Uluru - Ayers Rock
Uluru (Ayers Rock) is a huge sandstone rock that stands in the middle of even desert plains in north central Australia.
This giant hill occupies an important place in the beliefs of local Aborigines, because it is invariably linked with the history of their tribe. Uluru stands in the desert plains in the national park “Uluru-Kata Tjuta", which is located 450 km from Alice Springs, which is the nearest town in the area.
This iconic landmark of Australia has a height of 348 meters and reaches almost 8 km. in length. The circumference of this hill is almost 9, 4 km. It, along with 35 big red rocks compose the so-called Olga, which is the main landmark in the national park.
In composition, the rock is solid, composed of nearly vertical layers of hard sandstone. 500 million years ago Uluru was part of the ocean floor. As a result of oxidation now the top layer has acquired a reddish color. The monolith was recorded in the book "Guinness World Records" as the biggest in the world for many years.
Because the minerals in rocks and composition depend on weather and atmospheric conditions, the rock can dramatically change color from nearly purple-blue to fiery red. This is most visible at sunrise or sunset. It is this view that attracts thousands of tourists in the early hours of the day. Many visitors try to climb the hill, which is not particularly liked by local Aborigines.
For the Aranda tribe, Uluru is a sacred place. They believe that beneath the surface of the mountain is a huge cavity, where the energy source called "Weather dreams"lives. Legend tells that throughout the tour around the rock, you are actually dreaming. The hill has several caves, carved into the surface layer of the rock are paintings and mythological characters of the Aborigines, which date back thousands of years, having been updated many times in ancient history.
The easiest way to get to this interesting Australian landmark is to land at the airport in Alice Springs, and thence to reach the rock away. It is important to know that there is a paid entrance fee. There is an option to examine the area with an aerial tour by helicopter.
