Literature is filled with enchanted forests. From ancient folktales to modern works like Lord of the Rings, forests are magical places in our imaginations. The real world is filled with forests that have been the inspiration for countless stories. One forest that has captured people’s imaginations is a pine grove in Poland dubbed the “Crooked Forest” (“Krzywy Las” in Polish). When you see the trees, you’ll see how it got its name.
German photographer Kilian Schönberger visited the unusual forest and captured the eerie, unique beauty of the oddly-shaped pine trees.
Photo credit: Kilian Schönberger
This young, unusual forest was planted around 1930 and has about 400 pines.
It’s thought that some form of human technique was used to make the trees grow crookedly, but what method was used and why it was done remains a mystery.
Some people believe that the trees were purposely deformed in order to create naturally curved timber for use in furniture or boat building.
As there is no definitive explanation, over the years speculation has grown to include more supernatural explanations from witchcraft, aliens and energy fields.
Another theory is that tanks during WWII rolled over the young trees, snapping the stems and forcing them to grow in the direction they were run over.
Whatever the cause, the forest has a unique beauty all of its own.
The Crooked Forest attracts visitors from all over the world, each with their own favorite theory as what caused the trees to bend.
Photos published on Reshareworthy.com with permission from Kilian Schönberger.
To see more of Kilian’s fantastic photography visit him on Instagram, Facebook and his website.
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