The list of show caves in Germany contains all 51 show caves in Germany which are hosted by the German Speleological Federation. (German: Verband der Deutschen Höhlen- and Karstforscher)
As of 2008, there have been 51 show caves in Germany, which are hosted by the German Speleological Federation (German: Verband der Deutschen Höhlen- and Karstforscher).[1] A show cave is defined as any cave equipped for tourists, by having walkways or steps, fitted with lighting, or supplying gear, as examples. Show caves have regular opening times, usually with regular guided tours of about 30 to 45 minutes duration and are almost all electrically lighted. Only the Easter Cave and the Schellenberg Ice Cave still use carbide lamps. In 1884 the Olga Cave was the first German show cave to be equipped with electrical lighting and the second in the world to be thus fitted. Only the Kraus Cave in the Styria in Austria was equipped earlier, in 1883.
Not included on this list are the artificially created caverns Schlossberg Caves and Saalfeld Fee Grottos, although these are listed with the German Speleological Federation, as their operators are paying members.
Also not in the main list is Balve Cave, because it has no regular guided tours or visits. Included is the Dienstedt Karst Cave, which is not part of the German Speleological Federation, but fulfils all the conditions of a show cave.
The cave which had the first guided tours was Baumann's Cave in the Rübeland; Tours of this cave were organised as early as 1646 and it was visited by Goethe. The latest to be opened as a show cave was the Autumn Labyrinth in 2009.
More than half the show caves are dripstone caves. The Wimsen Cave is the only show cave in Germany accessible by boat, for a distance of 70 metres. The Goetz Cave is the only fissure cave in the list and the largest publicly accessible cave in Europe. The Laichingen Vertical Cave is the only shaft cave that can be viewed in Germany, having a depth of 55 metres below the entrance and reaches the greatest depth of any German show cave. The Schellenberg Ice Cave is the only ice cave in Germany that can be visited. In the Barbarossa Cave, which is formed of anhydrite stone, loose layers of plaster hang like wallpaper from the ceilings and walls.
BR |
MV |
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
SL |
Name of show cave |
Location | State |
Location |
Geological classification | Len- gth (m) |
GR (m) |
Height |
Dis- cov- ery |
Show Cave |
Electr. Light |
Visi- tors (/yr) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agger Valley Cave | Engelskirchen | NW | 50°59′37.21″N 7°26′59.29″E / 50.9936694°N 7.4498028°E | Rock cave | 1,071 | 270 | 200 | 1773 | 1930 | 1930 | (5,000) |
Altenstein Cave | Schweina | TH | 50°49′43″N 10°20′47″E / 50.82861°N 10.34639°E | Rock and active stream cave | 1960 | 280 | 360 | 1799 | 1802 | 1905 | (6,000) |
