed during the Cretaceous period.

Today, Zhangye Danxia Colored Rock Scenic Area is popular with travelers from all over the world who come here to enjoy scenic walks and boat rides through the grounds, which are also home to a number of temples.

The whole world learned about this natural attraction of Zhangye town after the World Heritage Committee at its 34th meeting decided to add the Colored Rocks of Zhangye to the List world heritage under the protection of UNESCO. The meeting was held on August 1, 2010 in the capital of Brazil - Brasilia. This event forced the local government to build boardwalks and roads, which were supposed to make it easier for tourists to access the colored rocks.

Numerous studies have shown that about 100 million years ago there was a pool of impressive size in this place. Water streams gradually applied silt into it. Under the influence of global high temperatures, the waters of the basin dried up, and the sediment began to oxidize, acquiring the color of rust.

Approximately 70 million years ago, a red layer formed in the basin, which has a thickness of 3700 meters and is called the chalk bed in geology. The top was covered with a solid layer of rock about 1300 meters thick, from which the peaks of Mount Danksia began to form over time.

Over the past 30 million years, the landscape of the basin has changed its appearance due to seismic processes during which mountains were formed. At this time, rapid water flows carved slopes in the sedimentary rock.

Thanks to experiments, it was possible to find out that the process of mountain formation in this area is still ongoing. Every 10 thousand years, the slopes become 0.87 meters higher, and they have gained today's height over the past 500,000 years.

Recall that in Egypt Sinai Peninsula located similar interesting place- Colored canyon, the total length of which is about 5 km.

The colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia are colorful rock formations in the Geological Park in Gansu Province, China. These rock formations are a unique type of petrographic geomorphology that can only be found in China. The colored rocks are composed of red sandstones and conglomerates mostly from the Cretaceous period.

Research shows that there was a huge inland pool here about 100 million years ago. The water carried silt here from those around. As a result of global high temperatures, the basin dried up and in these arid conditions the sediment oxidized and took on the color of rust. Approximately 70 million years ago, a red layer 3,700 meters thick formed in a pool known as the chalk bed. At the top was a hard layer 1,300 meters thick, a layer of the Cretaceous period system, from which the peaks of Mount Dunxia gradually formed.

Since 30 million years ago, mountain building has changed the landscape of the basin many times. Water flowing down through cracks in the cut and eroded sedimentary rock carved the slope, leaving red fragmentary rocks behind. Now we see nothing more than the outlines of the Danxia land. According to experts, mountain formation is still going on in the area, with an average rise of 0.87 meters every 10,000 years over the past 500,000 years.

The area is fast becoming a popular attraction for the sleepy town of Zhangye. A variety of boardwalks and roads have been built to encourage visitors to explore the amazing rock formations and colored rocks. The World Heritage Committee decided to inscribe the Zhangye Colored Rocks on the UNESCO World Heritage List at its 34th meeting held in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, on August 1, 2010.

Colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia(Zhangye Danxia Landform) - colorful rock formations Geological Park in Gansu Province,. These rock formations are a unique type of petrographic geomorphology that can only be found in China. The colored rocks are composed of red sandstones and conglomerates mostly from the Cretaceous period.

According to experts, mountain formation is still going on in the area, with an average rise of 0.87 meters every 10,000 years over the past 500,000 years.

Today on the planet there are a large number of interesting and fascinating places. One of these is in China. Incredibly beautiful mountain ranges able to bewitch and hypnotize anyone who looks at this miracle of nature. Mountains with a similar color, probably, you will not find anywhere else. They are located in the vicinity of Gansu province and are the dream of any photographer. And for good reason, here you can see hundreds of tourists and people jumping through the mountains with their cameras, trying to capture the most unique picture.

Colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia and how they formed

The colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia have a pleasant coloration of iridescent colors. All these colors, like a colored blanket, enveloped the area. Basically, red and rusty-copper colors can be observed here. However, there are other, not at all expected colors. We got it all from the Cretaceous period. According to scientists, more than 10 million years ago there was a large pool here, with silt from all over the local area. In times of global warming, the reservoir completely dried up, and the sediment remained. After some time, it oxidized and became rusty in color.

Since then, a crust of various colors began to form. About 70 million years ago, mountains began to gradually form and grow. The growth of rocks today does not stop for a minute. It's impossible to see just like that. Scientists carried out all kinds of measurements, studies, examinations and found out that over the past 10 thousand years, the mountains have risen 0.87 m high. It was also revealed that the local landscape and the structure itself have repeatedly changed during its formation. Color, of course, also did not remain unchanged. New colors were regularly added to it, and the old ones faded or took on a different look over time. If you look at these mountains from the outside, you might think that mother nature, like an artist, painted them for the amusement of people. And from the photo, in general, you might think that they couldn’t do without a photo editor. However, it is not. Everything is quite real, and you can be convinced of this if you personally see this mountainous area.

How to get to Zhangye Danxia Rocks?

Getting here is quite easy. The mountains are almost immediately visible when you are in the city of Zhangye. The colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia in China are gaining more and more popularity every year. Crowds of tourists flock here to enjoy the extraordinary beauty of these places. Here you can stay and wander for hours without getting tired. Mountains attract like a magnet. The city of Zhangye itself, in turn, does everything possible to ensure that everyone is satisfied with their stay here. They made an excellent road in the mountainous area, and also built a lot of flooring from boards so that people could move freely or just sit on the boards and relax, admiring the most beautiful pictures created by nature. It is worth noting that the UNESCO World Heritage Organization also could not resist the beauty of these mountains. The consequence of this was the inclusion of Zhangye Danxia rocks in his list.

It is truly something unimaginable. Just think, where else can you meet such beautiful colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia, which China cherishes and is proud of. Probably, the answer will be unambiguous. Nowhere! There are many mountains and colored massifs on earth, but they are all different from each other. But these mountains stand out among all earthly objects. These undulating colors that cover the rocks are very interesting. You can look at them for hours, admiring how this could have happened at all. Nature knows how to surprise people. She brings many surprises to people.

Liked the article? Share with your friends.

The colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia Landform are colorful rock formations in the Geological Park in Gansu Province, China. These formations represent a unique type of petrographic geomorphology and are composed of Cretaceous red sandstones and conglomerates.

According to scientists, about 100 million years ago there was a huge internal pool in these places. As a result of global high temperatures, the water dried up, the sediment oxidized and took on the color of rust. Approximately 70 million years ago, a red layer 3,700 meters thick formed in a pool known as the chalk bed. At the top was a solid layer of the Cretaceous period system 1,300 meters thick, from which the peaks of Mount Danksia began to form.

At the moment, this place is very popular with tourists and photographers. Especially for their convenience, boardwalks and roads were built. In 2010, the site was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

A photo: Gus Gusdianto

Photo: https://500px.com/9300520