The largest karst cave. Cave system Jewel. The deepest cave in the world
Caves - this mysterious and Magic world dark kingdom, silence and silence. And the caves can rightly be called the cradle of mankind. Indeed, in prehistoric times, primitive people used caves as a refuge from wind and cold. They were the "discoverers" of natural dungeons. The tools and wall paintings of Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons found in caves are proof of this. IN ancient times some caves were considered the dwellings of the gods, others were used to shelter herds and, especially often, for burial. Yes, and in the recent past, there are cases when people who were at odds with society tried to hide in caves.
But even though the cave "cradle" has long been abandoned by man, nevertheless, interest in the dungeons has been preserved for many centuries. From the 18th century, the first expeditions began to explore hard-to-reach caves.
Some historical facts:
In May 1748, the mathematician I. Nagel led an unprecedented descent into the sinkhole of Macocha (Moravia), which was unprecedented for those times. He overcame the steep part of the entrance shaft (50 m) and reached a depth of 138 m. The theoretical ideas of this time were summarized in the book by Cite de la Font "Wonders of Nature" (1788). He believed that the underground voids arose "for the most part through fire-breathing mountains", and the streaks in the caves represent "a kind of underground garden." Much closer to the truth were the views of Russian scientists, which unfortunately remained unknown in Western Europe. Back in 1720, VN Tatishchev visited the vicinity of the city of Kungur and pointed out that the caves were the result of "breeding" (dissolution) and collapse of rocks. In 1732, I. G. Gmelin visited Kungur cave and made her plan. He also made the first measurements of air temperature underground.
Great contribution to the formation of knowledge about underworld introduced by M. V. Lomonosov. He proved that the caves have a physical and chemical nature, explained the formation of "scales" on the walls of the caves by the precipitation of calcite from an aqueous solution, proposed Russian equivalents of the Latin terms "stalactite" and "stalagmite" ("upper drip" and "lower drip"), substantiated causes of air movement underground and the formation of cave ice.
No cave in the world is like another. Huge halls with grottoes, wells, lakes, waterfalls and glaciers.
For millennia, water diligently eroded the stone and created underground labyrinths of the silent world of beauty and mysteries. Seeping into the limestone cracks, rainwater from year to year destroys the stone, increasing the cracks. For centuries, water saturated with minerals, dripping from the ceiling of the caves, forms stalactites and stalagmites, sometimes of such a bizarre shape that they are given their own names.
Calcite in caves can be of the most unusual forms: in the form of flowers, pearls, twigs, sometimes so fragile and thin that they crumble when touched.
To this day, the deep labyrinths of the caves beckon people to plunge into their darkness and uncover underground secrets.
Let us, at least for a while, also plunge into this mysterious world of the underworld and get acquainted with its amazing beauties.
Han Son Dung Cave. Vietnam.
Hang Son Dung Cave (Cave mountain river) is located in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, was discovered in April 2009 by British cavers. The cave system was huge. British researchers suggest that this cave is the largest in terms of volume in the world!
In the underground hall of the Hang Son Dung cave, there is enough space even for a 40-story skyscraper. Most Big hall The cave has a total length of more than 5000 meters. The total length of the cave is 9000 meters. The halls and corridors are 100 meters wide and 200 meters high. At the same time, the Deer Cave, located in Malaysia, is one of the most large caves world, has a height of halls not exceeding 100 meters, and a width of 90.
Hang Son Dong Cave - Jungle Cave! There are gaps in the vaults of the cave through which light penetrates, and as a result, plants grow in the cave - limestone ledges are covered with a carpet of delicate greenery. Following the plants, not only insects and snakes descend into the cave, but even monkeys and birds. The Rao Tuong River over many centuries has created in solid rocks tunnels. During the dry months, the river becomes a small stream, but during the rainy season, the underground river becomes full again, so that in some places it comes to the surface of the earth.
The largest cave in the world. National Geographic film.
Cave of the Swallows (Sotano de las Golondrinas). Mexico.
