Marble caves in Crimea are one of the most popular tourist attractions. They are located near the city of Alushta, in the mountains of Chatyr-Dag.
Uniqueness of the cave
The plateau of the Chatyr-dag massif somewhat resembles the surface of the moon. The fact is that it is dotted with cavities, depressions and indentations. In total, there are more than 160 karst caves, a number of wells and mines on this plateau. Among the many beautiful places of Chatyr-Dag, the Marble Cave stands out. In Crimea (you can’t give an exact name, but the approximate location is near the village of Mramornoye), you can book an excursion to this attraction. The Marble Cave was discovered in 1987. It is located at a fairly decent height - 920 meters above sea level. The base of the cave is limestone. Now it is divided into three main parts. The uniqueness of the cave determines its popularity: it is one of the most frequently visited caves in Europe. Bizarre rocks, stones, stalagmites and other formations give it a fabulous look. Now the Marble Cave in Crimea (photos confirm this) is a fairly well-equipped cave.
Speleocomplex
The name "Marble Cave" means a whole speleocomplex, which includes the equipped cave Emine-Bair-Khosar and a number of unequipped: Thousand-headed, Cold, Three-eyed.
Fairy Tale Gallery
So, as noted above, the natural monument consists of three parts: the Main Gallery, the Lower Gallery and the Tigrovy passage. The excursion course is 1 kilometer. In total, 2 kilometers of the cave 60 meters deep were explored.
The first in the way of tourists is the Tale Gallery. Here, in fact, you can see many fairy-tale heroes. It is difficult to believe that these figures were not created by human hands, but by nature itself for many centuries. So, tourists can see stalactites resembling Santa Claus, Mamontenka, the frog princess. There is also a real Mountain Owner. Stalactites and stalagmites form fancy stone draperies in the Tales Gallery, giving the cave a bewitching charm. The gallery is beautifully lit, which allows a good look at its features.
Tiger move
In this gallery, the arch is much lower. It shows water-washed depressions in the form of a bell and covered with stalactites. A wide smooth tunnel leads to the gallery. The tiger course is divided into separate halls by columns of rocks. Depressions with water are visible on the floor. In this room, rocks form curtains and stone waterfalls. The tiger course is known for its 6 meter deep well. Once upon a time archaeologists found the bones of a cave bear here.
Marble caves in the Crimea - this is an opportunity to plunge into a fairy tale. Here you can see the petrified head of a dragon, and in some places for centuries rich palaces and castles have been erected by nature itself.
Perestroika Hall
This is another gallery of the Marble Cave, along which the tourist route passes. It is very dark here, but the light of the spotlights cuts through the underground darkness, and the hall seems to come to life, striking in its size. This is one of the largest underground caves in the world, with an area of 4 km 2 . The arch reaches a height of 20 meters. Huge stone blocks cover the floor.
Marble caves in Crimea are famous for their stone flowers. So, in the Perestroika Hall and the Tiger Pass, you can see a whole wall of corallites in the shape of flowers. The walls are covered with corallites carved by water and time in the form of fantastic fairy flowers, and the length of the “meadow” is about 40 meters.
Perestroika Hall is known for its Fallen Tower. This is a huge oblong stalagmite, outwardly resembling a tower lying on its side. Its length reaches 7 meters. Openwork lace is located next to it - it’s gour lakes, at the bottom of which are found the so-called cave pearls.
Palace and Clay Halls
Marble caves in Crimea are associated with speleologists by the largest calcite dam in Europe. The width of the dam base exceeds 50 meters. Being on it, you can see the Palace Hall, where there are majestic stalagmites king and queen, and next to them their faithful retinue - columns of various sizes and shapes. Along the route there are gurovye lakes. The last room is Clay. It is not as bright as the others, however, there is something to admire here. The clay room completes the main gallery of the cave.
Lower gallery
The last point on the route of the tourist route. This is a geological reserve in which many valuable minerals have been discovered. There is not just a wall, but the whole Pink Hall. Stalagmites and corallites here form an ensemble, randomly located throughout the space. In the lower gallery there is the Hall of Hopes, the Balcony and Lustrovy halls, the names of which speak for themselves. Unlike the Pink Hall, they create a sense of harmony. Crash and Channel Halls are very beautiful. The relic hall ends the way. From here, the cave moves branch in different directions into darkness. Tourists are not allowed to go here, but cavers have already visited a number of these passages. Specialists are still interested in Marble Caves in Crimea.
How to get to the caves?
In almost every corner of this wonderful peninsula you can buy tickets for a sightseeing bus. It can be reached by public transport from Simferopol to Yalta. Exit should be near the village of Zarechnoye or Mramornoye (the distance between them is small). And already 8 kilometers from these villages is located the Marble Cave in Crimea. The map shows that the distance from these villages is almost the same. You can take a walk or ask the locals to bring you. Throughout the route, there will certainly be signs to the cave.
If you come to relax in your car, then you should visit the Marble Caves in the Crimea. How to get there by car? Take the Yalta-Simferopol highway to the village of Zarechnoye, and from there turn right (if you are going from Simferopol). On the way you will meet the village of Mramornoye. Next, follow the signs to the cave. The road leading to the cave is a country road, therefore quite uneven. However, it is easy to drive through even on the most ordinary car. Near the cave there is a parking lot.
Travel Tips
- Caves are always cold even in the hottest time of the year. Tourists should not forget that they descend deep underground. It is necessary to stock up on warm clothes (temperature in the caves is +9 ). At the entrance they give jackets for hire, so you need to take care of the shoes.
- It is better to book a longer tour. For half an hour it is impossible to see all the beauty of the caves. A short tour does not justify the money spent on it.
- For fans of extreme sports and outdoor activities Crimeans offer special speleotours. In this case, put on a tracksuit and comfortable running shoes with non-slip soles. As a rule, such tours last about 3 hours. This is a great way to personally see the beauty of the cave, touch them and try to conquer the abyss.
- Photographing caves is best on the way forward, not back. Each attraction that the Marble Caves in Crimea are famous for is besieged by crowds of tourists. On the way back, the guides do not stop, so as not to interfere with their colleagues, so there is no time left on the photo.