The Secrets Behind The Crooked Forest in Poland: Shocking Truths You Never Thought Possible!

When you think of a tree, what are the first adjectives that pop into your mind? You can first say that trees have long, straight, sturdy trunks with numerous branches and shooting out lush leaves.

However, for extravagant thinkers, the story of the crooked tree, the old fable that traverses’ generations, might be the first thing that strikes you!

But have you heard of a forest housing naturally crooked trees (I mean bent)? Well, it might be shocking to you that “The Crooked Forest in Poland” has such trees with a 90-degree bend near the base, providing a C-shaped growth. 

No one knows about the mystery of this eerie Pine Forest, and even scientists, with their theories, proposals, and postulations, have not come to a concrete conclusion as there is no solid proof. So now, let’s jump into this bizarre forest in Poland to unveil the unknown.

Now let the surprise begin!

1. About the Forest

Just beside Gryfino town stands the oddly shaped curved forest in West Pomerania, Poland, on the exterior of Nowe Czarnowo. These trees were planted early, around 1930, when its locale was part of the German Province in Pomerania. It is also known as Krzywy Las locally.  

The forest has a total count of 400 pine trees arranged in 22 rows, of which roughly 100 are crooked, according to the Gryfino Forest District Managers. When planting, most of them are 7 to 10 years old and offer a surreal sight at first glance.

They actually look like question marks hanging upside down from the soil!

Dare to be surprised: You might ask how big is the crooked forest in Poland that houses 400 trees. You might be impressed to know that the area occupied by the curved forest is just 1.7- 2 hectares. And the place is over 80 years old. Cool!

The unusual phenomenon of these trees that have captured the world’s attention is at its heart: the unnatural curves right above the base. Yet the notable fact is that these trees are healthy amidst this defect and grow up to 50 feet in height facing the sky. 

Interestingly, these trees are unlike anomalous trees that grow worldwide with curves or strange shapes. Instead, these trees are smooth and devoid of a gnarl showing genetic mutation results. And the shocking part is that they strangely grow uniformly with all the C curves facing the north!

However, there are other trees having robust bends present across the world, like Drunken Trees in Subarctic Taiga and Hoia Baciu in Romania. But none match the neat arrangement of those found in Poland’s curved forest.

2. Where is the Forest Located?

This forest sits just a few paces away from Gryfino, a Polish town nearly close to the German border. Nowe Czarnowo is the name of the village where the forest is located in Northwestern Poland. It’s about 40 kilometres away from Szczecin, a famous Polish City.

 It is believed that the forest was planted when the place was under the British Province. And today, it became Poland’s natural monument. 

The best way to reach the forest is by a 40-minute car ride. If you are from Germany, take a drive from Berlin for 2 hours to reach the spot. 

However, not many tourists have explored this mysterious place as it’s found in the remote corners of Poland. If you are determined to have an experience, you can make it a possible place to visit. 

3. What Animals Live in the Crooked Forest in Poland?

Now you might wonder how many animals are a part of this forest in Poland that has left some strange mystery to its visitors. 

Well, you might be surprised to know that the curved forest in Poland is part of an extensive nature park. And it’s a place that offers habitat to typical everyday forest animals like foxes, bugs, deer, squirrels, rabbits, birds, and more.

4. Forest Mysteries Unleashed: Prepare to be Amazed

Now, who bent the trees in this forest in Poland?

This forest offers a bizarre look to its beholder, offering unspoken things like what you get out of a Brother Grimms story. And for many decades, its mystery has puzzled many locals and scientists who are yet to figure out its curious shape. 

However, numerous make-believe Crooked Forest theories comprehend that this could have been a possibility of what made the forest as its present now. And these are the main questions that were attempted to answer by elite scientists who studied this uncanny forest;

• What impacts resulted in a curve in the forest at a tender age?
• Was it a puzzling natural spectacle? 
• Was it human intervention? 

So, get ready to uncover the unforeseen!

4.1 Theory 1: Extreme Gravitational Pull

This is the first theory scientists have put forth stating that an unprecedented gravitational pull or a sequence of gravitational pulls in that specific land area curled the trees in their earlier stages. As they began growing, it resulted in a bend.

But to immediately contradict it, it was interrogated that in an instant, how can a few meters of land experience a sudden gravitational pull without affecting the land around it at least for a few kilometres?

You might have a good laugh at it because gravity pulls objects downward and not sideward because other plants and objects in the same area might have a sideward curve too! 

Hence this theory was considered invalid as it didn’t have the slightest scientific evidence to support it.

4.2 Theory 2: Extreme Snowfall and Snowstorms

You can open your eyes to possibilities here as this theory is nearly acceptable. It is said that the land was hit with heavy snowfall and snowstorms blanketing the young saplings with snow. 

The enormous weight that the saplings had to bore until the snowfall ended resulted in an unusual bend. And with the beginning of the spring, when all the snow was melted, the saplings became upright and grew according to the laws of nature, leaving a curved bottom in its trunk. 

But this theory raised a vital question stating why the snowfall affected this particular patch of woodland. And why were only a few trees bent out of the 400 trees?