Sotano de las Golondrinas or the Cave of the Swallows is located in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosí. The entrance to the cave is a huge hole in the mountain with a diameter of 55 meters. When descending into the mouth of the cave, after a few meters, it expands up to 160 meters, which creates difficulties during the descent and ascent. This is what attracts fans of extreme sports here. The cave is one of the deepest caves in Mexico, its depth reaches 376 meters, which is comparable to the height of a 120-story building. The floor in the Swallow Cave is sloping and has many narrow tunnels and passages that lead to more deep levels. To date, they are not particularly well researched.
The name of the cave was due to the huge colony of swallows that live here. And not to break quiet life birds, descents into the cave are allowed only at certain times: from 12 to 16 hours, when the birds leave it. In addition, it saves not only the lives of swallows, but also lovers of extreme skydiving. After all, a collision with a flock of birds during a free flight is very dangerous.
Recently, the Swallow Cave has become a real Mecca for cavers and base jumpers.
Cave of giant crystals (Cueva de los Cristales). Mexico.
Crystal Cave (Cueva de los Cristales) is located in the Naica mine complex, in the Mexican desert of Chihuahua (Chihuahua) at a depth of 300 meters. The cave is unique in that it contains giant crystals of selenite (a mineral, a type of gypsum). These are the largest natural crystals ever found on the planet - transparent gypsum rays reach sizes of 11 meters in length and weigh about 55 tons.
The cave was discovered in 2000 when a tunnel was being dug in a mine complex. The climate in the cave is unusual - it is very hot in the cave! Temperatures reach 50-60°C with a humidity of more than 90%, a person can stay in such conditions without a special suit for no more than ten minutes. Access to the cave is open only to scientists who explore it in special equipment.
In the cave of crystals. National Geographic film.
The Singing Cave of Fingal. Scotland.
Fingal's Cave is located on the southwestern coast of the Isle of Staffa (one of the Hybrid Islands). The island is only 1 kilometer long and half a kilometer wide. Over many millennia, the surf and rains have carved out a whole system of caves, the largest of which is the singing cave of Fingal, which received its name in honor of the hero of the Irish and Gaelic epic giant Fingal.
The walls of Fingal's cave are made up of vertical hexagonal basalt columns. The cave is 75 meters long, 20 meters high and 14 meters wide. In the Gaelic language, the cave is called Uamh-Binn, which can be translated as "cave of melody". Indeed, thanks to the domed vault, this place has a unique acoustics. In calm weather, the waves of the sea produce peculiar melodious sounds in the cave, in storms and during sea tides - a strong noise that can be heard for several miles.
The cave has a large arched entrance; you can get into it along a narrow path lined with fragments of basalt columns.
Gouffre Berger cave is located on the Sornin plateau in the French Alps. The name of the cave comes from the Latin word "gufr", which means "abyss", and the name of the scientist Joseph Berger, who discovered it in 1953. This is the first cave that has been explored to a depth of more than one kilometer and until 1963 was considered the deepest cave in the world. Its depth is 1271 meters, which is comparable to the height of two Ostankino towers placed on top of each other, and the length of the passages is over 30 kilometers. To date, the cave is the 23rd deepest in the world and the 4th deepest in France. However, to this day it is popular place for speleologists who want to test their skills at a depth of several hundred meters. This cave is technically very difficult. For example, it may take 15 to 30 hours to rise from the very bottom to the surface. In addition, floods often occur here. During the past few years, 6 people have died in Berg, five of whom drowned.
The abyss of the Three Bridges (Three Bridge Chasm) is a limestone cave of the Jurassic period. Into its abyss, from a height of 255 meters, the Baatara waterfall will fall. This unusual place located in Lebanon. It was discovered by the French bio-speleologist Henri Coiffait in 1952. The cave owes its name to the fact that when falling into the valley, the stream passes through three natural bridges, each of which hangs over the other. The age of the cave reaches 160 million years! For thousands of years, the water from the stream slowly washed the limestone and gradually destroyed the vaults of the cave. After the appearance of the upper bridge, it was destroyed for a long time by vertical and ring erosion, which, in combination with a series of collapses, created the middle and lower bridges.
Even today, the formation of the cave is not complete - and it will not be completed as long as the water flows.
Volcanic cave Cueva de los Verdes. Canary Islands (Spain).
