The underground spaces of the Čachtice Karst have been studied by experts for more than 100 years. Currently, they know about ten major caves, in which there are also two abysses with a depth of about 80 meters. The longest of all, within the entire Protected Landscape Area of the Little Carpathians, is the Čachtická Cave. In its bowels, cavers found the remains of several prehistoric animals, including a cave bear or mammoth.

The cave is one of the national natural monuments. "Its protection zone has more than 400 hectares, which is respectable," points out the caveman Lukáš Kubičina from the Čachtice Regional Group. It was officially discovered in 1956. According to Kubičina, however, the inhabitants of Čachtice discovered the underground spaces two years earlier.

" So far, the length of about 3800 meters is mapped, which is almost four kilometers of corridors. It is unimaginable for western Slovakia. The cave is, of course, much longer. As many parts are still not mapped, hundreds of meters will definitely be added in the future, ”explains the experienced caveman.

Passing underground spaces is not easy. The cave is very rugged, full of various branches and nooks. It consists of a system of "reptiles", cracks, abysses and domes. Only at the entrance one has to overcome two ten-meter ladders, at the bottom of the crack to the other parts continues four-legged. " It simply came to our notice then. We also spent three days in the cave. Even in such a time, it is not possible to go through the whole. The main tract itself can be turned in one day, but if you have to go through everything, you will spend a few days there, " says Kubičina.

Underground spaces have attracted several generations of cavers. She was last visited by biologists from Pavel Jozef Šafárik University in Košice. Eight species of bats have been found in the cave so far. In common numbers, the common bat and the small farrier winter here.

Photo: Lukáš Kubičina