Moravský kras, Protected karst area in South Moravia, Czech Republic
Moravský kras is a karst region in South Moravia defined by limestone cliffs, deep gorges, and sinkholes scattered across its landscape. The area holds over a thousand registered cave systems, with five open to visitors that display different underground formations and geological features.
The area gained protected status in 1956 as the third major nature reserve in Czechoslovakia following the High Tatras and Bohemian Paradise. The region has drawn human settlement since the Stone Age, as evidenced by discoveries found within its cave systems.
The name refers to the karst landscape shaped by water dissolving limestone, a geological process that has drawn human interest for centuries. Visitors today can see traces of early settlers in the open caves, with stone tools and artwork left behind from prehistoric times.
The five open caves are scattered across the area and require different access routes depending on their location and type. The best way to explore this region is by car or hiking, as the caves are not concentrated in a single location.
One of the country's longest caves, the Amatérská Cave, is located here and draws cave enthusiasts and curious visitors. Its underground network reveals complex geological structures that have fascinated researchers for generations.
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