"The "coolest" ice-caves of Slovakia" Slovakia Travelogue by Vlasta

Situated in the Demanovska valley, on the northern side of the Low Tatras, in the National Nature Reserve Demanovska Valley, in the territory of the Low Tatras National Park. It was formed in the Middle Triassic limestones by the ponor flow of Demanovka at four developmental levels, into which steep passages modelled by lateral tributaries infall. The cave length is 8,400 m. Sinter „water-lilies" and other lacustrine forms, as well as eccentric stalactites are unique among phenomena of sinter filling. Mighty sinter waterfalls and stalagnates, sphaerolithic stalactites and many other diverse forms of stalactites and stalagmites are captivating. The cave was discovered through a dry ponor of Demanovka in 1921. A part of the cave has been open to the public since 1921, upper parts since 1933. The length of publicly accessible section is 1,800 m. Since 1993, the cave serves for speleotherapeutical procedures.

Dobsinska cave

Situated in the Slovak Paradise, in the National Nature Reserve Stratena within the territory of the Slovak Paradise National Park. It was formed in the Middle Triassic limestones by the former ponor stream of Hnilec river, at three developmental levels. The cave length is 1,232 m. Ice filling occurs in the form of ground ice, ice „waterfalls", ice stalagmites and columns. The total volume of ice is 110,132 cubic meters with maximum thickness of 26.5 m. It ranks among the most important ice caves in the world, thanks to its character of glaciation. This is, in the European scope, even more pronounced by its location outside the Alpine region. The cave is one of the most important winter refuges of bats - Myotis mystacinus and Myotis brandti in Slovakia. The opening to the cave was known since the time immemorial. The cave was discovered in 1870, and open to the public as early as in 1871. Since 1887, it has been the first cave with electric illumination in that-time Hungary. Currently, 475 m of the cave are open to the public.

Belianska ice-cave

Belianska Cave (entrance at 885 m above the sea) is the only cave open to public in the High Tatras. It is situated under the eastern end of the Belianske Tatras, in the northern slope of Kobylí vrch (Kobylí Hill). A good starting point for visiting the cave is a settlement Tatranská kotlina (Tatranská Basin).
Myths that it was inhabited by prehistoric people are not documented. In the 18-th century it was visited mostly by treasury searchers who at the same time were the authors of its wall paintings. It became interesting for the scientists after the visit of Július Husz and John Britz on August 5, 1881.
It was open to public in 1882. It was one of the first caves with electric lights in the world (1896). The internal area was enlarged through excursions that followed.
The final length of the cave is 1752 m, from which 1001 m are open to public.

Demanovska ice-cave

Situated in the Demanovska valley northerly to the Demanovska Cave of Liberty, in the National Nature Reserve Demanovska Valley, in the territory of the Low Tatras National Park. The cave was created in the Middle Triassic limestones by the former ponor flow of Demanovka, at three developmental levels. It is 1,750 m long. Ice filling occurs in the lower parts of the cave. Ground ice, ice columns, stalactites and stalagmites are present. A finding place of bones of various vertebrates including speleal bear (Ursus spelaeus), that were erroneously taken for dragon bones in the 18th century. The cave has been known since the time immemorial. First written mention about caves in the Demänovská valley is in the Esztergom Chapter bill from 1299. The cave was surveyed by G. Buchholtz Jr in 1714-1724. Numerous inscriptions on its walls and a lot of preserved rich literary resources evidence a great interest about this cave. The cave was open to the public in the eighties of the last century, and reopen in 1952. Currently, publicly accessible are 650 m.

Gombasecka cave

Situated on the western foothill of the Silicka Plateau in the Slovak Karst, in the canyon of Slana river between Roznava and Plesivec, in the Protected Landscape Area and Biospheric Reserve of the Slovak Karst. It was formed in the Middle Triassic limestones by the Cierny potok (Black Brook) and its tributaries, at two developmental levels. Overall length of the spring cave is 1,525 m. It excels with its unique tiny sinter straw stalactites reaching up to 3 m. The cave abounds also in other forms of stalactites, stalagmites and various sinter onflows and crusts. It was discovered in 1951 by voluntary-spelunkers of Roznava, members of the Slovak Speleological Association. The cave has been open to the public since 1955, in the length of 285 m. In 1968, it was introduced for speleotherapeutical procedures, as the first of the caves in Slovakia.

Vazecka cave

Situated in the Vazecky Karst, at the meeting place of Kozie chrbty (Goat Ranges) with the Liptovska Basin, at the western border of Vazec. It was formed in the Middle Triassic limestones by the former ponor waters of the White Vah river. The length of the cave is 530 m. The cave spaces are decorated mostly by stalactites, stalagmites and sinter pools. It is an important finding-place of the bones of speleal bear (Ursus spelaeus). The entrance hall was long known to the local people. The continuation of cave spaces was discovered in 1922. The cave was provisionally open to the public in 1934. After reconstruction in 1954, 235 m have been open to the public.

The cave Domica

Situated on the south-western edge of the Silicka Plateau in the Slovak Paradise, in the National Nature Reserve Domicke Karren, in the Protected Landscape Area and Biospherical Reserve of the Slovak Paradise. It was formed in the Middle Triassic limestones by underground streams of Styx and Domica, at three developmental levels. Overall cave length is 5,080 m. It forms a genetically compact entity with the Baradla Cave in Hungary. Shields and drums, cascade pools, onion-shaped stalactites and pagoda-like stalagmites are typical for its rich sinter filling. Among bats prevails Rhinolophus euryale, forming here the most abundant colony in Slovakia. It is the most important finding-place of the Neolithic „bukovohorska" culture (4,000 years B.C.). Finding of spear spike from the Early Stone Age - Szeletien - from 35,000 years ago is unique. The Old Domica Cave has been known for a long time. Its continuation into the new spaces was discovered in 1926. It was open to the public in 1932, including an underground boat trip. Currently, the show cave track is 1,315 m, including a 140 m boat trip.

Harmanecka cave

Situated in the Harmanecka valley, in southern part of the Greater Fatra, to the northwest of Banska Bystrica. It was formed in the Middle Triassic limestones by the ancient paleoflow, at two developmental levels. The overall length of the cave is about 2,650 m. The cave is known for a rich occurrence of white soft sinter. Mighty pagoda-like stalagmites, sinter waterfalls, draperies and sinter pools can easily catch your eyes. The cave shelters 9 species of bats with the dominant Myotis myotis - having the colony of about 1,000 members. Its winter colony ranks among the most important ones in Slovakia. The entrance space called Izbica (Little Chamber) has been known to the locals since the ancient times. Farther spaces were discovered in 1932. Since 1950, accessible to the public are 720 m.