March 18th, 2012 , 08:17 am

The next point of our trip to the Czech Republic was unique place called “Moravian Kras” is one of the largest karst massifs in Europe, 25 km long and 2-6 km wide. It is located 30 km. northeast of the Czech city of Brno. To get to Moravian Karst, you need to move to Vilemovice and then to the place indicated on the map as “Chata Macocha”.

At first I thought that “kras” came from the word “beautiful”, but in fact it means “karst”, i.e. karst rocks. As we learned already on the way, we visited all the Czech attractions literally on the last possible day - from November 1, they are all closed “for the winter.” We were also very lucky with the weather - all seven days of our trip at the end of October were mostly sunny and never rained.

We move from the city of Hustopece, through Brno and further through villages hidden in forest thickets and hills (click on the photo to open them in full size).

The signs point to Matsocha - this is the abyss that is the main attraction of this massif.

At the entrance we pass the village of Křtiny, where for some reason there is a majestic Roman Catholic church named after Panna Maria from the 18th century, towering over the village.

Finally we are there. Driving through this area by car is prohibited. We park the car in a guarded parking lot in front of the entrance (50 CZK per day) and move to the beginning of the route. In front of us is Matsokha’s hut.

I believe that this is one of the most successful and exciting tourist places. It will give a head start to any other attractions where you can go with children. A lot of interesting things are concentrated in a small area - an abyss, cable car, children's train, boats and caves. Hut Matsokha is located at the very top. Here we buy tickets for everything that awaits us below, and take the cable car that will take us down.

The cable car is very small, it just takes us down in 2 minutes, but it goes at a very sharp angle - the children squealed with delight!

The highest point of this massif is 734 meters. The lowest point of the Moravian Karst has a depth of 138 m (the Macocha abyss, literally “Stepmother”). It was formed after the collapse of the ceiling of a large cave, and along the bottom of which flows the Punkva River, flowing into a small lake. Now we will go into the cave and look at the abyss from the bottom up, from the very bottom, and only then we will climb to the very top again.

Here we are below. The first stop is the Punkevni cave, through which the Punkva river flows.

This route through the cave is unique in that first we will go down into the darkness, then we will emerge into the light of day, then we will board the boats and then sail out on them. Here, in fact, is the exit from the cave. There is a net on top to prevent leaves from falling into the water.

A group gathers here and is led by a guide through the dark corridors and nooks of this dungeon. Unlike the salt mine in Wieliczka, Poland, where there are tours in several languages, including Russian, in Punkiewni there is only “czesztina”. Therefore, I try to keep up with my translator wife. Let's go in...

The guide tells the story in a fascinating, fun and very fast manner. Just have time to ask for a translation and shoot.

The cave is large, with ups and downs, fields of intricate stalactites-stalagmites (and yes, also stalagnates). Matvey was also given a flashlight the day before - he was absolutely delighted. Previously, the cave was all in water, but then the water went away. But periodically the cave floods. They check it every day to see if everything is secure, whether there is water or signs of landslides.

These two handsome men will never meet - they dried up. But in general they grow only a few millimeters per year.

Throughout most of the cave there is a staircase, in this place it was called the “infarction staircase”.

I won’t bore you with numerous dark photos, but here is one unique one. This formation was called “archangel” - he really stands like an archangel, with his wings outstretched...

Finally we enter a very narrow tunnel (some places were artificially pierced), so that later...

...to find ourselves on the surface - at the bottom of the Matsohi cave!

The impression is simply amazing - after wandering for a long time through the dark labyrinths of the cave, you suddenly come out into the bright light, and the bright green grass at the bottom of the abyss and the sun beating from above catches your eye! An unforgettable experience, it immediately reminded us of the story about a journey to the center of the earth, when after a long underground journey a new world suddenly opens up.

We took a few photos, and the guide is already calling everyone back to the dungeon, but then our journey will continue in these boats, which experienced boatswains will skillfully guide along a narrow underground river.

It wouldn't hurt to read the safety instructions. The main thing is not to put your hands on the side of the boat, if it’s on the edge, and to lower your head when the boatswain shouts.

