Cave in Slovak karst

Jaskyňa Domica (Domica Cave)

         The cave belongs to most known and by tourists most resorted Slovak caves. This glory of Slovenský kras /Slovak karst/ lies in the southwestern part of Silická planina /Silicka plateau/. It was discovered in 1926, but for the public it was accessed in 1932. Jaskyňa Domica /Domica cave/ has the total length about 5000 metres and is especially typical for big temples, for example Majkov dóm /Majkov temple/ with cascade tarns. It exceeds by its reach stalactic decoration. The cave was also used by film producers when they shot the film version of famous fairy tale Soľ nad zlato /Salt more than gold/ by Pavol Dobšinský. Domica with neighbouring cave Bradla on Hungarian territory in total length around 25 kilometres of which only one quarter occurs on the land of Slovakia, are belonging part of bigger cave system. For example boating along the subterranean stream of river Styx is an attraction. The cave is unpretentious sight-seeing; stairs occur sporadically and they are easy. Visit can be recommended also to the seniors. Domica is in the UNESCO registry. A DOMICAI - Barlang (Jaskyňa Domica)

Gombasecká jaskyňa (Gombasecka Cave)

         Čierny potok /Black creek/ has swilled out subterranean spaces of Gom-basecká jaskyňa /Gombasecka cave/ in tectonic fissions fewer than five kilometres from Silica village, not far from Silická ľadnica /Silicka icebox/. Unique thin two to three metres long straws sharply contrasting with red clad of rock walls attract attention in it. It was discovered in 1951; it was accessed to the public in 1955. It was used for speleo-therapy from 1968. It lies in National park and biosphere reservation Slovenský kras /Slovak karst/. It has ideal access also for old aged visitors. It has neither great gradient neither nor difficult stairs, what is an advantage for the cave. Air temperature reaches 9 to 9,4 degrees Celsius and relative humidity is 95 to 97 %. In spring or autumn, Podkovár malý /Rhinolopus hipposideros/ the bat is sporadically spotted here. The length of sightseeing route is around 530 metres and the sight-seeing takes about 30 minutes. The cave is integrated into the UNESCO registry.

Ochtinská aragonitová jaskyňa (Ochtinska aragonite cave)

         This treasure of scientific and aesthetic values is situated in the vicinity of Ochtiná community in the hill Hrádok. It was discovered at random in 1954 by making way for geologic exploring tunnel. In the years 1966-67 the first access tunnel was made, which enabled to open the cave for public in 1972. Decoration of cave is from aragonite, what is a white to brown gemstone, which crystallizes in rhomboid system and in this way it creates the coral like formations. Bunches and bushes are of snow-white colour and form with their shapes rarely fanciful mixture of beautiful pictures. The cave is approximately 230 m long. Physically weaker equipped visitors could have a little problem by entering and going out of the cave for severe staircase. Thanks to its unique formations the cave ranks among the list of UNESCO.

Jasovská jaskyňa (Jasovska Cave)

         It belongs to the oldest and best known caves in Slovakia. It is noted for its uncommon rich and manifold sinter decoration as well as for its historical and archaeological findings. It is a significant wintering shelter of various kinds of bats. The sinter filling of cave spaces is very rich and as to colours very divers. In the cave there are wall waterfalls, which are situated in the old Netopierí dóm /Bat temple/, and stick stalagmites in Medvedia sieň /Bear hall/. Here and there we can see thin white straws on the ceiling. The dominant of Starý dóm /Old temple/ is a stone canopy, which depicts a pulpit. There can be found also the massive 5.5 m high column. Veľký dóm /Big tem-ple/ is considered as the most beautiful part of accessible cave spaces. Creative power of nature revelled in fantasy and created the most rugged dripstone formations. This cave belongs to the list of UNESCO as well.

Silická Ľadnica (Silická Icebox)

         Silica and Silická planina /Silická plateau/ are the biggest crossroads of tourist tracks. The Silica environs offers us from its natural beauties the best-known national cultural monument Silická ľadnica /Silicka icebox/. It is located westernwards from nearby road leading to Gombasek. Silická ľadnica /Silicka icebox/ included with Gombasecká jaskyňa /Gombasecka cave/ form one continual subterranean system moulded by the Čierny potok /brook/. An accessible part of the cave is its upper edge where ice pertains the year-round thanks accumulation of cold air. That's why Silická ľadnica /Silicka icebox/ has partly the shape of abyss. It lies at the altitude of 503 m above sea level. It is the lowest situated ice cave in mild climatic zone in the world. Silická jaskyňa /Silicka cave/ is recorded in the list of world's cultural and natural heritage of UNESCO.

Krásnohorská jaskyňa (Krasnohorska Cave)

         It occurs only 500 metres in distance from the village border. The length of the cave is 1350 to 1450 metres. Interior spaces don't have any electrical lighting, lamps on helmets are used. Before the sightseeing of cave spaces, you get waterproof overall, safeguard helmet with small but all the more powerful lamp and appropriate briefing, in the store of guide service. After this preparation, your small adventurous trip in this really interesting cave can begin. At the beginning, you will pass the tunnel then continue by narrow pavement where wooden bench alternates with armed ropes and iron ladders that sometimes are in absolute vertical position. This route really doesn't have much in common with sightseeing routes in another caves. Roughly after one hour of slow moving forward, you will see first slight flows, which are changing to bigger and bigger. This is a signal that you are not far away from wishful destination. You will climb the last vertical ladder and you are on the spot. The guide will turn the miniature lighting on and something unimaginable will appear before you. Stalagmite height of which overlaps 32 metres and circumference 12 metres that belongs to the biggest in the world. The real giant between all stalagmites in caves in Slovakia. After a while of watching this creation, the question, how many millions of years has it taken to the nature to create such a masterpiece, instinctively comes into your mind. The age forecasted by experts is 12 000 to 13 000 years. Cavemen from Roznava discovered this magnificence along with the cave in 1964. The subterranean spaces were inaccessible to the public for a long time. The cave is in the register of the world cultural and natu-ral heritage even though it belongs to the youngest by the year of discovering.