Cueva de los Verdes cave was formed about five thousand years ago as a result of the eruption of the Corona volcano. When the lava rushed to the ocean, forming the so-called "lava tube" - a tunnel with a length of more than 6 kilometers, one of the longest on the planet.
The lava flow outside was cooled by the air and solidified, creating the walls and roof of the tunnel, while molten magma continued to flow inside. So it turned out volcanic Cueva de los Verdes cave. The hot gases released from the lava, mixing with air, ignited; under the influence of high temperature, melting the vault, furrows and influxes similar to stalactites appeared on the ceiling of the cave. The remains of the lava, solidifying, formed many folds and wrinkles, decorating the floor of the cave with intricate patterns.
The cave stretched in the form of a tunnel for 6.1 kilometers from the crater of the volcano to the seashore; the difference is 230 meters. The width of the cave reaches 24 meters, the height - up to 15 meters. The air temperature in the cave during the year is kept constant: 19°C.
The cave has two tiers - the upper, more spacious, which has a concert hall with excellent natural acoustics, which is periodically used for its intended purpose.
At the bottom of the cave, called Jameos del Agua, there is an underground lake.
Ice cave Skaftafell. Iceland.
Ice caves are temporary structures that appear at the edge of glaciers. Such caves live for a relatively short time and can be destroyed at any time. Ice caves are only tens of years old. But they look amazing from the inside. One of these caves is located in natural park Skaftafell in Iceland.
Skaftafell Cave was formed in a glacier by melting ice. Melt water, together with rain, collected on the surface of the glacier, rushed into the cracks in streams, penetrating inside and forming peculiar tunnels. sunlight, penetrating through the thickness of the ice, gives the cave an unusual blue color.
A seven-meter entrance leads to the Skaftafell cave through an ice tunnel, which gradually narrows to 1 meter.
Ice caves are in a state of constant transformation and can be destroyed at any moment. It is safe to visit them only in winter, when strong sub-zero temperatures harden the ice. And even in this case, while inside the cave, you can hear a very frequent crackling sound. This sound does not arise from the fact that the cave is ready to collapse, but because the cave moves along with the glacier itself at a certain speed, sometimes reaching 1 meter per day. Every time the glacier moves in contact with solid rock, you can hear this loud, frightening rattle.
Marble caves. Chile.
marble caves(Marble Caves) - one of the most beautiful places in Patagonia. They are bright blue grottoes filled with water from Lake Carrera (lago Carrera). The lake is
Partially flooded by the turquoise water of the lake, the caves can be explored by small boat or kayak. Three main grottoes can be distinguished in the caves: the Chapel (La capillaries), the Cathedral (El Catedral) and the Cave (Cueva).
Today, this rare and amazing natural wonder is under threat due to plans to build five major dams in the region.
Video. Marble Caves, Patagonia, Chile.
Vardzia is a cave monastery complex of the XII-XIII centuries, located in the south of Georgia, on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Vardzia is a real underground city with many tunnels, stairs and lanes. It is located in the valley of the Kura River (Mtkvari) in the sheer tuff wall of Mount Erusheti (Bear). Inside the rock, there was a place not only for the monastery, but also for several libraries, baths and many residential buildings. A total of 13 levels were built, with natural caves expanded to accommodate 6,000 monks and refugees. There are over 600 different rooms that stretched along the mountain for a distance of more than a kilometer, and the entire underground complex goes into the depth of the rock by 50 meters. Preserved secret passages, connecting the premises, the remains of the water supply and irrigation system.
A bit of history:
The ensemble of the Vardzia monastery was created mainly in 1156-1205, during the reign of George III and his daughter Queen Tamara. Located on the southwestern border of Georgia, the monastery-fortress blocked the gorge of the Kura River for the invasion of Iranians and Turks from the south. At that time, all the premises of the monastery were hidden by a rock, only three underground passages connected them to the surface, through which large detachments of soldiers could appear quite unexpectedly for the enemy. In 1193-1195, during the war with the Seljuk Turks, Queen Tamara was with her court in Vardzia.
