Vartasi

As a result of Tertiary volcanic activity in the Slanské Hills there are numerous rock formations. Many of them have bizarre or strange shapes, mysterious history, resemble living creatures or amaze us with their size or location in the forest. Accordingly, they have been given peculiar names.

Rock formations located on the main ridge of the Slanské hills near Hanušovský saddle, with the original name Vartasi, in Sharish Vartash.

They consist of several larger separate rocks. In addition to the dominant Giant Rock, there are isolated rock needles and spires. One pair even supports each other, creating a false rock window.

The most eye-catching is the rock resembling a human figure, on which you can see a chest with shoulders, a beautifully formed head with a forehead, nose, mouth and chin.

They are reminiscent of the monolithic sculptures of human figures carved out of the rock on Easter Island in the Rano Raraku crater.

The name of the rocks is linked to a local legend:

"You have scandalised my faithful wolf gatekeepers of Lysa! Henceforth your black souls will be eternally cast into the rocks with the warding from such evil that has enveloped you, you foothill paupers," thundered the curse of the spirit of the Salt Hills, the righteous and mighty Simon, over the quartet of fear-maddened murdering brothers. Suddenly, there, under Lysa's chin, loomed up the miraculous, slender rocks. They seemed other-worldly, as if from the world of man and not from the dumb, stony world. Vartáši!