Jaskinia Na Turoldu, Limestone cave system in Mikulov, Czech Republic.
Turold-Höhle is a limestone cave system in Mikulov extending through about 2 kilometers of corridors and halls with white walls covered in calcite crystals and coral-like deposits. The passages descend through multiple levels and lead to an underground lake.
A cave in Turold hill was first mentioned in 1669, but quarrying between 1873 and 1934 destroyed it. The present cave was discovered in 1951 at 304 metres above sea level, opened to the public from 1958 to 1967, and reopened in 2004 after speleologists began restoration in 1999.
The cave is a winter roost for several bat species within the Pálava Biosphere Reserve. The name Turold comes from the hill, and the cave is operated by the Czech Cave Administration. A 300-meter educational trail with eight Czech-language panels leads to the entrance.
About 300 meters of passages are accessible to visitors and can be explored using stairs descending roughly 37 meters. The ground is straightforward to navigate, but sturdy shoes are recommended.
The coral-like wall decoration, called the Turold decoration, is known from only three caves worldwide. It resembles cauliflower or soap foam and appears where the middle level's walls pass into pea-like and shrub-like growths with small sparkling calcite crystals.
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