Kummakivi Strange Rock, Valtola, Southern Savonia, Finland

Kummakivi is the Finnish word for “strange rock,” and the geological formation that is found at Valtola in Southern Savonia, Finland is quite a wonder to behold. Surrounded by the local forest, the immense monolith balances precariously upon another rock, the latter being a smooth, curved surface. This structure was formed in the last ice age. The area and the lower stone are neatly kept from encroaching moss and undergrowth, but the larger rock on top is weathered from age. Small cracks and fissions extend their tendrils across the surface of Kummakivi, perhaps, making the balancing act appear ever more dangerous, more mystical, and more breathtaking.