Mohamed Salah’s Rock Becomes an Unexpected Tourist Attraction

A simple photograph taken by Mohamed Salah during a visit to Trabzon has unexpectedly turned an ordinary rock into a social media sensation.

The Egyptian football star reportedly visited Kurtdere Plateau in Trabzon, where he sat on a rock and posed for photographs. After the images were shared on social media, fans began visiting the same location to recreate Salah’s pose and take photographs on the rock.

What started as a simple holiday photograph quickly turned into an unusual attraction for football fans and visitors.

Visitors began lining up to see the rock

As interest in the location grew, visitors started traveling to the plateau specifically to see the rock where Salah had sat.

Some visitors posed on the same spot, while others photographed themselves next to it. Social media posts showing people visiting the location quickly spread online, turning the rock into one of the most talked-about spots associated with Salah’s visit to Trabzon.

A “Salah Plateau” sign was installed

As the unusual attraction gained attention, a sign reading “Salah Yaylası” (“Salah Plateau”) was also placed near the location.

The area had already been known for its natural landscape, streams and mountain scenery, but Salah’s visit suddenly gave one particular rock a completely new level of attention.

A bench was even placed next to the rock

The story became even more unusual when a bench was installed next to the rock where Salah had taken his photograph.

According to reports, Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality teams placed the bench at the site as visitor interest increased. The development quickly became another talking point on social media, with some people viewing it as a humorous example of the power of football celebrity, while others debated whether such additions were appropriate in a natural area.

“I wouldn’t put my butt on it, I’d kiss it”

A video circulating on social media has added another bizarre chapter to the story.

In the footage, a visitor approaches the rock where Salah had reportedly sat and says:

“I wouldn’t put my butt on this. I’d kiss it, you know what I mean?”

The man then appears to kiss the rock rather than sit on it.

The video quickly went viral, with users sharing the footage and joking about how far the fascination with the rock had gone.

Was Salah’s rock stolen?

Another claim that circulated online suggested that the rock had been removed or stolen.

However, this claim was false. Anadolu Agency’s verification unit reported that the images supposedly showing the rock being removed had been generated using artificial intelligence. The rock was still in its original location, and visitors continued to travel to the site.

How did a football photograph create a tourist spot?

The incident is a striking example of how quickly social media can transform an ordinary location into a viral attraction.

A rock that was previously just part of the landscape became associated with one of the world's most recognizable footballers after Salah sat on it for a photograph. Within days, visitors were traveling to the area, taking pictures, sharing videos and even turning the location into a humorous pilgrimage site.

What was once simply a rock in the Trabzon countryside is now widely referred to online as “Salah’s rock.”

Whether the attraction will remain popular after the initial social media frenzy fades remains to be seen, but Mohamed Salah’s short visit has certainly given this small corner of Trabzon an unexpected place in the spotlight.