Cretaceous mountains - a snow-white miracle of nature. Examples of Cretaceous Mountains in Russia

Dazzling white chalk mountains can not but attract the attention of tourists. As a rule, the places of exits of these snow-white rocks around the world are declared as nature reserves or monuments. Where can you see the Cretaceous mountains in Russia? What are they interesting about?

Cretaceous mountains: photo and description of a natural miracle

Chalk is a rock of sedimentary type, soft, white and friable. It does not dissolve in water, it has an organic origin. In fact, it is a product formed from the smallest animals - the inhabitants of the sea depths. With chalk, each of us is well acquainted with the school bench.

The process of active accumulation of this substance in the earth's crust began approximately 145-150 million years ago. And it lasted almost 90 million years. In geochronology, this time interval is called the Cretaceous period.

Cretaceous mountains - unique geological formations, found in different parts of Europe. They were formed in those places where Tethys splashed millions of years ago - a warm and shallow ocean. Cretaceous outcrops often contain admixtures of quartzites, why they beautifully shine in the sun. Due to its loose structure, rocks and cliffs often attracted the attention of monks and all kinds of hermits. Here they built their monasteries and entire monastic complexes.

Cretaceous mountains: examples in Europe and Russia

Millions of years ago, Europe's vast expanses were under water. During this time, fragments of turtles, fragments of plants and fish skeletons accumulated at the bottom. All this was gradually compressed and transformed into a new breed - chalk. In some places, the thickness of such deposits reaches 50 meters.

Over time, the ocean began to recede, and the seabed turned into dry land, revealing massive Cretaceous deposits. Thus, the Cretaceous mountains were formed in some places, mute witnesses of the geological history of the Earth. They are scattered in different parts of Europe: in England, France, Denmark, Russia and Ukraine.

One of the most striking examples of the Cretaceous mountains in Europe is the so-called White Rocks of Dover. This is a grandiose 100-meter cliff, located on the British coast (Kent). The sea waves gradually undermine it, forming massive screes at the foot of the cliff. The Needles Islands in the English Channel are another example of Cretaceous formations. These are two picturesque rocks located off the coast of the Isle of Wight.

Unique snow-white formations from the chalk are also found in Russia (in Voronezh, Rostov, Belgorod, Orenburg regions). Thus, the largest belt of Cretaceous mountains passes along the Don River and its tributary - the Seversky Donets. It originates in the Volgograd region of Russia and ends on the territory of the Ukrainian Donbass.

Divnogore - wonderful mountains on the banks of the Don

There, where the small river Silent Pine flows into the Don, there is the Divnogorye museum-reserve. Here in the area of 10 square kilometers are scattered rocks and pillars of chalk. This is one of the most popular natural attractions of the Voronezh region, which is visited annually by at least 50 thousand tourists.

Chalk mountains in the Voronezh region, the locals called "divas". Hence the name of the reserve. The flora of this area is extremely interesting. Botanists counted here about 250 plant species, almost half of which are calcephites (in simple terms - "melolibs").

At the end of the XV century, Greek monks founded a monastery here. In the Cretaceous rocks, they built a cave-cell for themselves. In 1862, a church was carved in one of the local rocks. Today this unusual temple is included in many pilgrim routes.

Mountains of chalk on the river Ilovle

Volgograd region also boasts its chalky mountains. They are located on the right bank of the river Ilovli, between the villages of Kamenny Brod and Kondrashi. This unique natural formation in places resembles a wild and snow-white desert. The slopes of the Cretaceous Mountains on the banks of Ilovli are quite steep. But in some places you can still go up even by car.

Within these mountains is the Kamenno Brodsky Holy Trinity Orthodox Monastery, which was founded in the time of the Tatar-Mongol invasion. Monks dug in the Cretaceous rocks of the cave, connecting them with transitions. On the territory of the monastery there are springs with healing water, as well as several oak-giants of up to 400 years old.

Fanciful Cliffs of Lysogorka

Another chalky miracle of nature is located in the Rostov region, near the village of Lysogorka. However, the status of a natural monument this area has received only recently, only in 2006.

Chalk mountains of the Rostov region excite the imagination of tourists with their appearance. Among the snow-white rocks of Lysogorka, you can see silhouettes of gloomy warriors, and outlines of animals, and human faces ... Chalk cliffs are located on the shore of a fairly large lake. In summer it is especially good here: the air is filled with the aromas of thyme, and the water can be perfectly poached.

Cretaceous galleries of Belgorod

Traces of the Cretaceous period can also be observed in the Belgorod region. In particular, Belgorod has long been famous for the extraction of high-quality white chalk. On the outskirts of the city there is an old abandoned tunnel, the tunnels of which stretch for many kilometers inland. Today it has become a popular object among diggers and ordinary tourists.

A variety of artifacts can be found in the corridors of the Belgorod tunnel. For example, the remains of an old narrow gauge railway, through which once the chalk was taken to the surface. On the walls you can see mysterious drawings and patterns - traces of drilling rigs. And in one of the corridors there is a real car VAZ-2101. How he got here is not known. Next to the pride of the domestic car industry lies a large piece of rusty metal. It is entirely covered with inscriptions left by visitors to the gallery.