Rainbow Mountains of China: A geological wonder of the world
The Zhangye Danxia National Park is located in the Gansu province in China's northwest covering 200 square miles.
The Rainbow Mountains of China within the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park are a geological wonder of the world. These famous Chinese mountains are known for their otherworldly colors that mimic a rainbow painted over the tops of rolling mountains.
Heritage Site
The Zhangye Danxia National Park is located in the Gansu province in China’s northwest covering 200 square miles. The site was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 and is the destination for many Chinese and international tourists.
Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park is very popular among tourists, and it has been listed among the ‘most beautiful’ places in China and the world, numerous times.
It rests in the foothills of the Qilian Mountains. The national park encompasses an area of 124 square miles (322 sq km). The national park, originally named Zhangye Danxia Geopark, is renowned for the stunning display of colors across hills and rock formations. The Chinese media designated the region as one of the most amazing landscapes across China.
How were they formed?
The rock formations and rolling hills almost look as if they were painted. The landscapes are surreal. It would be fair to say that Zhangye National Geopark is the most colorful national park in the world.
The colorful landscapes were created by sandstone and minerals being layered atop each other over the years with the tectonic plates shifting creating angled painted layers across the rock formation and sandstone rolling hills.
Rain, wind, and time have further sculpted the rock formations and rolling hills into various displays of pillars and ravines. The erosion and tectonic plates have worked together to create amazing patterns to be viewed by all.
Found elsewhere also
China isn’t the only place where you can find a rainbow-colored mountain. Deep in the Peruvian Andes, Vinicna Mountain — known as Montana de Colores or Rainbow Mountain — was formed in the same way.
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