Cova de la Font Major, Archaeological cave in L'Espluga de Francolí, Spain.
Cova de la Font Major is an extensive cave system beneath L'Espluga de Francolí with limestone passages that run for several kilometers underground. As you move through the passages, you encounter underground lakes and a stream that has carved through the rock and shaped the cave over countless years.
The cave was discovered in 1853 when a resident digging a well beneath his house broke through to this hidden space. Subsequent explorations revealed a vast system and evidence of human activity from thousands of years ago.
The cave holds remarkable Paleolithic carvings that show animals like horses and deer, telling a story about how people hunted and lived thousands of years ago. You can see these engravings on the rock walls as you walk through, giving you a direct connection to the people who created this sanctuary long before cities existed.
The cave offers guided tours with well-marked paths that help you navigate the main sections safely. Bring warm clothing because the underground temperature stays cool and steady, and the ground is damp, especially near water features.
A living underground river flows through the cave system, creating a rare karst formation in conglomerate rock rather than limestone, placing this among the longest of its kind globally. This interplay of water and solid earth creates a geological rarity that sets it apart from typical cave systems.
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