You must also note that the bent pine tree cluster is located at the heart of the forest and is surrounded by straight pine trees. So not the entire forest was affected. 

Hence this question remains unanswered, making this theory void as it’s observed that heavy snowfall and storms are not geographically selective. 

4.3 Theory 3: Genetic Mutations

This theory might probably make sense to some extent, but it’s a failure compared to other parts of the world. 

You might have encountered mutations in plants and trees that tend to change the foliage. This includes alteration of the foliage, stems, flowers or fruits. So, it’s said that this could have resulted weird curve of the trees. 

However, you must also note that regular genetic mutations in trees create a gnarled and creepy effect resulting in protrusions of the trunk and limbs in unsightly directions.

Ultimately these Crooked trees do not possess a crude-looking built-up. They are perfectly bent, neatly arranged, and grow upright, making this theory futile.

4.4 Theory 4: World War 2 German Tank

As stated earlier with the simultaneous evolution of this forest, World War 2 broke out. Some have proposed that the German Military tanks ploughed through this field during Poland’s Nazi Invasion in 1939.

It is stated that the young plants (not saplings) were trampled by the tanks that gave them their bend. However, they were not broken by the massive iron weight of the tanks and continued to grow. 

This theory has relevance to the snowstorm theory. Similarly, the interrogation was about how that particular parcel of land experienced the bend when the tanks went throughout the entire forest, thereby claiming the theory to be invalid.

4.5 Theory 5: Human Intervention

You can consider this theory as widely acceptable as the humans bent the trees to get their shape. Earlier local farmers cultivated timber for various purposes and bent them using different strategies. These were further used for creating carved furniture or making a boat.

Even references to curved furniture are available in the history pages of this period. However, this theory doesn’t overlap with World War 2, as the invasion of Poland occurred around the same year of cultivation. 

It probably would have been that the farmers left the trees unattended and uncut. And Gryfino, according to history, was devastated during the war. 

Interestingly, the inhabitants who live there now cannot comprehend the real reason for this mystery of this Forest in Poland. Probably the locals who were residing there earlier until the 1970s with an answer are no longer alive.

Ultimately you must note that all these theories are created in the air and don’t possess ample shreds of evidence to prove them.

However, apart from logical thinking in undertaking a scientific study about the growth of this unique forest in Poland, people enjoy believing these illogical theories even though they don’t make sense. 

Also, since there are no evidence or scientific theories about the evolution of the forest, there is freedom for people to believe in what they like from the most logical, mysterious or exciting.

And to date, the evolution of the forest remains a mystery since whether it’s crooked or not, it’s a natural wonder that’s worth a trip!

5. Mysterious Forest in Poland Facts: What’s Waiting for You?

Now being such a mysterious place in the uttermost corner of Poland and a tourist attraction, one can grab the best facts about this mysterious forest in Poland after visiting the place. 

Hence to keep you informed or well-prepared to take a trip, here are some surprising facts from the insiders to get the thrill of stepping into the unknown.

So, ready for a shock?

• The bend of the Crooked trees is precisely 90 degrees right angle towards the North. 
• Even the height of the trees remains a mystery as they do not cross the average height of 15 meters
• These trees are believed to be purposely bent by a machine or tool somewhere around 10 years after planting. And once World War 2 began, it’s believed that the people who began this project abandoned it. 
• The cluster of crooked trees is not really a forest rather, it’s a grove of trees within the forest.

• Even today, there are NO WITNESSES, both oral and written. Nobody, including the inhabitants, knows how this grove came into existence. The theories that have been raised don’t mean that this is the way that the forest evolved. Instead, they are put forth as possibilities for the evolution of the forest and the tree bends. 
• Human intervention is considered a reasonable theory that people purposely bent the tree to strengthen the internal part of the ship. There is supporting evidence for this theory from the Wooden Ship Vessel Construction. But no one knows how they made it or the tools used. Here’s an excerpt of it:

English “Hedgerow” Oak was the best for the naturally curved timbers used to strengthen the ship internally. Trees were even deliberately bent in certain ways so as to ‘grow’ a needed set of curved timbers. These curved timbers were known as ‘compass’ timbers.

• A remarkable fact is that this forest is not the only place to find this type of tree structure with a bent base. They are all over North America, too, known as the Trail trees! The Native Americans used them as signs to guide their direction. Cool, right?
• You will swoon if you also see the curved forest in Russia, known as the Dancing Trees, with extremely strange bends and twists. Even here, the shape is a mystery. However, its widely believed that the pine shoot moth creates these shapes. 
• By the 1980s, it became Poland’s natural monument and attracted numerous tourists to capture its curvy structure. However, it’s best to go early if you are planning a trip, as these trees, succumbing to the force of time, are dying. And could leave a question about its existence in the future. 

6. Wrapping Up the Crooked Forest Mystery

Today there is scarcely a person left to share the truth about the Crooked Forest in Poland was created. The strange tree trunks seem to bend to a wind that cannot be experienced by anyone. And what is left behind for the world in the present is a charming and intriguing sight that evokes untold strangeness and mysteries!

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