The national natural monument of Demänovská cave on the northern side of the Low Tatras is the longest cave system in Slovakia. Among its landmarks is the Demänovská jaskyňa slobody (Demänovská cave of freedom), which has enchanted visitors for many years with its rich sinter filling of various colours, the mysterious underground stream of Demänovka and its magical lakes. It is the most visited accessible cave in Slovakia.
The traditional circuit has a length of 1,150 m and an elevation of 86 m. There are 913 steps on the route. The long circuit has a length of 2,150 m, the same elevation and 1,118 steps. The duration of the tour of the traditional circuit is about 60 minutes, for the large circuit about 100 minutes. The average temperature in the cave is from 6.1 to 7°C.
It is located on the right side of the Demänovská dolina (valley) on the northern side of the Low Tatras, in the Demänovská dolina National Nature Reserve on the territory of the Low Tatras National Park. The entrance to the cave in the Točište valley is at an altitude of 870 m.
It represents the most morphologically diverse part of the Demänovská cave system. It was formed in the Mesozoic Middle Triassic dark gray Gutensteinian limestones of the Krížná nappe along tectonic faults by the submersible flow of the Demänovka and its lateral suspended submersible tributaries. The length of the cave is 11,117 m with a height difference of 130 m, together with others it forms the largest cave system in Slovakia with a length of more than 40 km.
The lower, river-modelled corridors represent several horizontal development levels (Marble River, Clay Corridor, Dry Corridor, Ground Floor, King's Gallery). In some places, they are extended by rushing (Great and Gargoyle Dome, Pink Hall, Hell Dome). Steeply descending corridors lead to the cave levels in a suspended position, especially from the current entrance and exit of the cave. In addition to smaller oval corridors (Suffering Corridor, Virgin's Corridor, Bear Corridor, Klenotnica) they also include larger spaces (Spherical Dome, Parachutists' Chasm, Jánošíkov and Hviezdoslavov Dóm, Deep Dóm). The Miracle Halls, Magic Corridor and Stone Vineyard have a fissured character without significant signs of river modelling. From the rich sinter filling, there are unique sinter water lilies and other lake forms (sponge-like, coral-like, grape-like) and eccentric stalactites. Massive sinter waterfalls and stalagmites, spherolitic stalactites and many other forms attract attention. There is a strong hint of white soft sinter in the Great Dóm.
The underground stream of the Demänovka flows through the cave, which originates under the main ridge of the Low Tatras in non-karst territory and sinks underground in Lúčky. It reaches the surface through the Vyvieranie cave north of the Demänovská cave of freedom. There are many lakes and ponds in the cave, in inaccessible parts the largest of them - Large (Těsnohlídkove) lake is 52 m long, 5 to 12 m wide and over 7 m deep. The air temperature in the cave system is 6.1 to 7.0 °C, relative humidity 94 to 99%.
Bones of a cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) were found in the Bear corridor. The discovery of the shrew Eukoenenia spelaea represents one of the northernmost occurrences of a representative of this family of arachnids, making the Demänovské Caves one of the biospeleological sites of European importance. Of the small invertebrates, the centipede Allorhiscosoma sphinx (endemic to the caves of central Slovakia), the centipede Synurella intermedia and Niphargus tatrensis are also important.
Euro Souvenir DEMÄNOVSKÁ CAVE OF FREEDOM
Quantity: 10,000 pcs
Price: €3
Date of sale: in preparation
Place of sale: Demänovská jaskyňa slobody
