Caves are certainly one of the most unusual and mysterious geological objects on planet Earth. Speleologists by origin distinguish several types of natural underground cavities in the body of the Earth.
Some of the caves have complex systems of passages and interconnecting halls, and many of them have amazingly beautiful underground lakes. Among all the splendor, we will consider the most unusual ones and find out which is the largest cave. In addition, we note some interesting facts about these natural formations.
Mammoth Cave (Mammoth Cave). USA
The Flint Ridge karst cave system is located in the US state of Kentucky in a mountain park, and today it is the longest cave known to people.
This amazing system of passages and underground halls in the western foothills of the Appalachian Mountains was formed about 10 million years ago, and today its studied part stretches for 527 kilometers.
A river flows along one of the openings, the width of which in some places reaches 60 meters. In addition, in the huge cave, in this meaning the adjective "Mammoth" is used, there are 20 deep mines. They are still little studied, and the longest cave in the world is waiting for its explorer.
Optimistic cave. Ukraine
The longest gypsum cave in the world got its name because of the stubbornness and optimism of Lviv cavers who proved to skeptics that the cave is longer than first claimed. And you can see it by going to the Ternopil region of Ukraine.
In the photo: Lake Perm
It was opened in 1966, and today it has been studied 223 kilometers of winding passages and unusual halls. But the cave itself is much longer, and its investigation is hindered by the streak formations that filled part of the cave. But according to the available material, it is clear that of gypsum objects, this is the longest cave.
For the sake of justice, we note that in the ten world natural giants, this is the smallest cave in the world.
In the photo: Crystal-clear water of the Perm lake, located in the distant winding passages of the cave. The journey to it is about 5 hours.
The cave is accessible for tourists and offers guests to go along several routes of various durations and complexity. The cave is replete with various attractions, amazingly beautiful halls, vaults, beautiful underground rivers and lakes.
Pictured: Radio Suite
Sarma. Abkhazia
The deep cave was formed many millions of years ago in the massif with the romantic name Arabica in the mountains of Abkhazia. The entrance to it is located high in the mountains, and rises to a height of 2150 m. Above sea level.
In its essence and form, it is a series of the deepest mountain wells, some of which are connected by underground passages and galleries.
It was formed as a result of faults and influxes of gypsum and limestone rocks, and is so unique that cavers of the whole world rush to it to solve all its mysteries and reveal all secrets to the world community.
Krubera-Voronya. Abkhazia
In the same Abkhazian mountain range, Arabica is one of the most beautiful caves with an unusual and original name. She got her name in honor of the founder of Russian karst studies A. Krubera, but subsequent expeditions began to call her romantically “Crow”.
An amazing cave placed its entrance at an altitude of 2250 m., And its vertical wells are considered one of the deepest in the world. The landscapes inside are simply mesmerized by their natural beauty.
During the research, two more entrances were opened, and a new entrance opened in 2014, increased the depth of the unique system of walkways and wells to 2,199 meters.
Sak-Aktun. Mexico
The category of the most ancient caves rightfully includes both the wonderful and unique Mexican Sac-Actun. Water does not allow to consider its beauty, since most of its passages and galleries are flooded with underground waters.
But this circumstance makes it both amazing and one of the most beautiful caves in the world, because in the light of lanterns on the vaults glare reflected from the water surface plays with all the colors of the rainbow. Its length of 317 kilometers makes it one of the longest caves in the world.
Of the interesting facts from the history of her research, it is worth noting that at a depth of 43 meters, skulls of people of the Upper Paleolithic and traces of life were found.
Red Cave. Crimea
Crimea itself is an unusually beautiful and amazing place on the planet, and mountain ranges with unique cave systems make it unusually interesting for cavers and tourists.
The unusual attractions of the peninsula, of course, include the Red Cave, whose length is 16 kilometers. Kyzyl-Koba, as they are called in the local language, were discovered and explored during the 1963 expeditions.
In addition to geological interest, it is of interest to archaeologists, because in its bowels the most ancient traces of the presence of people have been discovered.