To be honest, I didn’t follow - Matvey grabbed the edge with his hand, and only the neighbors shouted - “Damn your hands!” (like “give your hands off”). The fact is that often the side of the boat hits a rock - you can completely crush your fingers. And the boatswain shouts: “Head to the left” or “Head to the right,” but here it is clear even without words - at turns there is a rock above your head, and you need to dodge.

But even during the rafting along this river there was a stop to look at the internal cavities of the cave, which could not be reached in any other way.

And finally we emerge into the light of day...

At the bottom there is the “Skalny Mlin”, or rock mill, there is a restaurant and a cafe where you can have a snack, and a souvenir shop.

Having refreshed ourselves, we go to another cave, which is located below and is called “Katerzynska Jaskinia” (Katerina’s Cave).

It turned out that this was the last tour on the last day of the 2011 season - as a result, we were the only visitors and received a personal tour.

Here are a couple more photos from the Katerina Cave.

And look at this fragment of the wall. Doesn't remind you of anything?

This old woman is a natural formation, only her staff is a stalactite that broke off somewhere, which speleologists placed here.

There is a legend that once upon a time parents and their son lived in a nearby village, and when the mother died, the father remarried. But the stepmother disliked her stepson and decided to get rid of him. She brought him to the edge of the abyss and pushed him down. But the boy caught on the branches and did not fall. He began to call for help, and the hunters heard him. They pulled the guy out, and when the crime was revealed, the stepmother (in Czech, “matsokha”) was captured and thrown to the bottom of this abyss. This is where the name comes from...

On the left in the photo you can see the lower bridge, we will go down there too.

There are two observation bridges - “Dolny Mustek” and “Mountain Mustik”

The green clearing below is where we came out of the cave to the surface and looked up.

“Built with funds from the branch of the Czech Tourists Club in Brno.”

And this is a view of the upper bridge.

We spent most of the day here and had a lot of impressions. But it's time for us to hit the road again. Brno and Slavkov-Austerlitz are still waiting for us. On the way back we drove closer to the church, but there was no time to go in. Czech Wikipedia reports that pilgrims to the sculpture of the Virgin Mary have been going to this village since ancient times. For example, in 1720, as many as 41 thousand people gathered here.

Moravian Kras or karst (Moravian Kras) - one of the largest karst massifs in Europe and nature reserve in Moravia (eastern Bohemia). On its territory there are more than a thousand karst caves, five of which are available for visiting: cave Punkva (Punkevni jeskyně) with the underground river of the same name, Katerzynskaya cave (Kateřinská jeskyně), cave Baltsarka(jeskyně Balkarka), Slopsko-Shoshuvskaya cave (Sloupsko-šošůvské jeskyně) and cave Vypustek(jeskyně Vypustek).

In order to get here you must first get to the city Blansko(Blansko), located just north of Brno.

Near railway station Blansko(Not Blansko mesto‎!) there is a bus station. From here you need to take bus number 226 to the final stop Skalni mlyn.

Bus station in Blansko:

Route 226 schedule:

The bus stops next to the central information center, where there are guesthouses, restaurants and parking for personal vehicles.

At the information center you can get background information, maps, cave opening hours and buy a ticket to the cave Punkva, to which you can walk from here (about one and a half kilometers) or ride on a special train (70 crowns one way, or 80 round trip). Katerzynskaya the cave is located even closer, but the rest are located quite far away - Baltsarka about five kilometers away, Slopsko-Shoshuvskaya at eight.

Considering that all caves close at entry until five in the evening (in May-August, even earlier during the rest of the year), visiting all five caves will require at least two days and transport (personal or taxi). If you don’t have a goal to visit all the caves, then you can visit the caves in one half day Katerzynskaya And Punkva, rise above the abyss Matsokha (Macocha), walk around walking routes and have an inexpensive snack in one of the restaurants.

Punkva Cave

The journey to the cave entrance will take about 20-25 minutes.

There is a river on the way to it Punkva, which originates in the depths of the karst massif. Visitors to the cave have the opportunity to swim through its underground part.

Cave entrance:

The cost of an excursion for an adult is 170 CZK, photo and video shooting is 40 CZK. Duration - almost an hour and a half.

