Snowcapped mountains plummet into the icy seas.  Northern Lights twinkle across the darkened skies.  The midnight sun creeps among the stars, luminating the world below.  Overlooking the  blossoming valleys of Ryfylke lies Preikestolen, a mountainous range with some dangerous drops yet breathtaking views. 

Over ten thousand years ago this distinctive cliff was formed, when a massive glacier reached the rock formation and settled there.  As time went on, water from the glacier soaked into the crevices of the rocks, breaking off colossal boulders that would later drift away with the glacier.  This is what caused the cliff to have such steep downfall.  From 1,982 feet above sea level, Preikestolen is nearly a sheer dropdown, because of the enormous glacier that structured it.

In 2006 over 90,000 people visited Preikestolen in the four summer months.  As you can see Preikestolen has economic values as well as natural beauty.  This major tourist attraction draws in people all over the world.  Groups come for hiking, photography, vacation, or even just the magnificent views.  Yet on the other hand this hazardous slope is extremely treacherous.  There aren’t any gates or boundaries, you could literally prance off the edge without any concern.  Believe it or not there have been no sighted accidents at Preikestolen. 

The only down side about having a lot of tourists is pollution.  Tourist littering could cause damage to Preikestolen.  A  natural landform like Preikestolen could become trashed if we pollute without worry.  Animals’ homes would be threatened by garbage and intoxicating fumes.    

This mountain plays a very important role in Norway’s culture.  It is one of Norway’s natural landforms that is visited all throughout the year.  Preikestolen is unique because it is a plateau on top and a cliff on the sides.  This is part of Norway’s culture because it attracts people from all over the world while providing a natural habitat for animals and nature.