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JASOVSKÁ CAVE
NATIONAL NATURE MONUMENT
UNESCO
WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Catastral area: Jasov
Districť: Košice
Region: Košice
It is situated in the Medzevská Upland at
its joint with the east margin of the Jasovská Plateau in the Slovak
Karst, at the west boundary of Jasov. It is located in the National
Nature Reserve Jasovské dubiny in the territory of the Protected
Landscape Area and Biospheric Reserve of the Slovak Karst. The entrance
to the cave is at the eastern foothill of Jasovský Rock, 257 m above the
sea level. It was formed in the Middle Triassic Gutenstein dolomites,
Steinalm lime stones and dolomites of the Silický nape along tectonic
faults, by the former underground waters of Bodva River, at five
developmental levels.
It reaches the length of 2,122 meters, with
vertical range 55 m.
Rich sinter filling is represented by pagoda‑like stalagmites,
stalagnates, shields, drums, straw stalactites, and other forms.
The lowest parts of the cave are often flooded as a result of vertical
movements of underground water. The lowest water level of the cave lake
is 7 m below the surface flow of Bodva, the waters of which are not
flowing through the cave at present.
Bones of cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) and
cave hyaena (Crocuta spelaea) belong to palaeontological findings
discovered here. 17 species of bats have been found in the cave with
dominating Rhinolophus ferrumequinum and Rhinolophus
hipposideros. The cave is one of the most important winter
refuges of these species in Slovakia.
It was inhabited by man in the Neolithic Era (“bukovohorská”
culture), Bronze Age, Hallstatt and Roman Era. Sporadic findings
indicate also a possible short‑term Palaeolithic settlement.
The cave was most probably discovered by
some of the monks of the nearby Premonstrate Monastery. Its
existence was documented already in the second half of the 12th
century. The oldest inscription dates back to 1452. Many wall
inscriptions of 1571, 1619, 1654, 1655, 1657, 1783, etc. refer to
events that had taken place in Jasov and its surroundings. It is
publicly accessible since 1846. After reconstruction it was reopened
for the public in 1924.
It serves for speleotherapeutical procedures since 1995. Currently,
550 m of the cave are open to the public.
I visited the Jasovská
Cave in summer of 2003 and was fascinated by its beauty. The manager
arranged for me a private showing for which I am thankful to him.
GO
TO SLOVAKIA'S CAVES
GO TO SLOVAKIA'S UNESCO WORLD
HERITAGE SITES
Published in the Slovak Heritage Live
newsletter Volume
11, No.4, Winter 2003
Copyright © Vladimir Linder 2004
3804 Yale Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5C 1P6
The above article and photographs may not be copied,
reproduced, republished, or redistributed by any means including
electronic, without the express written permission of
Vladimir
Linder. All rights
reserved.
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