Priest's Grotto, Underground cave system in Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine.
Priest's Grotto is a cave system in Ternopil Oblast containing roughly 127,000 meters of navigable passages. The network extends beneath farmland and features multiple chambers of varying sizes as well as an underground lake.
The cave system formed through natural processes over thousands of years. During World War II, 38 Jewish people sheltered continuously within this network for over a year.
The cave system maintains physical evidence and artifacts from the Jewish families who sought protection within its chambers during the 1940s.
Visitors need professional guidance and proper equipment to safely explore this extensive cave network. The location sits hundreds of kilometers from major urban centers, so plan for a lengthy journey to reach it.
One young survivor lost all recognition of natural light after spending months in complete darkness, finding even candlelight uncomfortable upon emergence.
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