Gangdong Hwaam Columnar Joints

Hwaam Columnar Joints are a remnant distributed around Hwaam (Flower Rock) Beach in Hwaam Village, Hwaam-dong, Buk-gu. They are cooling joints formed by thermal contraction as basalt lava erupted during the Miocene Epoch of the Cenozoic Era, approximately 20 million years ago, cooled. The most distinctive features of the Gangdong Hwaam Columnar Joints are that the cross-sections of the columns are flower-shaped and that they develop in various forms and directions, including horizontal, vertical, and inclined shapes. Among the columnar joints on the east coast, these are the oldest lava columnar joints, holding high academic value, and their formation at various angles creates a beautiful landscape. Stairs are installed throughout the columnar joints, allowing visitors to observe and touch them up close. The columnar joints here resemble large piles of timber, reaching tens of meters in length, with the long diagonal of a single column cross-section measuring about 50 cm.

Address: 952-1 Sanha-dong, Buk-gu, Ulsan (Sanha-dong)