The Dancing Forest is a unique place located in the Curonian Spit National Park ( Curonian Spit A nearly 50-km-long spit stretching between Zelenogradsk and the Lithuanian border, separating the Baltic Sea from the Curonian Bay, it includes pine forest, hiking paths, and beaches ) in the Kaliningrad Region.Russia.
This forest is striking in that almost all of its pines are bent, branched or even twisted into a ring in a bizarre way.Trees of this anomalous shape are not found in the entire park, but only in one part of it.
The Dancing Forest is one of the three main attractions of the Curonian Spit.Today there is a tourist route called “Dancing Forest”. It is located on the 37th km of the Curonian Spit, about 5 km from Rybachye. The route is less than a kilometer long, and walking in the forest is strictly prohibited. Walking is allowed only on wooden walkways.
The amazing forest constantly attracts the attention of tourists who come here from all over the world.
Access : Coordinates: 55.18, 20.861944 / You can get to the Curonian Spit by taxi, bus or private transport.The forest is located on the 38th kilometer of the road that runs along the spit towards Lithuania. / By car, there is highway 27A-076. / Not far from the beginning of the route there is a bus stop called “Dancing Forest”. Buses to and along the Curonian Spit run from Kaliningrad, Zelenogradsk and Svetlogorsk 3-4 times a day.
Highlights :
- The Curonian Spit is a sandy peninsula 98 km long (the Russian part is 48 km, the Lithuanian part is 50 km), with a width of 400 m to 4 km. This is the world’s longest sandbank. In 2000, the Curonian Spit was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- A mystery in the special composition of the soil – the increased salt content. This is what makes the pine trees twirl and twirl. Scientists talk about the influence of climate: there are sand dunes on the Curonian Spit, and a strong wind blows from the Baltic Sea. The researchers believe that this may have affected the growth of trees.
- in the early 00s he took part in the filming of the series “The Cove of Fear”. The length of the forest is 0.8 kilometers. Pines grow exclusively along the entire length, there are no other trees here.
- The national park decided to enclose the Dancing Forest with a fence. In order to avoid photo sessions hugging the trees.
- Legends : One of them says that once the Sambian prince Bartius hunted here and met the beautiful Predinia, who played the harp. The prince instantly fell in love with her and invited her to marry, but he was a pagan and she was a Christian. The unhappy lover agreed to change his faith, but on condition that Predinia could prove the omnipotence of her God. The girl began to play, and the trees moved in time to the music.
Entrance fees: entrance to the park for adults – 120 rubles, for children over 12 years old – 75 rubles, for children under 12 years old – free. Those arriving by car pay an environmental fee of 150 rubles.
Activities : sightseeing / photo opportunities / trekking, A trip to it can be combined with a visit to the dunes and ornithological reserve.
Go next : the village of Rybachiy / Kaliningrad : a Russian city on the Baltic Sea, also known by its original German name, Königsberg, the capital city of Kaliningrad Oblast in Russia.
