Sturmann Cave, Show cave in Obermaiselstein, Germany.
Sturmann Cave is a natural karst cave near Obermaiselstein, 460 metres long and the only show cave in the region. Its 287-metre guided path follows a vertical bedding joint through narrow, fissure-shaped passages, descending 74 metres from the Törle through the Drachentor, Theater, the 30-metre Adlerschacht shaft and the Höllenrachen to the Höhlenkessel. The walkway is built of dark metal grating with handrails, lit artificially; there is no cave sinter or dripstone, but ferns and mosses grow on the rock walls.
The cave was first mentioned in writing in 1815. Several attempts to explore it to its end were made until 1904, when the Obermaiselstein teacher Eppler reached the watercourse and cave lake. By 1905 iron stairs had been installed in the shaft and electric lighting added, and the cave opened as a show cave.
The cave's name refers to the legendary figure Sturmann, and the rock walls near the entrance are named after features along the guided route: the Törle, the Drachentor, the Theater, the 30-metre Adlerschacht and the Höllenrachen. The cave is a winter roost for bat species including the greater mouse-eared bat, Daubenton's bat and the barbastelle.
The cave holds a steady 4 to 8 degrees Celsius in summer and winter, so bring warm clothing and sturdy shoes. The guided route is 287 metres long and drops 74 metres overall, passing the Törle, Drachentor, Theater, the 30-metre Adlerschacht and the Höllenrachen to the Höhlenkessel. The entrance sits at 978 metres above sea level and is reached by a stairway.
The descent uses about 180 steps that follow an underground river, which carved this cave over thousands of years. This water still flows today and continues to shape the geological structures within it.
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