Scientific Explanation
Fifty to sixty million years ago, during the early (Tertiär) Tertiary Period, there was immense volcanic activity in this area. When the lava reached the sea, it rapidly cooled down and (to contract = sich zusammenziehen) contracted. Pressure and variations in the cooling rate formed polygonal shapes; most of the (Basaltsäulen) basalt columns are (sechseckig) hexagonal.
Basalt Columns