Akhshtyrskaya Cave

Akhshtyrskaya is a limestone cave with multiple chambers and natural passages reaching heights of about 10 meters. It features installed lighting and stairs throughout, making it accessible for visitors to explore the different sections safely.

Humans and animals first used this cave about 70,000 years ago, making it an important dwelling site across long periods. Excavations reveal that people abandoned the cave at certain times but later returned to occupy it repeatedly through various periods until medieval times.

This location served as a refuge for humans and animals across thousands of years. Visitors can observe traces of this long shared history through remains displayed and explained along the passages.

Wear shoes with good grip as stairs and surfaces can be slippery, especially after humid weather or rain. Bring a light jacket since temperatures inside stay noticeably cooler than outside conditions.

Deposits show a gap of about 20,000 years when humans did not occupy the cave. This absence suggests that living conditions or human behavior in the region changed dramatically during that period.