The World’s Second-Largest Stone
The Ben Amera Monolith is the second largest solid stone in the world, rising 633m (2027ft) above the desert plane (Uluru in Australia being the first). It is a popular destination for photographers and artists, due to its unannounced eruption from the horizon from an otherwise flat area.
This giant stone is part off the beat path in the Adrar region, but is a fantastic destination if you’re willing to go the extra distance. It requires expert desert drivers and 4×4 vehicles to navigate the soft dunes and off-road tracks to reach this monument, making it a very special attraction for the culture aficionado.
Some years ago, artists stayed for weeks at the monolith and carved many animal sculptures into smaller granite stones that speckle the edges of Ben Amera’s “wife” nearby, Aicha. There is an local folklore story that describes the relationship between these closely gathered granite heaps.
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