Jasovska Cave

About

Inhabited since Neolithic times, the cave was used by locals in the Middle Ages as shelter from Tartar or Turkish raids. In 1846, the cave was opened to the public, making it the oldest publicly accessible cave in the Slovakia. Along with the remains of extinct Ice Age animals like cave bears and hyenas, the cave also bears marks of human history, including inscriptions dating as far back as the 15th century. These are shown to visitors over the course of the 720 meter long tour route, which also showcases the unique ornamentation, particularly its coloured dripstone, the massive bat population which includes 19 of the 24 bats found in the country. Bats are such a major part of the cave’s identity, that there’s an area called the Bat Cathedral, which is used for speleotherapy and climatotherapy of asthma and allergic diseases.