A monolith is a geological feature consisting of a single massive stone or rock, such as some mountains. Erosion usually exposes the geological formations, which are often made of very hard and solid igneous or metamorphic rock. Some monoliths are volcanic plugs, solidified lava filling the vent of an extinct volcano.
In architecture, the term has considerable overlap with megalith, which is normally used for prehistory, and may be used in the contexts of rock-cut architecture that remains attached to solid rock, as in monolithic church, or for exceptionally large stones such as obelisks, statues, monolithic columns or large architraves, that may have been moved a considerable distance after quarrying. It may also be used of large glacial erratics moved by natural forces.
The word derives, via the Latin , from the Ancient Greek word (), from () meaning "one" or "single" and () meaning "stone".
Geological monoliths
Large, well-known monoliths include:
Africa
Aso Rock, Nigeria
Ben Amera, Mauritania
Brandberg Mountain, Namibia
Sibebe, Eswatini
Zuma Rock, Nigeria
Mount Lubiri, Angola
Mount Poi, Kenya
Great Sphinx of Giza
Antarctica
Scullin monolith
Asia
Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Bellary Fort, Bellary, India
Bhongir, Telangana, India
Madhugiri Betta, Karnataka, India
Kailasa temple, Ellora. Maharashtra, India
Namakkal Fort Namakkal , Tamilnadu India, Mount Kelam, Indonesia Mount Pico de Loro, Philippines Mount Pulumbato, Philippines Sangla Hill, Pakistan Savandurga, Karnataka, India Sigiriya, Sri Lanka Yana, Karnataka, India Gilbert Hill, Mumbai, India Rockfort, Trichy, India The Tsunami Penile Monument, Malé, Maldives Ekasila, Warangal, India
Australia
Bald Rock, near Tenterfield, New South Wales
Mount Augustus (Burringurrah), Western Australia (NOTE: this is not actually monolith as popularly claimed, but rather a monocline) Mount Coolum, Queensland Mount Wudinna, South Australia Pine Mountain, Victoria Uluru, Northern Territory
Europe
Kalamos, Anafi, Greece
Katskhi pillar, Georgia
Levski G., Sofia, Bulgaria
Logan Rock, Treen, Cornwall, England
Monolithe de Sardières, Sollières-Sardières, France
Penyal d'Ifac, Calpe, Valencian Community, Spain
Peña de Arcos, Arcos de la Frontera, Andalusia, Spain
Peña de los Enamorados, Antequera, Andalusia, Spain (a World Heritage Site) Rock of Gibraltar, Gibraltar Rock of Monaco, Monaco-Ville, Monaco Rock Cappa, San Luca, Italy
North America
United States
Angels Landing, Zion National Park, Utah
Beacon Rock, Columbia River Gorge, Washington
Bottleneck Peak, Sids Mountain, Utah
Castle Rock, Pineville, West Virginia
Chimney Rock, Bayard, Nebraska
Chimney Rock, Chimney Rock, North Carolina
Courthouse and Jail Rocks, Bridgeport, Nebraska
Devils Tower, Wyoming
El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California
Enchanted Rock, Llano County, Texas
Frog Woman Rock, Mendocino County, California
Great White Throne, Zion National Park, Utah
Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California
Haystack Rock, Clatsop County, Oregon
Looking Glass Rock, Transylvania County, North Carolina
Morro Rock, Morro Bay, California
Quincy Quarries Reservation, Quincy, Massachusetts
Scotts Bluff National Monument, Gering, Nebraska
Shiprock, San Juan County, New Mexico
Stone Mountain, Stone Mountain, Georgia
Stone Mountain, Stone Mountain, North Carolina
Tooth of Time, Cimarron, New Mexico
Wolf Rock, Linn County, Oregon
Canada
Stawamus Chief, Squamish, British Columbia
Mexico
La Peña de Bernal, Queretaro; claimed to be the world's third largest monolith. Las piedrotas near the town of Tapalpa, Jalisco.