State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic Slovak Caves Administration
Štátna ochrana prírody
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Bystrianska Cave

The cave is located in the ponor zone of the Bystrá-Valaská Karst in the Bystrá foothills of the Horehronské podolie, on the southern edge of the Bystrá village, nearby the recreational resort Tále and on the southern slope of the Low Tatras. Cave entrance is at 565 m elevation above the sea, on the foot of the NW slope of the Chodorov Hill.

The cave was formed in the Mesozoic Middle Triassic dark grey limestones of the Choč Nappe with chert intercalations. There are also positions of altering pale-grey dolomites. The direction of cave passages is significantly predisposed by steep tectonic faults.

The cave reaches the length of more than 3,531 m with vertical span of 99 m. It was formed by the ponor waters of Bystrianka flowing into the karst territory from the southern slopes of the Low Tatras Mountains in several developmental stages in dependence to the valley bottom deepening. Meander riverbed in the Old Cave is the oldest part of the cave, with an entrance situated 70 m above the present flow of Bystrianka. At present, the ponor watercourse is flowing through the lowest and youngest parts of the New Cave, which are situated 14 m lower than the 160 m distant ponor of Bystrianka in front of the cave. The water course appears also on the bottom of the nearby Bystriansky Doline, which has abyss spaces more than 650 m long and 165 m deep. The springs in Valaská are 3,300 m away from ponors with elevation difference of more than 70 m.

The main spaces of the New Cave have narrow and high fissure passages widened by corrosion and erosion of the water course. Shorter oval passages are prevailingly predisposed by interbed surfaces and they connect the narrow fissure passages in some places. The upper parts of tectonic faults are widened by corrosion of percolating atmospheric waters in several places. Also larger halls and domes are present, mostly of breakdown character (Collapsed Dome, Mostárenské Halls). The Hell Abyss 56 m deep opens into the lower parts of the New Cave.

Six bat species hibernates in the cave with the most abundant Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros). A rare cave beetle Duvalius microphthalmus is present in the cave. Numerous populations are formed by cave springtails Deuteraphorura kratochvili, Pseudosinella paclti and multipede Allorhiscosoma sphinx, which are endemic species of the Western Carpathians. A precious discovery was the troglobitic form of springtail of Megalothorax genus, which is a new species for science.

Show caves - Bystrianska Cave

News

Demänovská jaskyňa slobody - veľký okruh mimo prevádzky / long tour closed

Vážení návštevníci, 

prevádzkovanie veľkého okruhu v Demänovskej jaskyni slobody je dočasne pozastavené kvôli prebiehajúcim rekonštrukčným prácam na priľahlých úsekoch jaskyne. Predpokladané znovuotvorenie je v druhej polovici roka 2024. Ospravedlňujeme sa za prípadné nepríjemnosti.

Dear visitors,

operation of the long tour in the Demänovska Cave of Liberty is temporarily suspended due to ongoing reconstruction work in adjacent cave parts. We assume reopening in the second half of the year 2024. We apologize for any inconvenience.

15. vedecká konferencia: "Výskum, využívanie a ochrana jaskýň" / 15th scientific conference "Research, utilization and protection of caves"

Konanie: 24.- 26. september 2024. Bližšie informácie o tomto podujatí nájdete na odkaze.

The conference will be held from September 24 to 26, 2024 in Liptovský Mikuláš. More on the link.

Underground boat trip in Domica Cave not available.

Due to adverse conditions, the boat trip in Domica Cave is not available. The short tour is available. Thank you for understanding

Cave visit with small children

Dear visitors, due to increased visitation of parents with very small children (circa up to 3 - 4 years of age), we would like to kindly ask you to have a rucksack baby carrier with you for visiting the more demanding caves in given time. This recommendation concerns all caves but the most concerned are the following ones: Demänovská Cave of Liberty, Belianska Cave, Dobšinská Ice Cave, Demänovská Ice Cave, Harmanecká Cave. We also ask you to consider visiting the cave with your crying child, which could disturb the other visitors. Thank you for understanding and we wish you a nice experience.

Cave tour guides for download

Dear visitors, cave tour guides are available for download

Partner

Správa jeskyní České republikyInternational Year of Caves and KarstHabakukyZajo