Dragon's Lair at Mixnitz, Natural cave system in Pernegg an der Mur, Austria
Dragon's Lair at Mixnitz is a cave system that extends roughly 542 meters into the mountain with an entrance about 20 meters wide. The passages vary in height from about 10 to 15 meters, creating different sections as you move deeper inside.
Between 1918 and 1923, workers extracted roughly 2,500 tons of phosphoric acid from the cave's sediments to address fertilizer shortages after World War I. This mining operation was an important economic activity for the region during that period.
The name comes from local stories that early inhabitants created to explain animal bones found in the cave. Today this folklore remains part of how people in the region understand their landscape.
The cave entrance sits at 950 meters elevation and requires proper hiking equipment along with weather-appropriate clothing for a safe visit. As a protected site, visitors should follow local regulations for responsible exploration.
Scientists found over 30,000 cave bear bones and Stone Age tools here from around 65,000 years ago. These discoveries show that people have been familiar with this area for an extremely long time.
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