In Northern China, there is quite a unique place in Zhangye Danxia National Geopark, a cake. A natural formation that looks like a cake due to its amazingly colorful layers. In China, its voted the most beautiful natural landform in the country and in July 2020 the place was designated as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Photo licensed from Shutterstock
As you can see, it truly looks like a cake you slice open. The mountain range was originally appeared due to tectonic plate movements like in the nearby Himalayas. The folding and faulting processes over tens of millions of years have unearthed different layers of sandstone and this got mixed with iron oxide that gave the distinct red appearance. Iron oxide reacts in different colors on different sandstone layers, creating more variety of colors, even green.
Wind, rain and time have made some erosion happen and have sculpted this landscape, making extraordinary shapes, pillars, towers, and ravines.
Photo licensed from Shutterstock
Of course, this place has gotten a pretty big tourist magnet. in 2014 some crazy money in china was spent to make good facilities and wooden walking paths in the area.
Did you know about this place before? This far it's the only location I have covered that I hadn't heard about before.
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This post is published on a timer since I'm currently in French Alps, on a skiing trip. You will see all about it on my personal blog on @greddyforce.