The cave city did not last long - a year after construction, an earthquake in 1283 almost completely destroyed it. It was so powerful that it damaged the cave system, causing it to collapse and cascade down Mount Erusheli. Two-thirds secret city were destroyed, revealing a secret world within the mountain. However, the monastery did not give up. It functioned until 1551, but then it was attacked by the Persian Khan Sash Tahmasp, who killed all the monks. It was then that Vardzia became empty.
For a long time the cave city was abandoned, but at the end of the last century Vardzia was restored again, and the monastic life resumed in it. On this moment in the monastery ancient city about 10-15 monks live.
When compiling the review, photographs from the Internet were used, descriptions were translated from local sites where the photographs were found.
A cave is a naturally formed natural cavity in a mountain, large enough for a person to enter. They are studied by such a science as speleology. Thanks to speleologists, we know a lot about caves, because they are very different: deep, beautiful, bizarre or just huge. What is the deepest cave in the world and what other outstanding caves exist on Earth?
This Vietnamese cave was discovered relatively recently - in 1991 - by a local resident who was afraid to enter it because of the terrible rumble of water inside and called his friends for help. Eighteen years later, speleologists from Britain came to grips with the study. After covering a distance of four kilometers, they stumbled upon an obstacle in the form of an impressive wall, entirely formed from solid calcite (rock-forming material). In 2010, the study resumed again, the expedition stayed in the depths of the cave for two weeks.
Unusual columns made of stone and deep gorges. The wonders of Shondong amazed the entire speleological world. The dimensions of the cave are truly gigantic, in some places a skyscraper could fit there. It reminds lost city underground. It is even surprising that for so many years no one suspected its existence.
When floods occur, it is not possible to enter the cave
The cavity is 150 m high and about 9 km long. After the discovery of the cave, extreme sports enthusiasts rushed there. To get underground, you will need a rope and other climbing equipment. On the way, you will have a chance to see the dark labyrinths, decorated with real rock patterns created by water flows. Indeed, inside this outlandish cave, a stormy underground river roars, creating a variety of tunnels. In some places, she managed to break through to the surface.
Son Doong is a very unusual place. 70-meter stalagmites grow here, attracting the attention of tourists, and real clouds form due to the mixing of warm and cold air. No matter how difficult and tiring the path to the cave was, all those who have been there unanimously assure that it is worth it.
Lubang Nasib Bagus
This largest cave in the world is located in Malaysia. It has a famous grotto called Sarawak. This grotto has very impressive dimensions - 600 by 415 m, and a height of about a hundred meters. The total volume of the grotto reaches a fantastic figure of 25 million cubic meters. It was discovered by three cavers from England in 1981.
At that time, they examined the karst massif, which is located in the Gunung Mulu reserve. Scientists climbed up the river and found themselves in a cave from which it flows. The speleologists did not even have enough lanterns to fully illuminate it.
On the area occupied by the grotto of Sarawak, several dozen aircraft can easily fit
Miao (Miao)
China also has one of the largest caves on the planet. It is hidden under the hills, and you can get there only by moving along the underground river. The cavity is a huge cave chamber. A few years ago, an expedition took place that studied this chamber in detail using a laser method.
This expedition was organized by the British, including specialists from the Chinese Institute of Karst Geology. Funding generated by the US National geographical society. Later, all the information was announced at a conference on the issue of caves, held in England. After extensive laser scans were carried out in 2013, the cave was officially mapped.
Miao's volume is approximately 11 million cubic meters
Eisreisenwelt
Is on the planet amazing place surrounded on all sides by ice. It is located in Austria near the city of Salzburg. It is the longest cave in the world that is partly made of ice.
The cave goes deep Alpine mountains for as much as 40 kilometers, but ice occupies only a small part of it, followed by limestone. The cave was formed by the efforts of the Salzak River, which made a hole in the mountain, and the ice appeared due to the snows that fell into the cave and into winter period were freezing.
The entrance to the ice part of the cave is always open for tourists, and cold winds constantly walk through the tunnels, which prevents snow and ice from melting, and in the warm season cold air rushes outward, forming a kind of air plug.
