A glacial cirque is a bowl-shaped depression found in mountainous regions, formed by the erosion of glaciers. As a glacier moves, it carves out the landscape, creating steep walls and a flat bottom. These features are often the starting points for glaciers, where snow accumulates and transforms into ice. Cirques are typically located at the head of a valley and can be identified by their distinct shape and surrounding cliffs. They may contain small lakes, known as tarns, which form when water collects in the depression after the glacier melts. Cirques are important indicators of past glacial activity and climate change.