Peña de Bernal

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Peña de Bernal
Pena de bernal 2006.jpg
Elevation 2,510 m (8,230 ft)AMSL[citation needed]
Prominence 350 m (1,150 ft)
Translation Bernal Peak (Spanish)
Location
Location San Sebastián Bernal, Querétaro, México
Range Sierra Gorda
Geology
Type Porphyrytic monolith
Age of rock 65 million years

Peña de Bernal (in English: Bernal's Boulder or Bernal Peak) is a 433 m (1,421 ft) tall monolith, one of the tallest in the world.[1] Peña de Bernal is located in San Sebastián Bernal, a small town in the Mexican state of Querétaro.[2]

The porphyrytic monolith was thought to have been formed 65 million years ago, during the Jurassic period.[2] A recent chemical analysis by researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico has determined that it is considerably younger, likely formed about 8.7 million years ago.[3]

Many people perform a pilgrimage to the small chapel located at the highest point accessible through hiking.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Geologic setting of the Peña de Bernal Natural Monument, Querétaro, México: An endogenous volcanic dome". Geosphere. Archived from the original on 2015-03-13. 
  2. ^ a b "Bernal". México Desconocido. Archived from the original on 2015-03-13. 
  3. ^ "Mexican Monolith Is World's Tallest Freestanding Rock". Georgia Newsday. Archived from the original on 2015-03-13. 

Coordinates: 20°44′53.5″N 99°56′55″W / 20.748194°N 99.94861°W / 20.748194; -99.94861