Preikestolen
or Prekestolen (English: Preacher's Pulpit or Pulpit Rock) is a famous tourist
attraction in the municipality of Forsand in Rogaland county, Norway.
Preikestolen is a steep cliff which rises 604 metres (1,982 ft) above the
Lysefjorden. Atop the cliff, there is an almost flat top of approximately 25 by
25 metres (82 ft × 82 ft). It sits on the north side of the fjord, opposite the
Kjerag plateau, located on the south side.
Tourism
at the site has been increasing in recent years, with between 150,000 and
200,000 visitors in 2012, making it one of the most visited natural tourist
attractions in Norway. BASE jumpers often leap from the cliff. Due to its
increased popularity, there is currently a project under way to improve the
path to the site, which is only accessible via a 3.8-kilometre (2.4 mi) long
hike.
The
old local name of the site is Hyvlatonnå (English: Planed Tooth). The name
Prekestolen (without the i) was coined around the year 1900 when the local
tourist organisation, Stavanger Turistforening (no) wanted to promote the site
for trekking. The "i" was added later to concord with Nynorsk, the
official local form of Norwegian, and the site is now known both locally and
officially as "Preikestolen."
Geology
The
cliff was formed during the ice age, approximately 10,000 years ago, when the
edges of the glacier reached the cliff. The water from the glacier froze in the
crevices of the mountain and eventually broke off large, angular blocks, which
were later carried away with the glacier. This is the cause of the angular
shape of the plateau. Along the plateau itself there continues to be a deep
crack. Due to these cracks, the plateau will at some point fall down, but all
the geological investigations have revealed that this will not happen in the
foreseeable future, and geologists have confirmed the safety of the plateau.
Surrounding landscape
The
cliff overlooks the lush green valleys of the Ryfylke region. The mountains
surrounding the cliff reach heights of up to 843 metres (2,766 ft). Some of the
hilltops have plains which are interspersed with lakes. Nearby, close to the
bottom of the Lysefjorden, is the 1,110-metre (3,640 ft) tall mountain Kjerag
which is also a very popular hiking destination. Recently, some tourists have
elected to forego trips to the increasingly popular and crowded Preikestolen
and go to Kjerag instead.
Climate
Along
the fjord there is a mild and humid coastal climate.
