Gilbert Hill

Gilbert Hill Latest News

After Anand Mahindra highlighted Gilbert Hill in a recent post, curiosity around the Mumbai landmark has surged.

About Gilbert Hill

• It is a 200-foot (61 meters) monolith column of black basalt rock located in Andheri, Mumbai Suburban, Maharashtra. 
• The hill has a sheer vertical face and is one of the oldest basalt rock formations in the world.
• It was shaped millions of years ago, during the Mesozoic era, about 66 million years ago, when molten lava emerged from the Earth’s crevices.
• It belongs to the same geological period that marked the end of the dinosaur age. 
• Formed during massive volcanic eruptions that created the Deccan Traps, the structure is a rare example of a volcanic column. 
• According to geological records, only three such columnar basalt formations exist in the world. The other two are 
  • Devil’s Tower (USA)
  • Giant’s Causeway (Northern Ireland)
• It was declared a National Park in 1952, while the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation categorised it as a Grade II heritage structure in 2007.
• Arguably the oldest heritage site in the country in its original form, Gilbert Hill has a few temples and a small garden atop. These are accessed by a steep staircase carved into the rock.

Source: NDTV

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