In the Czech Republic there are more than 2,000 caves, which annually visit a huge number of tourists. They are famous for their unique animal world, unusual formations and picturesque landscapes, attracting directors and filmmakers from all over the world.
Moravian Karst
One of the largest in Europe karst systems are the Moravian caves of the Czech Republic . They are located in the vicinity of the city of Brno and are considered a national park . The reserve is a ramified network consisting of 1100 grottoes of various sizes. The total length of the underground route is 25 km.
An excursion to the caves in the Czech Republic will be not only interesting, but also quite cognitive. They live mysterious dungeon dwellers: all kinds of bats and various invertebrates. Many beings have not yet been studied.
Only 5 caves are accessible. These include:
- Cave Balzarka (Jeskyně Balcarka) - it is famous for the intricate labyrinth and skilful cathedral of Foch. During the tour you will see stalactite formations, whose age exceeds several thousand years. The most interesting of them are: Wilson Rotunda, ring precipices, Natural corridor and waterfall. In the grotto there is an underground room called the "museum". Here tourists will get acquainted with the archeological artifacts related to the Stone Age.
- Punkevní jeskyně - located in the Czech Republic near the Rocky Mlýn. In the dungeon the river of the same name flows, its maximum depth reaches 40 m. During the excursion you will descend to a distance of 187 m and float along the reservoir by boat. By the way, the number of boats is limited, so tickets must be booked in advance. The air temperature in the grotto is +8 ° C throughout the year. You can get here on a funicular railway, decorated in retro style.
- Katerzhinská cave (Kateřinská jeskyně) - it is the famous archaeological and paleontological area of the reserve. Its territory is equipped with modern technology. There are handrails, smooth tracks, signs and lights. During the tour, guides can turn off the lights so that tourists can enjoy the mysterious atmosphere. The dungeon is popular with people who have asthmatic diseases.
- The Sloupsko-Shoszów cave (Sloupsko-šosůvské jeskyně) resembles the present underworld and is a complex of rooms, narrow passages, stone arches and domes with unusual shapes. They were formed for millennia from stalagmites and stalactites. There are 2 routes laid: a long one (1760 m) and a short one (900 m). During the visit, tourists will be shown fossils of prehistoric people and animals (bears and lions), whose age exceeds 120 thousand years.
- Cave Vypustek (Jeskyně Výpustek) is a former military facility located in the Josefov Valley, which was opened to tourists in 2008. Its total length is 2 km, while visitors are only 600 m away. The grotto is famous for its unique exposition, which tells about the life of primitive man. Here there are sculptures of the ancient animals and people, and also closed halls intended for combat operations. They are equipped with control points, a medical facility, an air purification station, etc.
Separately, it is worth highlighting the Macocha abyss in the Czech Republic, which was formed as a result of the collapse of the cave. It flows the Punkva River, which flows into an underground reservoir. It resembles the Lake City from Tolkien's "Hobbit". Come here with warm waterproof things, and tourists who suffer from claustrophobia, it is better to refrain from this excursion.
The famous caves of the Czech Republic
Natural objects are managed by a special organization, subordinate to the Ministry of Environmental Protection. All the dungeons of the country are a national treasure, the most famous of which are:
- Caves at Spičaku - is considered the oldest in all of Europe. It was first mentioned in 1430. The tourist route is 230 m, for people with disabilities a special route is laid. The grotto was formed as a result of the melting of glaciers and its shape resembles a horizontal labyrinth.
- Koneprus caves are located in the central part of the Czech Republic. They represent a 3-tier dungeon, consisting of stalactite and stalagmite halls. Their total length is about 2 km. The sights of the grotto are the workshop of counterfeiters erected in the Middle Ages.
- Caves on Turoldu - were formed with the help of limestone in the Mesozoic era. The walls of the tunnel are decorated with natural paintings created by nature , and stones resembling bizarre outgrowths. Here is a picturesque lake , surrounded by faults tectonic plates. The overall picture captivates every visitor.
- Zbrashovske aragonite caves - they have hydrothermal origin and are the warmest. The air temperature here is +14 ° C. The walls of the dungeon are decorated with a mineral aragonite, reminiscent of a hedgehog needle. In the lowest halls, a large amount of carbon dioxide is concentrated, thanks to which a lake was formed. Its water is used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes.
- Caves on Pomesi - located near the famous Czech spa Lipova Lazne . The length of the tourist route is 400 m. The tunnel was formed in crystalline limestone (marble), decorated with perlite, stalagmite and stalactite formations. The most interesting of them are: the Royal Trumpet, the Treasury, the White House and the Heart, which, it is believed, fulfills the wishes.
- Mlade caves are a zoological, paleontological and archaeological area of worldwide significance. Here, skeletons of people (Cro-Magnon) of various ages, their weapons and instruments, as well as fossils of extinct animals: beavers, mammoths, bears, buffalo, bison, etc., were found in large numbers. They all belong to the Paleolithic era.
- The Jaworzyck caves consist of different levels of halls, mines, tunnels, labyrinths and abysses. The entrance to the grotto is located at an altitude of 538 m, on Mount Shpranek. Here there are original figures, formed by helektites.
- Bozkovsky dolomite caves are a whole complex of dungeons. The tourist route is 500 m. Here live a variety of bats, for which made special niches.
- Khynovska cave - stands out against the backdrop of other grottoes with exceptional picturesqueness of ceilings and walls. They are decorated with multicolored massifs of marble mixed with amphibolites. Natural drawings are called Frost eyes. The exact length of the tunnel is still unknown, at present research is underway here. In it, closed cavities with quartz stems were found.
- Magic cave - located on the slopes of the hill Petrshin , near Prague . She gained her fame thanks to the work of the Czech artist - Ron Argondiana. He turned the dungeon into a fairy-tale house, the entrance to it is decorated with figures of demons and chimeras. The ceilings and walls are decorated with paintings, depicting mythical characters.