Atta Cave | Attendorn | NW | 51°07′44″N 7°55′25″E / 51.12895°N 7.92348°E | Limestone cave | 6,670 | 560 | 1907 | 1907 | 1907 | (350.000) | |
Autumn Labyrinth | Breitscheid | HE | 50°41′16″N 8°12′21″E / 50.68778°N 8.20583°E | Karst cave | 5,800 | 120 | 417 | 1993 | 2009 | 2009 | |
Barbarossa Cave | Rottleben | TH | 51°22′54″N 11°02′13″E / 51.38167°N 11.03694°E | Karst cave in anhydrite stone | 1,100 | 600 | 154 | 1865 | 1866 | 1895 | (70.000) |
Bear's Cave | Sonnenbühl | BW | 48°22′15″N 9°12′55″E / 48.37083°N 9.21528°E | Limestone cave | 292 | 271 | 800 | 1834 | 1834 | 1934 | 98,500 |
Baumann's Cave | Rübeland | SA | 51°45′18″N 10°50′36″E / 51.75500°N 10.84333°E | Limestone cave | 1,980 | 600 | 378 | 1536 | 1646 | 1892 | 89,000 |
Bilstein Cave | Warstein | NW | 51°25′34″N 8°19′24″E / 51.42611°N 8.32333°E | Limestone cave | 1,700 | 450 | 350 | 1887 | 1888 | 1925 | (40.000) |
Bing Cave | Streitberg | BY | 49°48′44″N 11°13′01″E / 49.81222°N 11.21694°E | Limestone cave | 300 | 300 | 375 | 1905 | 1906 | 1908 | 35,800 |
Charlotte's Cave | Hürben | BW | 48°35′14″N 10°12′22″E / 48.58722°N 10.20611°E | Limestone cave | 587 | 532 | 488 | 1893 | 1893 | 1893 | 41,900 |
Dechen Cave | Iserlohn | NW | 51°21′56″N 7°38′41″E / 51.36556°N 7.64472°E | Limestone cave | 870 | 360 | 250 | 1868 | 1868 | 1926 | (60.000) |
Devil's Cave | Pottenstein | BY | 49°45′17″N 11°25′12″E / 49.75472°N 11.42000°E | Limestone cave | 1,500 | 800 | 400 | 1922 | 1923 | 1923 | 161,500 |
Devil's Cave | Steinau | HE | 50°20′17.23″N 09°27′17.96″E / 50.3381194°N 9.4549889°E | Limestone cave | 137 | 174 | 310 | 1584 | 1927 | 1927 | (16,000) |
Dienstedt Karst Cave | Dienstedt | TH | 50°48′50″N 11°10′28″E / 50.81389°N 11.17444°E | Karst cave | 350 | 155 | 340 | 1953 | 1994 | 1994 | (1,200) |
Easter Cave | Trondorf | BY | 49°31′08″N 11°39′50″E / 49.51889°N 11.66389°E | Limestone cave | 185 | 130 | (1630) | 1905 | not yet | (5,000) | |
Eberstadt Stalactite Cave | Eberstadt | BW | 49°28′57″N 09°20′52″E / 49.48250°N 9.34778°E | Limestone cave | 616 | 588 | 341 | 1971 | 1973 | 1973 | 62,700 |
Erdmann's Cave | Hasel | BW | 47°38′57″N 7°53′45″E / 47.64916°N 7.89592°E | Limestone cave | 2,146 | 356 | (1271) | 1773 | 1899 | 31,100 | |
Goetz Cave | Meiningen | TH | 50°33′54.75″N 10°24′27.37″E / 50.5652083°N 10.4076028°E | Fissure cave | 242 | 485 | 328 | 1915 | 1934 | 1934 | (15,000) |
Gußmann's Cave | Gutenberg | BW | 48°32′33.72″N 09°31′11.64″E / 48.5427000°N 9.5199000°E | Limestone cave | 91 | 55 | 680 | 1890 | 1891 | 1922 | 4,400 |
Gutenberg Cave | Gutenberg | BW | 48°32′25.44″N 09°31′13.8″E / 48.5404000°N 9.520500°E | Limestone cave | 180 | 110 | 690 | 1889 | 1890 | 1967 | 4,400 |
Heimkehle | Uftrungen | SA | 51°29′50.78″N 10°57′17.86″E / 51.4974389°N 10.9549611°E | Large gypsum karst cave | 2,000 | 750 | 200 | (1357) | 1920 | 1920 | (20.000) |
