Mladeč caves, Cave system in Litovelské Pomoraví Protected Landscape Area, Czech Republic

Mladeč Caves form a broken labyrinth of horizontal fissure corridors, domes and high chimneys inside the calcite hill of Třesín, with stalactites, stalagmites and sinters. The show route runs 380 metres and takes about 40 minutes; highlights are "Nature's Temple" and the "Virgin Cave". The whole system measures 1,250 metres with a denivelation of 30 metres.

The cave was first scientifically explored at the end of the 1800s and yielded bones and tools from ice age groups. These discoveries rank among the oldest evidence of human occupation found in Europe.

Excavations at Mladeč yielded about 40 bone points with massive, unsplit bases, known as Mladeč-type bone points and found at other Central European Aurignacian sites. Stone tools were rare here. The finds also include fireplaces and bones of cave lions, cave bears, reindeer and steppe bison.

Visitors can only explore the cave with a guide and as part of a group, so advance booking is necessary. The interior stays cool and damp year-round, so bring a light jacket and wear comfortable, slip-resistant shoes.

The cave was sculpted over thousands of years by flowing water that slowly dissolved the limestone layers. This natural process created the underground passages and chambers that visitors explore today.