Immigrating to Europe enthusiasts who love to travel will find that European attractions are mainly known for their cultural and historical sites, such as those in Paris or Rome, while natural scenery is generally less prominent. However, Europe is vast, and there are quite a few astonishing natural wonders, such as the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, UK, which is one of the most unique World Natural Heritage sites in Europe.
The so-called Giant's Causeway is a causeway stretching for several kilometers, composed of over 37,000 basalt columns. These columns are very regular in shape, appearing as if they were carved by hand. A large number of basalt columns are arranged together to form a spectacular forest of basalt pillars. Their orderly and magnificent appearance is breathtaking.
The name "Giant's Causeway" originates from Irish folklore: it is said that the causeway was built by the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill. He transported the rock columns one by one to the seabed so that he could walk to Scotland to fight the giant Benandonner. After the Giant's Causeway was completed, he decided to take a nap. At this moment, his opponent Benandonner walked along the stone path and saw Fionn sleeping. Fionn's wife noticed that Benandonner was much larger than her husband and, feeling worried, she devised a plan. She said to Benandonner, "Please wait patiently for a moment, my husband will be back soon. Please do not wake up our child." Upon hearing this, Benandonner was terrified, thinking that if the child was this big, what a massive giant his father must be. Consequently, he hurriedly retreated to Scotland and destroyed the causeway behind him to prevent Fionn from reaching Scotland. Therefore, all the remaining parts of the causeway are now located on the coast of Northern Ireland. Another version of the story suggests that Fionn fell in love with a girl on a distant island and built this road to bring her to live in Ireland.
For centuries, the Giant's Causeway has been Ireland's most famous tourist destination. However, it was not until the rise of geology in the Victorian era that people truly understood what it was. In fact, the Giant's Causeway is a purely natural landscape. The countless hexagonal basalt columns were actually magma erupted from the seabed. During the solidification process, they cracked, and because the contraction force was very uniform, regular columnar patterns were formed, usually in the shape of hexagonal prisms. After millions of years of seawater erosion, they have taken on their present appearance.
The Giant's Causeway was formed approximately 50 million years ago during the Paleogene period. It is the most perfect specimen of "columnar basalt" landform in the world and is an invaluable resource for scientists studying the history of the Earth. Unfortunately, due to rising sea levels caused by global warming, this World Heritage site is facing the threat of destruction. According to scientific predictions, global sea levels will rise by one meter by the end of the 21st century, and more seriously, the accompanying waves and storms will violently attack and destroy the Giant's Causeway. Reports predict that by the beginning of the 22nd century, most of the unique landscapes on the Giant's Causeway will be lost to humanity forever. Perhaps this mythical beauty will eventually return to the realm of myth. After immigrating to Ireland, you might want to visit it while it is still intact!