Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland's top tourist attraction and only UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the North Antrim Coast, an extensive area of hard cliff along one of the most exposed coastlines in Northern Ireland.
Formed as a result of volcanic activity some 50-60 million years ago during the Early Tertiary period, this superlative natural phenomenon, the largest remaining lava plateau in Europe, is comprised of approximately 40,000 massive polygonal basalt columns stretching from the cliffs out into the sea.
Local folklore, however, is very much behind its name as legend has it that it was built by Finn MacCool, a giant, so that he could cross the Irish Sea to Scotland in order to challenge Benandoner, a rival giant!
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