The rock that has the shape of an elephant

It is a rock that looks naturally like the face of an elephant, it is found on the island of Heimaey, on the coast of Iceland. In a village called Vestmannaeyjar Archipelago, it has about 14 square kilometers and 4,500 inhabitants. Most of the islands have steep cliffs and are full of vegetation. Bird hunting and egg collection are traditional in the culture of the islanders, it is considered the most populated island of the Vestmannaeyjar chain. Heimaey is also home to Eldfell (Mountain of Fire), which is 660 feet high. Its landscape is formed by basaltic rocks, the active volcano, is the main cause of the formation of the rock with the face of the elephant

Basalt is the result of rapid cooling of the lava when it comes into contact in the cold water of the sea. On January 23, 1973, a volcanic eruption began on the mountain of this Heimay Island. During the eruption, half of the city was crushed, but the lava in contact with the cold sea water solidified and the island grew around of 2 kilometers. In six months, a new volcano, 225 meters high, had appeared on the island and a new lava field settled in the east and covered 3.3 square kilometers

Before the eruption 5,300 people lived in Heimaey, 2,000 of them moved back immediately after the eruption ended. The figure of the elephant was created according to the lava of this eruption, leaving this place so impressive for posterity