The cave is completely landscaped, there are paths where there are fences, and the lighting is very well organized.

The first part of the route along the so-called. "dry" part of the cave:

Front hall:

Mirror Lake:

Reichenbach Hall:

"Angel wings":

From here an artificial tunnel leads to the bottom of the Macocha abyss:

Matsokha is stepmother in Czech. According to legend, a certain careless stepmother tried to push her stepson here, but instead fell into it herself, hence the name.

Descent to the second part of the route, which runs along an underground river:

While moving along the curved corridors, the boats are constantly flashing flashlights, so photography from the boats is not allowed, so that the light from the flashes does not confuse the boatmen.

The boatman is also a guide and tells stories all the way, unfortunately, only in Czech.

The corridors along which the boats float are partly of natural origin, partly they were broken on purpose. The depth of the river in some places reaches forty meters.

Towards the end of the journey, the boats make a stop next to the Masaryk Hall:

The stalagnate on the right side is called the “Jan Hus column”:

After exploring the Masaryk Hall, the group returns to the boats and after a while swims out to the entrance to the cave:

After a tour of the cave, it’s worth climbing the mountain, here you can relax in one of the cafes and look at the abyss Matsokha above. You can go up on foot or by cable car, which is located next door (70 CZK one way, 90 CZK return).

View of the abyss from the top observation deck:

View from the lower observation deck to the upper one:

And to the abyss:

The entrance to the cave is located a five-minute walk from the central information center. Admission ticket for adults - 80 CZK, photo and video shooting - 40 CZK. The duration of the excursion is about an hour.

The guide speaks in Czech; when purchasing a ticket, you can ask for an accompanying text in Russian. Like Punkva, Katerzynska Cave is completely ennobled and electrified.

The cave was named after a girl who, according to legend, entered the cave in search of her sheep, but could not get out and died here. So that visitors can experience for themselves what it is like to get lost in a cave, during the excursion the guide turns off all lighting for a short time.

Walking along a small corridor you find yourself in the Main Hall:

This is the largest cave hall in central Europe, in addition, this hall has very good acoustics and therefore concerts are held here from time to time. During the tour they include an excerpt from Nabuco. In one of the corners you can see the petrified skeletons of cave bears.

The next part of the cave is called “Bamboo Forest”. Here you can see three types of cave formations at once - stalactites, stalagmites and stalagnates:

With enough imagination, you can see sheep, a couple of owls and a “pheasant hanging by the head”:

In addition to excursions and concerts, “speleotherapy” sessions are also held in the Katerzyn Cave - the air here is very favorable for asthmatics.

The last hall is the “Chaos Hall”. So named because of the randomly falling stones from the roof of the cave:

"Fairytale" wall:

And the symbol of the Katerzyn Cave is “Gingerbread House and the Witch”:

The stick in the witch’s hands is a piece of stalagmite from the “Bamboo Forest”; this is the only “revision”; all other parts appeared on their own.

Here the main part of the tour ends and the group returns through the Main Hall to the entrance.

In conclusion, we can add that the Moravian beauty is not only caves and underground rivers, but also a large area for walking and cycling. There are several routes across its territory, differing in length and complexity. All routes are marked with signs, it will be quite difficult to get lost.

The world-famous Macocha Abyss, with a depth of 138 meters, is the largest abyss of its type in the Czech Republic and in Central Europe. The length of the upper part of the abyss is 174 meters, width - 76 meters. There are two observation bridges along the edges. The upper one was built in 1882, it is located in highest point

Matsohi and is called the Upper Bridge. The second was built in 1899, located 92 meters above the bottom of the abyss and the bottom is clearly visible through it.

View of the abyss Macocha Abyss, which got its name from a legend from the 17th century

, was formed as a result of the collapse of the ceiling of a large cave. Therefore, its bottom is partially covered with scree, which is the remains of the collapsed ceiling. The Punkva River flows along the bottom, feeding two lakes. The depth of the upper lake is approximately 13 meters and it can be seen from above. The lower lake is hidden between the rocks, it is not visible from above, its depth exceeds 30 meters.