According to official data, A. Posselt was the discoverer of the cave in 1879. This naturalist, however, managed to explore only the initial 200 m. Before the discovery, the cave was known only locals. They were afraid of her, calling the devil's abode. In the middle of the 20th century, it was decided to build a special cable car, which reduced travel time from 1.5 hours to just 3 minutes. The open season runs from the beginning of May to the end of October. Full tour of this impressive place will take approximately 1.5 hours.
Difficult to find photo interior caves, because it is forbidden to take pictures there
red cave
On the Crimean Peninsula, which is part of Russia, there is also an outstanding cave, or rather, a cave system that stretches for more than 25 kilometers. Underground there are many halls of different sizes and appearance, between them, an impenetrable labyrinth wanders. True, only 500 m are available for tourists, and then under the control of an experienced guide.
The interior view of the cavity is striking in the first place due to the lighting skillfully distributed along the entire route. Its intensity is adjusted in such a way that it favorably emphasizes the relief and creates beautiful shadows. Walking through the cave is convenient and safe: it is equipped with special paths with railings. The place is very interesting from the point of view of speleology, especially with its large stalagmites and bizarre streaks on the walls. Also, an amazingly clean river flows inside. It is so transparent that sometimes it can be seen only by reflections of light.
Hearing this name, anyone will imagine the remains of the greatest prehistoric giants discovered by scientists underground. But this is just a play on words, in the English dialect "mammoth" is huge. However, despite the fact that it has nothing to do with mammoths, traveling in it is extremely exciting. This is a whole underground kingdom, full of halls, galleries and passages. The cave seems to live its own, independent life: rivers roar here and waterfalls seethe. The reservoirs even have their own unique fauna: blind fish, eyeless shrimp...
The main entrance is located in the US, Kentucky. Nearby, in the western part of the Appalachians, there are several more smaller underground systems that were previously considered independent, but now it turned out that they are all connected in one way or another with Mamontova. An important national park, where a colony of rare bats lives and you can enjoy untouched nature. In the Mammoth Cave, scientists have come across unusual finds more than once, for example, the mummified corpse of an Indian, perfectly preserved along with clothes thanks to special climatic conditions.
The cave has not yet been fully explored, the estimated length is 587 km.
Sak-Aktun
This unique cave- one of the main attractions not only of Mexico, but also of the world. flowing in it major river bears the same name, which means "white cave" in translation. The cave system has a length of more than 300 km and is a suite, interconnected by passages of "rooms". The study of Sak-Aktun, located on the Yucatan Peninsula, began only in 1987, but over the years that have passed since that time, only one percent of the territory has been explored. It is hard to imagine how many more amazing things are hidden in it, because the cavity was formed 65 million years ago.
According to one version, its occurrence is the result of a collision of the Earth with a huge meteor. At the place where he fell, a crater turned out, from which, in turn, many cracks spread underground. Time passed, and the crater, along with the cracks, filled with rainwater. And so it turned out a long full-flowing underground channel. This river has always been treated with respect by local tribes, for example, the Maya.
The river occupies almost the entire cave, and the spectacle is unusually beautiful.
Krubera-Crow
This cave is located in Abkhazia. Its length is just over two kilometers, and Georgian scientists began to study it since 1960. Krubera-Voronya is of interest not only for speleologists, but also for biologists. Here they discovered a previously unknown species of beetles, which were recognized as champions among insects in terms of the depth of their habitat. Biologists also claim that many other new species can be found in this place.
The well-known speleological group Cavex is mainly engaged in the study of the cave. This team was the first to achieve maximum depth– 1.7 km. Research can not be called easy: the expedition now and then ran into dead ends, had to go back. It also happened vice versa, windows leading to the discovery of new paths were found in the cave wall.
From Kruber-Voronya flows the most short river on the planet - Reprua, which is only 18 meters long
Sarma
Sarma is located in Arabica mountain in Georgia. It is a series of wells and halls, between which many tunnels and small climbs meander. Sarma is unanimously recognized by scientists as one of the most beautiful and scientifically interesting caves, extremely valuable for the world speleological community.