Heinrich's Cave | Hemer | NW | 51°22′46″N 7°46′26″E / 51.37944°N 7.77389°E | Limestone cave | 2,984 | 300 | 250 | (1771) | 1905 | 1905 | (15,000) |
Hermann's Cave | Rübeland | SA | 51°45′17″N 10°50′50″E / 51.75472°N 10.84722°E | Limestone cave | 2,733 | 800 | 378 | 1866 | 1890 | 1890 | 89,000 |
Hohler Fels | Schelklingen | BW | 48°22′45.3″N 09°45′19.9″E / 48.379250°N 9.755528°E | Large rock dome | 120 | 68 | 534 | (1830) | 1907 | 1955 | (4,000) |
Iberg Dripstone Cave | Bad Grund | NI | 51°49′03″N 10°15′10″E / 51.81750°N 10.25278°E | Limestone cave | 351 | 220 | 434 | 1723 | 1874 | 1912 | 60.500 |
Kittelsthal Dripstone Cave | Kittelsthal | TH | 50°55′26″N 10°23′31″E / 50.92389°N 10.39194°E | Limestone cave | 726 | 158 | 348 | 1888 | 1896 | 1918 | (6,000) |
Klutert Cave | Ennepetal | NW | 51°17′57″N 7°21′17″E / 51.29917°N 7.35472°E | Rock cave | 5,497 | 1,080 | 193 | (1586) | 1884 | 1951 | 44,500 |
Kolbing Cave | Kolbingen | BW | 48°2′25″N 8°55′5″E / 48.04028°N 8.91806°E | Limestone cave | 330 | 88 | 790 | (1879) | 1913 | 1950 | (7,500) |
König-Otto Dripstone Cave | Velburg | BY | 49°15′17″N 11°41′24″E / 49.25472°N 11.69000°E | Limestone cave | 450 | 270 | 590 | 1895 | 1896 | 1954 | 20.700 |
Kubacher Kristall Cave | Kubach | HE | 50°28′16″N 08°17′45″E / 50.47111°N 8.29583°E | Crystal filled crevice cave | 200 | 350 | 231 | 1974 | 1981 | 1981 | (40.000) |
Laichingen Vertical Cave | Laichingen | BW | 48°28′43″N 09°41′31″E / 48.47861°N 9.69194°E | Shaft (vertical cave) | 1,253 | 320 | 780 | 1892 | 1920 | 1936 | (35,000) |
Marienglas Cave [note 1] | Friedrichroda | TH | 50°51′48.51″N 10°32′32.14″E / 50.8634750°N 10.5422611°E | Large gypsum crystal geode | 300 | 122 | 450 | 1784 | 1903 | 1929 | (75,000) |
Maximilian's Grotto | Krottensee | BY | 49°37′43″N 11°35′18″E / 49.6285°N 11.5884°E | Limestone cave | 1,200 | 400 | 500 | (1596) | 1878 | 1994 | (20.000) |
Nebel Cave | Sonnenbühl | BW | 48°25′1″N 9°13′15″E / 48.41694°N 9.22083°E | Limestone cave | 813 | 450 | 808 | (1486) | 1803 | 1922 | 49,900 |
Niedaltdorf Dripstone Cave | Niedaltdorf | SL | 49°20′22.4″N 6°35′42.5″E / 49.339556°N 6.595139°E | Primary cave in tufa | 200 | 80 | 1880 | 1933 | 1933 | ||
Olga Cave | Honau | BW | 48°24′36″N 9°15′35″E / 48.41000°N 9.25972°E | Primary cave in tufa [note 2] | 170 | 90 | 557 | 1874 | 1884 | 1884 | |
Recken Cave | Balve | NW | 51°22′13″N 7°51′49″E / 51.37028°N 7.86361°E | Limestone cave | 450 | 300 | 220 | 1888 | 1890 | 1890 | (15,000) |
Schellenberg Ice Cave | Marktschellenberg | BY | 47°42′48″N 13°00′16″E / 47.71333°N 13.00444°E | Ice cave | 3,621 | 500 | 1,570 | (1826) | 1925 | not yet | (9,000) |
Schertel's Cave | Westerheim | BW | 48°32′05″N 09°35′18″E / 48.53472°N 9.58833°E | Limestone cave | 212 | 160 | 775 | (1470) | 1902 | 1953 | (15,000) |