The deep Punkva River, flowing along the bottom of the abyss, arose as a result of the confluence of a number of underwater sources.

In 1723, the first minor monk, Lazar Schopper, was the first to cry into the abyss, with whom the era of exploration began. In 1909, a group of researchers led by Karl Absolon (1887 - 1960) passed through the Puncture Caves into the Macocha Abyss from the Empty Trough along the so-called. Dry road.

An important milestone was the year 1856, when the famous karst researcher, Doctor of Sciences, descended into the abyss Jindrich Wankel.

Matsokha's methodological research was started by K. Absolon in 1901. The result of his scientific research was a detailed study of the abyss itself and the caves associated with it. His work culminated in the opening of access to the dry parts of the Puncture Caves. In 1920-1933 access to water cathedrals was opened along the underwater river Punkva.Punkevni cave(Punkevní jeskyně) is located in the northern part of the reserveMoravian Karstin Pusty Zhleb. This cave system was discovered by a geologist.Karl Absolon

(Karel Absolon), who worked in this area until 1933. The Punkva River flows along the caves, which gave the name to this place. Today it feeds two nearby lakes.

The famous Macocha abyss Matsokha The Punkevni cave system includes an abyss , which is also an integral part of the Amatera cave system. It was formed, according to some guesses, as a result of the collapse of the cave ceiling, which was caused either by erosion or an earthquake. This natural attraction becomes the main object of attention every year 200 thousand tourists , which allows it to be considered one of the most frequently visited caves in the Czech Republic. Most tourists come here to hang out underground cave tour by boat

For everyone.

Photo: Macocha Abyss (flickr.com)

Matsokha - killer gorge A visit to Punkevni Cave is definitely worth it. This area has attracted adventurers since time immemorial. Into the Macocha abyss, which goes to depth 138 m

, unfortunate people often jumped to commit suicide (a total of 60 of them happened here). Many careless people also suffered because they did not follow safety rules and visited the cave before it was examined by specialists and opened to the public.

According to legend, an evil stepmother (“matsokha”) threw her stepson into the abyss. The boy survived by getting caught on tree branches. The villagers learned about the woman’s act. They saved the child, and threw the stepmother into the abyss. It was she who served as the source of the name of this important natural attraction Czech Republic. For the first time man entered here in. People have long guessed that the unshakable surface of water at the bottom of this abyss is nothing more than a cave river. Taking into account that the source of the Punkva River is located half a kilometer away from this abyss, it is not surprising that many bodies of people were found trying to reach the bottom of the abyss along the river.

They wanted to do it on an ordinary raft or even by swimming. One of the absurd cases in history was the attempt of one athlete in 1852 to reach the bottom of Matsokha on his own. As a result, the unlucky conqueror of the gorge, pretty cold and exhausted to death, was pulled out of the water by his girlfriend. Fate was favorable to him, and he was able to survive.

Photo: Transport for excursions to Punkevni Cave (foutrip.com)

Exploration of Punkevni Cave

From 1920 to 1933 Professor Karl Absolon began to study the cave and the abyss, using all the knowledge in the field of geology available at that time, as well as the necessary technical equipment. It is thanks to him that tourists can now go on excursions by boat along the Punkva River. Absolon also discovered and land underground road, which leads from the abyss to the light.

Excursions to Punkevni Cave

Why does an excursion to Punkevni Cave attract thousands of tourists? The answer to this question is simple: there is nothing more amazing and mysterious than passing under mighty domes and corridors, the design of which was done by nature itself, gradually descending to the bottom of one of the most famous abysses - Macocha. The depth has already been mentioned here: it is 138 m and 70 cm. But the area of ​​the gorge is no less impressive - 174x76 m.

Photo: Punkevni Cave (wiki)

Another part of the tourist program is motor boat ride on the waters of the underground river Punkva. Here you can see the Masaryk Dome, which is considered one of the most beautiful cave halls in the entire Moravian Karst. In general, the length of the tourist route is 1 km 400 m, and the duration of visiting the Punkevni cave takes about 60 minutes.

Attention! Sign up for a cave tour in advance: usually, tickets can be booked several weeks in advance. During the high season, tourists buy tickets many days in advance.