Sarma is conditionally divided into three levels - the first goes to a depth of 420 m, the second - to 900 m, the third - to 1830 m, then the territory has not yet been explored. Sarma got its name in accordance with the name of the wind: due to the peculiarities of aerodynamics, strong winds always blow here. hurricane wind, reaching a speed of 50 km / h, which the locals are afraid of.
The cave is closed to tourists, so you can get into it only as part of an expedition, having the appropriate skills and equipment.
Our Earth is a place filled with amazing wonders and mysteries of nature, only a small part of which has been explored by mankind. Huge and majestic caves invariably delight travelers.
The underground world has long attracted the attention of people. In ancient times it was inhabited by gods. Nowadays, they have taken up the study of the deep bowels of the planet, which are unique labyrinths of underground galleries, halls and mines.
Today, the caves are of interest to both speleologists and ordinary tourists. Scientists use them to study the history of the development of the Earth, explore various mineral formations, and discover new biological species. Tourists tend to caves - for adventure. Decorated with stalactites and stalagmites, underground galleries captivate the imagination, excite the imagination and fill even the hardest hearts with horror and romance.
On any continent, in any country, you can find underground passages, formed, most often, by water, which erodes the soil and rocks century after century. Most modern caves are classified as "dry", but there are some among them that still flow underground rivers.
Almost all caves are actively studied, but the longer the underground formation, the more difficult and longer this process takes.
Each of the caves has its own unique structure and system of natural entrances: somewhere there may be several, somewhere only one, and somewhere more than a hundred. Artificial passages are made to caves with limited access.
Many famous caves equipped with underground camps for scientists and specially designed tourist sites for ordinary visitors. Often, national parks are formed around the caves, allowing to preserve the unique natural heritage intact.
Planet Earth caves – VIDEO
Caves of the world - PHOTO
1. Mammoth Cave
The longest cave in the world was discovered in 1797 in the Appalachian mountain range, located in the US state of Kentucky. Its underground passages and halls go deep into the earth for six hundred and fifty-one kilometers. The cave was formed about ten million years ago as a result of the dissolution of rocks by water. It got its name due to its size: in translation from English “mammoth” means “huge”. The cave has a special microclimate. It contains amazing eyeless creatures that look like fish.
2. Sak-Aktun
Mexican cave Sak-Aktun is the longest in the country and the second longest in the world. It was opened in 1987 in the north of Yucatan, near the city of Tulum. Of the three hundred and seventeen kilometers of underground passages, only six are not flooded with water. The “White Cave” (this is how its name is translated from the Mayan language) is of meteorite origin: scientists believe that it was formed about sixty-five million years ago as a result of the fall of a celestial body. The river of the same name flowing through the cave is distinguished by perfectly clean and transparent water.
American Jewel Cave, located in South Dakota, near the town of Custer, boasts a length of two hundred and fifty-seven kilometers. The height difference between its underground galleries is one hundred and thirty-five meters, that is, four floors. The cave was discovered in 1900. Jewel has one natural (in the northwest) and one artificial (in the center) entrance. All of its galleries, except for the top one, are covered with a thick layer of calcite, a transparent or white calcareous mineral. An interesting feature cave is the presence in it of strong, up to fifteen meters per second, winds.
4. Ox Bel Ha
"Three Ways of Water" is only a kilometer inferior in length to Jewel. The cave, located not far from Sak-Aktun, has not yet been fully explored, and more than one hundred and forty natural entrances have already been discovered in it. Ox Bel Ha was formed eighteen thousand years ago by the waters of the world's oceans, which exceeded their level due to climate change and eroded the nearby limestone rocks. The Mexican cave reaches a depth of thirty-seven meters and has about eighty branches, flooded by the waters of the Caribbean Sea.
5. Optimistic
Located in the Ternopil region, near the village of Korolevka, the Ukrainian Optimistic Cave reaches a length of two hundred and thirty-six kilometers, but is notable for its shallow depth - no more than fifteen to twenty meters. The fifth longest among all the caves in the world, it is the first among gypsum formations. Optimistic Cave was discovered in 1966. Currently, the underground passages of the village of Korolevka are being actively studied: fifteen underground camps have been set up in the cave for scientists from around the world.
