Reykjavik Cathedral (Iceland) cuts the blue sky with a strange beauty that you have to know how to interpret. The visitor comes across rows of elongated columns that try to emulate the basaltic columns that are seen in many places on the planet. Such as the iconic organs of the Island of La Gomera and the characteristic hexagonal columns of the Giant’s Causeway, in Ireland. This unique Icelandic cathedral in the world receives the unpronounceable name of Hallgrímskirkjaç and took no less than forty years to build. It is a tribute to the volcanic nature of the entire country, as Iceland emerges from the heart of an oceanic ridge. It is like a large island built on volcanoes.

A volcanic neck is an elongated relief that forms when lava hardens within a reef, stream, or crater of an active volcano. It presents a structure resistant to erosion, so when the cone of the volcano undergoes complete erosion it appears as a majestic needle that attracts the eye of any visitor. So much so that they have served to be crowned with all kinds of constructions by the human being.

The case of the Church of San Miguel is well known, a French Romanesque chapel located in Aiguilhe, whose first construction dates back to 961.

In Scotland, on the other hand, one of the main tourist attractions is Edinburgh Castle, also on a volcanic neck. There is the mythical stone of Scone, a sandstone that served as the basis for meeting Scottish kings.

In the Czech Republic we find the Trosky Castle, in the town of Troskovice.

The Burmese monastery of Taung Kala also rises on a volcanic neck, on Mount Popa, to a height of 1,500 meters.

Volcanic necks are also called volcanic plugs. In addition to the examples cited above, they can form complete islands, as is the case of the island of Strombolicchio. It comes from the volcano that formed Stromboli Island, whose eruptions ceased 200,000 years ago. A lighthouse has been built above and forms an interesting tourist attraction in Stromboli.

In the district of Matale, Sri Lanka, ruins of the kingdom of King Kasyapa (5th century BC) were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. They rest on the top of a volcanic neck 200 meters high. The Mahavansha records tell us that Kasyapa murdered his father Dhatusena to usurp the throne from his brother Mogallana. The latter fled to India to avoid being killed by his patricidal brother. Hearing the news of Mogalana’s return, the illegitimate Kasyapa king built a palatial fortress atop the Sigiriya.

The five most photographed naked necks

There are beautiful necks without the need to wear pendants, as there are attractive volcanic necks without the need to be built by humans. We could well do the route of the volcanic necks, as they are an obligatory point of visit in many locations around the world. Let’s look at some examples.

The Devil’s Tower National Monument is in the Black Hills, USA. It rises up to 1,558 m above sea level and is made up of phonolithic rocks. This type of igneous stone produces a characteristic metallic sound when struck. The term “phonolite” means “sound stone.”

This peak rises up to 300 m above the ground and is located in the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe. Its composition is also phonolite.

The Roque Nublo Natural Monument is an icon of the Canary Islands and rises to a height of 80 meters above the ground. It was a place of aboriginal worship.

In this population of the Far North Region of Cameroon dozens of volcanic necks are found, originating from the remains of volcanic vents. The best known is the Kapsiki Peak, a vertical spire more than a kilometer high. On the other hand, the Head of Rhumsiki is very visited for its phallic shape. At his feet barren women make sacrifices.

Located in the Chaîne des Puys volcanic mountain chain, a peak known as La Dent de la Rancune has become a challenge for all types of climbers, amateurs and professionals.

An inselberg or Monadnock is an “island mount”, that is, an isolated relief that dominates a plain or plateau. They originate from a volcanic neck. Shiprock is one of them. It is found in the Navajo Nation, in San Juan County, New Mexico. The name Shiprock Peak or Ship Rock comes from the resemblance to a clipper, a 19th century sailing vessel. The Americans initially called it “The Needle”, which was the term used by Captain JF McComb in 1860. The current word has been used for a decade later.