Babia Rock

Babia Skała is a summit monadnock belonging to the Jerzmanowice Outcrops, located in the highest parts of the Olkusz Upland, near Jerzmanowice. The limestone rock formation is situated on private land and is one of the 41 natural monuments of the Jerzmanowice-Przeginia municipality, listed in the provincial register. Due to its picturesque landscape and natural values, the area forms part of the Kraków Valleys Landscape Park. On January 14, 1993, an unusual event occurred at Babia Skała – a bright flash of light was observed, accompanied by a loud roar, and as a result of this incident, many houses in the area experienced electrical damage. Witnesses saw a fireball heading toward the rock, and after the explosion, chunks of limestone fell from the sky, damaging buildings and shattering windows. Scientists from the Jagiellonian University Astronomical Observatory and the AGH University of Science and Technology conducted investigations into the event, which some believe may have been caused by ball lightning, while others attribute it to a meteorite impact. Babia Skała, rising in a picturesque setting, is a significant element of both the local landscape and the cultural identity of the region.