Eisriesenvelt. Austria
But this is a miracle located in the Austrian Alps, today a huge cave, whose arches are completely covered with ice. An unusual object, with a length of 42 kilometers, has long been known to hunters.
During her research, traces of bonfires and the remains of meals of residents of the Middle Ages and the New Age were discovered. But the first targeted excursions began to be carried out in 1920.
It can be seen only in the spring-autumn period, since in winter there is a danger of avalanches.
Miao. China
The volume of the Chinese cave system is not equal, although it is relatively small. And Chinese and British cavers opened it to the world, and the British photographer Robbie Sean in his photographs was able to accurately convey all the grandeur and grandeur of the wells and grottoes of Miamo.
To go down to the bottom of her deepest well, a climber will spend more than 2 hours. But it is not possible to personally examine it, and the scientists measured the volume of the mountain object using laser scanning.
The result surprised the whole world - its volume amounted to 10.78 million cubic meters.
Kashkulak. Russia
If we talk about the most terrible caves, then among the forests of Southern Siberia, not far from the city of Abakan, a unique Kashkulak cave is recognized, recognized as the most terrible.
What is so frightening in this natural object, where is the kingdom of cold and darkness? Everyone who visited the mysterious halls with soot-covered arches speak of inexplicable phenomena, and most importantly, the attitude of the world inside its halls and grottoes is changing.
From ancient times, shamans visited the cave, and sorcerers performed conspiratorial rites and rituals in its womb. No wonder the locals nicknamed her the Black Devil Dungeon.
Lubang Nasib Bagus. Malaysia
An amazing geological formation on the island of Kalimantan, translated from the Indonesian language, is called the "cave of fortune." Its uniqueness is that it has the largest grotto.
Three British researchers through a kilometer-long gallery through which an underground river flows, fell into volumetric space. No matter how they tried to illuminate its arches, the available lighting equipment did not allow it.
In the grotto, with a total volume of 163 thousand cubic meters, it can accommodate up to 50 of the largest aircraft. So, by right, it is the largest cave.
Shondong Vietnam
A unique and unusual cave, known since 1991, is located in the Fonggya Kebang National Park (Quangbin Province, Vietnam), 15 kilometers from the shores of the South China Sea.
Shondong is the largest cave known on the planet, and the underground river flowing through it during the rainy season floods most of the geological miracle in Central Vietnam. In 2009, she impressed British researchers with her size, because the height of some arches reaches 200 meters.
Over time, small dips formed in the arches of the cave, and in those places where sunlight enters, grass and trees grow, which makes Shondong even more amazing.
Look at the photos of this incredible cave. In addition to its unprecedented size, it is also distinguished by beauty.
Interesting Facts
- The largest cave in the world, Shondong has grown in its majestic halls stalagmites, reaching a height of up to 70 meters, and resembling giant stone cacti.
- Exploring the Kashkulak cave, scientists conducted an unusual experiment. The people who were in it felt an incredible craving for drawing. But interestingly, the drawings that they wrote were exactly repeated by people located thousands of kilometers from the cave.
- Interestingly, as we study the Optimistic, base camps are set up in it, there are already 15 of them, and the one farthest from the entrance has a 700-liter supply of drinking water and 50 beds.
- The longest cave of the Urals, Sumgan-Kutuk, the length of which is more than 9 thousand meters, is translated from the Bashkir language as "dived into the well."
- When exploring caves, one can sometimes stumble upon unique discoveries. For example, in Altamir, Lasko, Kapova cave, remarkable monuments of cave paintings of primitive man were discovered.
- Many caves were the residence of the Paleolithic people. So, in the Kyik-Koba cave in Crimea, the cultural layer left by the Neanderthals was 9 meters. What is noteworthy, before settling, people survived from her cave bears.
Conclusion
So we visited the amazing places of the planet, where our tunnels and majestic vaulted grottoes, unusual and mysterious geological objects spread out. Whatever their education and form, of course, they are all the most beautiful caves in the world, attracting not only scientists, but also tourists.