The granite town, a bizarre
65ft-tall rock formations just discovered in Siberia. The rocks tower up above
the ground, knocking together like granite skyscrapers as they keep watch over
the vast Siberian landscape. The magnificent photographs are among the first
ever taken of the rare rock formations in the Ulakhan-Sis mountain range - a
flawless natural wonder as yet undiscovered by the tourist market. The hint of
the impressive scenery the magical destination above the Arctic Circle can
finally be put on the map.
Alexander Krivoshapkin was the first who snapped
this magical place. He went there in a helicopter whilst counting wild reindeer
herds around Ulakhan-Sis in the north-east of Siberia. Therefore, his
photographs are believed to be the first ever taken of the structures, known as
Sundrun Pillars. However, in the middle of the bare tundra were buttes some 10
to 20m high up to 65ft, standing in groups and alone, like some warriors on a
march, who were suddenly petrified with malicious intent of a local shaman
centuries ago or like the ruins of an ancient city, which was inhabited by a
hitherto unknown people. This is one of the most inaccessible and practically
unknown areas of Yakutia, the mountain ridge of Ulakhan-Sis. The stone sentries
are known as 'kisilyakhi', in the local Yakut language from the word 'kisi'
meaning man. The shapes are believed to have been sculpted by relentless
freezing and thawing of the granite and surrounding sandstone.
