Investigating the controversial phenomenon
This massive sheer rock formation in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence on the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec, off Percé Bay, is one of the largest natural arches located on water.
Besides serving as a landmark tourist attraction, Elephant Trunk Hill in Guilin, Guangxi region, is the symbol of Guilin, which uses Elephant Trunk Mountain and the osmanthus flower as its city emblem.
One of the most iconic natural wonders in the United Kingdom is Durdle Door, a natural limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast near Lulworth in Dorset, England.
Arco Naturale on the east coast of Capri is actually the remains of a collapsed grotto. It's one of the most photographed of the island's scenic landmarks.
This basalt sea stack juts 15 m (50 ft) out of the water on the eastern shore of the Vatnsnes peninsula, in northwest Iceland. Viewed in silhouette, this ancient volcanic fragment appears like a giant beast taking a drink.
The chalk cliffs at Étretat on France's Normandy coast include three natural arches including one called The Manneporte, which features in a painting by Claude Monet (1840–1926).
Pont d'Arc is a natural bridge that spans the Ardèche river in southern France. The location is a favorite with canoeists and kayakers, who paddle under the impressive landmark to enter the Ardèche Canyon.
California's Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz is so named for the natural bridge straddling a section of sand. The mudstone bridge—the last of three that used to stand here—attracts thousands of monarch butterflies during the October–February migration period.
El Arco de Cabo San Lucas is the distinctive limestone rock formation that erupts from the sea at the southern tip of Cabo San Lucas, itself the extreme southern end of Mexico's Baja California.
Ear of the Wind is what's known as a pothole natural arch, eroded in DeChelly sandstone. It's located in Arizona within the boundaries of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, and a Navajo guide is required for any visitation.
London Arch in Victoria's Port Campbell National Park still provides an impressive outlook even after the collapse of the span closer to the shoreline. Then it was called London Bridge because of its similarity to its namesake.
Set just off the coast of Raouché, a residential and commercial neighborhood of Beirut, is Pigeon Rock. The natural landmark is said to be the remains of a sea monster the Greek hero Perseus killed to save Andromeda. The legend suggests Perseus used Medusa's head on the creature to turn it into stone.
The longest of the numerous rock formations found in Arches National Park in Utah, the aptly named Landscape Arch spans 88 m (290 ft). In fact, it is the fifth-longest natural arch in the world, after four arches in China.
Slightly shorter than Landscape Arch but no less impressive, Kolob Arch in Utah's Zion National Park can be reached by hiking trails that bring you near to the cliffside that it frames.
Remote Chad in north-central Africa is home to the impressive Aloba Arch, set on the Ennedi Plateau within the Sahara Desert. At an impressive 120 m (394 ft), it towers over the more famous Rainbow Bridge in America and is one of the tallest known arches in the world.
Spanning White Canyon is the largest of the natural bridges in southeast Utah's Natural Bridges National Monument—Sipapu. It's an especially alluring destination for hikers in that the arch has an active trail running beneath it where the view skywards is absolutely breathtaking.
Seemingly punched out of solid rock, this incredible shelter arch is one of the great showstoppers of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah. It's named for Steven Canyon and can be reached by following Coyote Gulch— itself one of the premier backpacking destinations in the country.
Also known as Tushuk Tash, this is believed to be the highest natural arch in the world after a National Geographic team measured the arch at 365 m (1,200 ft). It's named for English mountaineer Eric Shipton (1907–1977) who first reported it to the West in 1947. It's located near the village of Artux in China's isolated Kizilsu Kirghiz autonomous prefecture.
The natural arch that punches a hole through the base of Tianmen Mountain at Zhangjiajie, in the northwestern part of Hunan province, is reached by following a steep set of stairs that form part of a temple complex.
Featuring one of the most breathtaking of natural arches found anywhere, Moon Hill outside Yangshuo in southern China's Guangxi autonomous prefecture is a popular tourist attraction. Steps lead up the arch itself, after which the more intrepid can trek to the summit.
Nature's Window is one of Western Australia's most iconic natural attractions, and wins hands down for the perfectly framed upstream view of the Murchison River.
Brazil's stunning Pedra Furada natural arch is best viewed from the summit of Morro da Igreja, which overlooks this singular rock formation, the name of which translates as "drilled stone." Morro da Igreja, which stands in Santa Catarina state, can be reached by vehicle from the town of Urubici.
The most rewarding way of admiring this stunning natural arch in the French Alps near Tignes is by skiing through it. Its name translates to English as "pierced spire," and it looks pretty dramatic in summer too, when it can be hiked from mid-July to late September.
The fantastic caves and grottos that form Ponta da Piedade near Lagos in Portugal's Algarve region include a wonderful gingerbread-like arch that you canoe under as you paddle your way around an amazing sun-soaked watercourse.
The name of the largest arch in Slovakia translates into English as "fireplace window." It's embedded in a cliff face west of the summit called Ohniste in the Low Tartra mountains.
A trek along the Wild Atlantic Way in County Donegal is rewarded by inspiring views of Great Pollet Arch, Ireland's largest sea arch.
Located in a pocket of the Tuwaiq Escarpment about 150 km (93 mi) south of Riyadh near the town of al-Hareeg is the little-visited Natural Arch, or Abu Marhroog. It has a span of about 48 m (160 ft).
Sources: (Metropolitan Museum of Art) (Britannica) (Far West China)
See also: Famous sites to see before they disappear from Earth
Natural arches and natural bridges are rock formations created over millennia by erosion from the sea, rivers, or by weathering. Some of these formations are truly majestic in size and splendor and number among the greatest natural wonders on the planet. Others are less prominent, but equally scenic in their location and outlook. But where in the world are some of the most famous natural arches and bridges located? Click through for some of the best known.
Rainbow Bridge National Monument in southern Utah stands 88 m (290 ft)—one of the tallest natural bridges in the world.
The 16-m-tall (52 ft) Delicate Arch in Utah's Arches National Park is the most widely recognized landmark in the region. It's formed from entrada sandstone.
Another spectacular eye-opener in Arches National Park, North Window is accessible by following a looped trail that also takes in South Window and Turret Arch.
Amazing natural arches from around the world
Stunning rock formations that appear as arches and bridges
TRAVEL Nature
Natural arches and natural bridges are rock formations created over millennia by erosion from the sea, rivers, or by weathering. Some of these formations are truly majestic in size and splendor and number among the greatest natural wonders on the planet. Others are less prominent, but equally scenic in their location and outlook. But where in the world are some of the most famous natural arches and bridges located? Click through for some of the best known.