American Wind Cave is Jewel's neighbor. It is inferior to it in size by forty-five kilometers and is just as deep. Wind has been known to people since 1881. Since 1903, it, along with the adjacent territory, received the status of a National Park. The cave was formed thermal waters. Now on its walls they find a large number of minerals. WITH geographic point The Wind is a labyrinth filled with a dense, ramified network of underground galleries. The cave is equipped for excursions. Every year it is visited by about five hundred thousand tourists.
7. Lechugia
The American cave of Lechugia stretches underground for two hundred and twenty kilometers and goes deep into about five hundred meters. It was opened in 1914, but until 1986 no one was interested, because everyone saw in it the “Dreary Hole” (the first name of Lechugia) and nothing more. Today, a unique mountain formation is part of the National Park carlsbad caves. Speleologists consider Lechugia the most beautiful cave world, thanks to the finest lace of gypsum crystals that cover its walls.
The longest European cave is located in swiss alps. It was opened in 1875. With a length of two hundred kilometers, its depth reaches a thousand meters with a fluctuation amplitude of more than eight hundred meters. Two entrances lead to Hölloch: the first is located in the valley of the Muota River, the second is at an altitude of more than a thousand meters. The cave consists of a complex, multi-storey system of halls and galleries, decorated with numerous stalactites and stalagmites. In summer, floods are observed on its watercourses. The lower part of Hölloch is open for tourist visits.
9. Gua-Eir-Jernich
The longest Asian cave is located in the north of the Malaysian island of Kalimantan. Opened relatively recently, in 1978, it has a length of one hundred and ninety-seven kilometers. The amplitude of Gua-Eir-Jernih is three hundred and fifty-five meters. The cave has five levels of galleries and many entrances. Main entrance is in the river. You can get to it by boat. The lower level of Gua-Eir-Jernih is filled with water. The cave is part of national park Gunung Mulu, which includes other karst formations and tropical forests.
10. Fisher Ridge
Located in the western Appalachians karst cave Fisher Ridge reaches a length of one hundred and ninety-four kilometers. Underground labyrinths, going a hundred meters deep into the earth, were discovered in Kentucky in 1914, although they have been known to the natives of the United States for the past thousand years. Fisher Ridge is in close proximity to Mammoth Cave. It has three entrances leading to a multi-level complex of galleries and shafts. The Green River flows through the cave. The walls of Fisher Ridge contain rock art.
The greatest caves in the world are caves that simply amaze with their size, their beauty or their unusualness. This article is devoted to just such caves, caves that are worth paying attention to, and if possible, be sure to visit.
In this list of the greatest caves in the world, the most - the most caves of our planet are collected.
Cave Krubera - Voronya, the most deep cave in the world. Its depth is two kilometers 190 meters.
This cave is located in the mountains of Abkhazia, the entrance to it is at an altitude of 2250 meters. 
The study of the cave has been going on for about fifty years, it became the deepest when speleologists once again set a record - having descended to a depth of 1720 meters. It happened in 2001, and in 2007 a new record was already set - 2190 meters.
Jeita Caves are one of the most beautiful caves on earth. Jeita Caves are karst limestone caves. 
There are two caves - one lower, the other upper, and they are interconnected. This miracle of nature is located in the vicinity of the city of Jeita, in Libya. The total length of the caves is nine kilometers. 
The lower cave was discovered in 1836, the upper one only in 1958. The caves are visited by many tourists. By lower cave travel is by boat underground river and the lake. Also, according to some sources, in this unique cave is the most large stalactite in the world, 8.2 meters long.
The longest cave in the world is located in the USA. This is Mammoth Cave. The cave was formed in the foothills of the Appalachians, Kentucky 
The length of its explored part is 587 kilometers. The cave is karst, its discovery took place in 1797. There are 225 passages in the cave, more than forty large halls and shafts. It is quite dry, but there are also areas with underground rivers and lakes. 
In 1941, the Mammoth Cave National Park was created. Anyone can walk through the cave labyrinths, both in equipped areas with electric light, and in wild places.
The guides accompanying the excursions will tell you everything about this amazing cave, about its formation, about the history of its discovery.
