Drogaratis cave, Show cave near Sami, Kefalonia, Greece.
Drogarati Cave is a show cave near Sami on Kefalonia, Greece, featuring impressive underground formations. The interior displays numerous stalactites and stalagmites that developed through mineral deposits accumulating over millions of years.
The cave entrance was revealed around 300 years ago when an earthquake collapsed a section of the cave system. This natural event made the underground space accessible to people for the first time.
The main hall, named the Hall of Apotheosis by speleologist Anna Petrocheilou, has been arranged to seat 500 listeners for concerts, with musicians playing in a wall recess framed by stalactites. Maria Farantouri and soprano Efi Karayianni have performed here.
The cave maintains a constant temperature of 18 °C and 90% humidity, so a light jacket is useful. Access is via a staircase through the tree-covered doline to the "royal balcony", then a circular route across the chamber floor back to the entrance. The 2 km labyrinth beyond the main hall is closed to visitors.
Beyond the concert hall, a 2 km labyrinth of passages and chambers continues into the rock, but it is closed to visitors. The chamber's acoustics have drawn sopranos Maria Callas and Maria Farantouri, who sang here.
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