Gruta do Centenário, Quartzite cave in Serra do Caraça, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Gruta do Centenário is a quartzite cave in Serra do Caraça with a network of passages and chambers that penetrate far below the mountain surface. The system features multiple sections with varying sizes and formations created over thousands of years.
Priests from Colégio do Caraça discovered the cave in 1922, but scientific exploration did not begin until 1952. Since then it has become a center for geological research and understanding of underground formations.
The cave holds special meaning for Brazilian speleology and draws researchers who study underground geology. Visitors can see why this underground system is important for understanding how such formations develop and change.
A visit requires a demanding multi-hour hike from Santuário do Caraça and special permits are needed for entry. Come with good physical fitness and proper equipment, as underground conditions can be challenging and require careful navigation.
This cave holds the record as the deepest quartzite cave in the world and the deepest cave in the Southern Hemisphere. These records highlight how extreme underground conditions form and why researchers study it from around the globe.
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