Waitomo Cave in New Zealand also claims to be the most beautiful cave. 
The highlight of the cave is the local fireflies, or rather their larvae, which glow in the dark. The cave consists of three levels, which are connected by a shaft. Tourists moving along the underground river by boat admire the most beautiful sight, reminiscent of a scattering of stars in the night sky.
In this case, silence must be observed, the larvae, having heard the noise, can go out. The cave has been known for a very long time, tourists began to drive into it as early as 1889.
No less beautiful, amazing and unusual is Son Doong Cave, located in Vietnam. The cave became widely known not long ago - in 2009. The surprise of the British cavers who went down there is hard to convey.
They saw the huge halls of the cave reaching 200 by 150 meters in size, huge stalagmites, a fairly wide river and even a section of the jungle. The study of the cave is not finished yet, perhaps in the future, local authorities also organize tourism infrastructure here.
Probably the most unusual cave is located in Mexico. This is the Crystal Cave or Crystal Cave. 
Selenite crystals are the largest and most natural crystals in nature. The climate in the cave is special - the temperature reaches 58 degrees Celsius, and the humidity is up to 99%.
The Dragon Caves are another contender for the title of the most beautiful cave in the world. There are caves in the eastern part of Mallorca, their length is 1300 meters. 
The exploration of the caves took place in 1886. There are six lakes in the caves, the largest of which, Lake Martel, measures 177 by 40 meters and is 9 meters deep. In 1935, the cave was equipped with lighting equipment. The auditorium for a thousand people, which is located near Lake Martel, was specially built for the show, which takes place underground. Musicians on boats, to the beautiful classical music, and under beautiful lighting effects, symbolizing the dawn over the lake, slowly float into the underground lake.
In our country, there are also many amazing caves, probably the most famous of them is the Kungurskaya ice cave located in the Perm region. 
The length of the cave is not large - 5.7 kilometers, of which one and a half kilometers are equipped for tourists. The cave was explored at the beginning of the 18th century. There are 50 grottoes, 70 lakes, 146 “organ pipes” in the cave. 
The constant temperature in the center of the cave is 5 degrees with a plus sign, and in some grottoes it can drop to -30 degrees below zero. An ancient cave painting was found in the cave. Every year many tourists from all over our country visit this cave.
Another of the most beautiful and greatest caves in the world is located in China. This is the Reed Flute Cave.
The cave was discovered a very long time ago, more than ten centuries ago.
In addition to the lake, numerous stalactites and stalagmites, the cave contains more than 70 rock inscriptions dating back to 792 AD.
Tourists have been visiting the cave since 1940. Artificial lighting creates in a cave fabulous atmosphere, illuminated in different colors, the vaults of the cave are reflected in the lake, further enhancing the fantastic picture.
In 1991, in Vietnam (near the border with Laos), the unique Son Doong Cave was discovered, recognized as the largest and most beautiful cave in the world. Its length reaches nine kilometers, its height is 150 meters, and its age is several million years. Some halls, which will take more than one month to inspect, 150 pieces were found in the cave.
In 2009 and 2010, speleologists from the UK worked in Son Doong Cave. They spent two weeks underground and described in detail unusual phenomenon nature. Scientists were amazed by the deep chasms and the magnificent stone columns that they met on their way. They are sure that modern skyscrapers will fit in the halls of the cave.
Path to Son Doong Cave
In 2015, the cave was officially visited by the first small group of tourists, each of whom did not spare three thousand dollars, for the sake of dangerous trip in the dungeon. They had to go down the 80-meter rope and use climbing equipment in dark labyrinths to see 70-meter stalagmites and unusual pearls, underground clouds, jungles and amazing animals, as well as hear the roar of a stormy river, the waters of which formed large rooms in the rocks and carved rock paintings.
How to get to Son Doong Cave?
To get to the entrance to the cave, you need to move through the impenetrable jungle for more than a day, which not everyone can do. Only the most hardy tourists descend into the cave. Each group of eight people is accompanied by experienced guides and speleologists. Below, a fire is made and food is prepared, and tent city. Tourists are waiting for a multi-kilometer walking route with crossing water obstacles.
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