Jasov Cave

UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Jasov Cave
Location	Košice-okolie District, Košice Region, Slovakia
Part of	"Component neighbouring Silica and Jasov" part of Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst
Criteria	Natural: (viii)
Reference	725ter-004
Inscription	1995 (19th Session)
Extensions	2000, 2008
Coordinates	48°40′43.91″N 20°58′15.30″E / 48.6788639°N 20.9709167°E / 48.6788639; 20.9709167
Location of Jasov Cave in Košice Region Show map of Košice Region Jasov Cave (Slovakia) Show map of Slovakia

Jasov Cave (Slovak: Jasovská jaskyňa, and Hungarian: Jászói barlang) is a speleothem limestone cave and archaeological site in the Slovak Karst in Slovakia. It is located near the village of Jasov, around 25 km (16 mi) from Košice city. Along with a number of caves of the Slovak Karst, Jasov Cave has been induced into the UNESCO World Heritage list as a part of the Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst site, because of its unique diversity of speleothems and its testimony to tropical and temperate cave-forming processes.^[1] The cave is known for its pagoda-like stalagmites, sinter waterfalls, and straw stalactites.^[2]

Jasov Cave is a total of 2.8 km long, with an air temperature that ranges from 8.8 and 9.4°C.^[2] The cave provides habitat for 18 species of bats, and remains of the extinct cave bear and cave hyena have been discovered within the cave.^[2]

History

Jasov Cave was partly opened for the public in 1846, making it the oldest publicly accessible cave in Slovakia. The lower parts of the cave were discovered in 1922 to 1924 and a concrete footpath was built and electrical lightning was installed in 1924. 852 metres (2,795 feet) out of 2,148 metres (7,047 feet) are open to the public.

Many archaeological discoveries of the Paleolithic, Neolith and the Hallstatt periods have been made in the cave.

Jasov Cave

See also

• List of caves in Slovakia

References

External links

• Jasov Cave at Mineraly.sk (in Slovak)
• Jasov Cave on the Slovak Caves Administration page (in English)