It still remains unknown who discovered the Kungur Ice Cave. It is cloaked with legends which is actually easy to understand judging from the mysterious atmosphere inside.
Large cave is already known for thousands of years. In the 19th century local people started to show the cave for some tourists and in the 20th century it bacame a famous tourist place.
This is cave brownie, everyone has to say hello to it. But very fast because it can melt.
The temperature varies in different grottos: from -10 to -2. Sometimes even a bit above zero, but then all the ice beauty melts and the pools form on the ground.
The length of all the cave’s passages is 5 km 700 m. There are 48 grottos inside and 70 underground lakes, the shallows of which is 2 meters deep.
The main tourist paths are well illuminated and laid with bricks.
However there are also many side passages and branches – the part of them is known, but there are really obscure places where even seasoned speleologists prefer not to go very often.
This is “Krestovy grotto” (“Grotto With Cross”). It is called like this because the discoverers found a cross, an altar and some icons here. It gave the grounds for the legend according to which this grotto once became the refuge of some Christian Old Believers which lived here hiding from church authorities.
Very often because of light and shade one can imagine some strange creatures hiding in the cave. It is the place where usually a turtle is seen.
This grotto is called “Coral” and it is not difficult to guess why. And the firs are here because it’s the place where Santa Clause meets the kids before Christmas.
The stairs are called “Ladies’ tears”. A German princess was once invited to the cave with her daughter which couldn’t climb these stairs as they would constantly fall and cry – that’s where such a strange name comes from.
Box with Santa Clause’s presents.
These electric generators are about 50 years old.
Underground lake. Some people see sunk Atlantis here and some – underground river Styx which divided World of the living from the World of the dead.
Some time ago there were some mines here, most of them are deserted now.
“The tunnel was digged by miners of the mine #2 in 1967″
The most interesting place for every curious person, but tourists are not allowed here yet.
Another beautiful underground lake.
A large landslide has recently occured.
What animal do you see here?
Diamond grotto.
Massive ice column looks like a frozen waterfall.
“Grotto of Dante”. It is considered to remind of Hell as described by the Italian writer.
First!
Beautiful place, I’d like to visit there some time.
This place is the pits
Only place colder and darker is a capitalist’s heart.
SovMarx, when will you understand… it’s not about idealogy, it’s about power.
Absolutely fascinating,
but I don’t think you will find me down there.
( The pyramides of Giza was claustrofobic enough for me.. )
Any idea why it stays cold in that cavern?
Underground in most of the world is around 60°F year round. This is used for geothermal heating and cooling; tunnels are dug and the air circulated to buildings. There is so much contact with cold dirt that hot air cools down constantly.
Waaaaaay down yonder, huh? I can dig it.
Cold, lifeless places:
1. Kungur Ice Cave
2. United States Congress
Exception to number 2. Senator Bernie Sanders, the only living person in D.C.
ER. the only forum I know where one can not read the comments before one makes a comment…
You need to change browsers. I don’t have that problem.
Wow, I´m reading the “Heart of Parma” (by A.Ivanov) now, which bI think it´s one of the greatest modern historical novels and the heroes in the book visit this Kungur cave…
The story is about the submission of the peoples of the notheren civilizationes to the principality of Moscow in the 16th century.
I’ve been looking for an English translation of that novel, but so far I haven’t found one. I have some old textbooks that discuss the Russian exploration of the East, but I’d like to read Ivanov’s novel, too. Ivanov seems like an interesting guy.
Why is that cross in the caves, did someone die or are the christians trying to mark their territory, just like a dog does when it pees on everything and anything it comes into contact with?