Schönsteinhöhle, Natural monument cave in Wiesenttal, Germany.

Schönsteinhöhle is a natural monument cave system in Wiesenttal carved through dolomite rock formations. The cave network includes several passages and shafts at approximately 450 meters elevation, displaying the geological character of the region.

The cave system is very old: its position just below the plateau edge and about 150 metres above today's Wiesent level shows this. In 1904 the cave researcher Neischl described the perpendicular fissure system as lithoclases. In the 20th century much sinter decoration was stolen, and stalactites were broken out to decorate the nearby Binghöhle.

The cave's passages carry names given by cavers, such as the Große Halle, the Ölberg, the Martha-Keller and the Salzburger Schlünde. The Große Halle holds the remains of an old wooden walkway above a floor depression, and a stalagmite in the Knebel-Halle was decapitated, its tip wedged lower in the fissure. Much sinter was removed in the 20th century, some broken out to decorate the nearby Binghöhle.

The entrance is secured by an iron door that is locked in winter; the source gives no opening months, so check locally before setting out. From the entrance a rock step leads into a tall, narrow fissure passage where a marked draught blows at high or low outside temperatures. After about 20 metres the passage opens into the Große Halle, roughly 25 metres long, 18 metres wide and up to 8 metres high.

In the rear sections, water-level marks are visible in the area of the Salzburger Schlünde, recording former water heights in the passages. The cave also shows a marked draught at the entrance during high or low outside temperatures, caused by air moving between entrances at different heights.