Schillat Cave | Oldendorf | NI | 52°12′17″N 9°17′17″E / 52.20472°N 9.28806°E | Limestone cave | 340 | 305 | 1992 | 2004 | 2004 | (32,000) | |
Schulerloch | Essing | BY | 48°55′40″N 11°49′01″E / 48.92778°N 11.81694°E | Limestone cave | 420 | 180 | 390 | (1782) | 1828 | 1953 | (50.000) |
Segeberg Kalkberg Cave | Bad Segeberg | SH | 53°56′7.75″N 10°19′3.8″E / 53.9354861°N 10.317722°E | Gypsum karst cave | 2,260 | 400 | 1913 | 1919 | 1919 | (35,000) | |
Sontheim Cave | Sontheim | BW | 48°26′06″N 9°41′03″E / 48.43506°N 09.684101°E | Limestone cave | 530 | 192 | 720 | (1488) | 1516 | 1957 | (4,000) |
Sophie's Cave | Ahorntal | BY | 49°49′36.9″N 11°22′33.0″E / 49.826917°N 11.375833°E | Limestone cave | 900 | 220 | 405 | 1833 | 1834 | 1971 | (30.000) |
Sturmann's Cave | Obermaiselstein | BY | 47°26′12″N 10°14′8″E / 47.43667°N 10.23556°E | Active stream cave | 460 | 287 | 978 | (1815) | 1905 | 1905 | (30.000) |
Dragon's Cave | Syrau | SN | 50°32′34.71″N 12°04′56.09″E / 50.5429750°N 12.0822472°E | Limestone cave | 550 | 350 | 460 | 1928 | 1928 | 1928 | (45,000) |
Tschamber Cave | Karsau | BW | 47°35′18″N 07°49′07.5″E / 47.58833°N 7.818750°E | Active stream cave | 1,550 | 600 | 1890 | 1890 | 1966 | ||
Unicorn Cave | Scharzfeld | NI | 51°38′06.05″N 10°24′14.59″E / 51.6350139°N 10.4040528°E | Large rock cave | 610 | 270 | 370 | (1541) | 1895 | 1928 | (15,000) |
Wendelstein Cave | Brannenburg | BY | 47°42′12″N 12°0′47″E / 47.70333°N 12.01306°E | Alpine rock cave | 523 | 170 | 1,711 | 1864 | 1921 | 1962 | (30.000) |
Wiehle Dripstone Cave | Wiehl | NRW | 50°56′18″N 07°32′53″E / 50.93833°N 7.54806°E | Limestone cave | 868 | 400 | 260 | 1860 | 1927 | 1927 | (26,000) |
Wimsener Höhle | Hayingen | BW | 48°15′23.4″N 09°26′53.52″E / 48.256500°N 9.4482000°E | Water cave | 723 | 70 | 557 | (1447) | 1803 | 1927 | (35,000) |
Several caves are sometimes described in the literature as show caves, although they do not meet the criteria. These include the Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes and Schlossberg Caves which are not natural caverns, but mines, and the Zwiefaltendorf Limestone Cave and the Balve Cave, which have no regular guided tours.
Name of show cave |
Location | State |
Geological classification | Len- gth (m) |
GR (m) |
Dis- cov- ery |
Show- Cave |
Electr. Light |
Visi- tors (/yr) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Balve Cave | Balve | NRW | Large rock cave | 138 | 138 | (1690) | |||
Morassina | Schmiedefeld | TH | Dripstone filled show mine | 2000 | tbd. | 1683 | 1993 | 1993 | tbd. |
Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes [note 3] | Saale | TH | Dripstone filled show mine | 1100 | 600 | 1913 | 1914 | 1914 | 175,000 |
Schlossberg Caves [note 4] | Homburg | SL | Mine in Bunter sandstone | 5000 | 800 | (1708) | 1930 | 1935 | 33,500 |
Zwiefaltendorf Limestone Cave [note 5] | Zwiefaltendorf | BW | Primary cave in tufa | 27 | 27 | 1892 | 1892 |