Mladeč caves
The Mladeč caves (Czech: Mladečské jeskyně) are a cave complex in the Czech Republic situated to the west of the village of Mladeč in the Litovelské Pomoraví Protected Landscape Area.
The complex labyrinth of fissure corridors and caves can be found inside the calcite hill of Třesín. The underground spaces are decorated with stalactites, stalagmites and sinters. Its highlights include "Nature’s Temple" and the "Virgin Cave".[1]
Contents
Caves
The islets of limestones in Mladeč Karst belong geologically to one of the belts of the Devonian rocks in the Central Moravian part of the Bohemian Massif (the Konice-Mladeč Devonian). These caves represent a predominantly horizontal and very broken labyrinth of corridors, domes and high chimneys with remarkable modelling of walls and ceilings, with stalactite and stalagmite decoration and with numerous block cave-ins, with some steep corridors which extend even below the level of the underground water. They are also famous for archaeological findings. The archaeologists claim that these caves have world meaning. [2]
They are an important archaeological site and probably even the oldest, largest and most northern settlements of the Cro-Magnon people in Europe (Cro-Magnon lived here as long as 31 thousands years ago). The caves have been known for ages but the breakthrough was in 1926. [3]
Except for the entrance, the caves are not accessible to the public. However, the management of Mladeč caves frequently open for the visitors. They have a total of 1,250 metres of corridors and halls with denivelation of 30 metres. It takes visitors about 40 minutes to go through the 380 metre-long path. The minimum for the visit is a group of six visitors and there is an exhibition of photos and interesting information about the caves. These caves can be visited from April to October.[4]
Findings
Mladeč caves are a significant paleontological and archaeological locality. There are findings of bones of extinct Pleistocene vertebrates, a number of skeletons of people of the Early Stone Age, together with multiple objects evidencing their activities (stone instruments, fireplaces).[5]
References
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External links
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