This article is about the

cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

s of

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

Geographic distribution

Tatra Mountains

, there are 843 caves known in the Polish

Tatra Mountains The Tatra Mountains (), Tatras, or Tatra (''Tatry'' either in Slovak () or in Polish () - '' plurale tantum''), are a series of mountains within the Western Carpathians that form a natural border between Slovakia and Poland. They are the hi ...

with the total length exceeding 134 km. They are within Tatra National Park. All the prominent ones are limestone karst caves of the

Western Tatras Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US * Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that i ...

, but there are also some tectonic caves. The largest and deepest caves of the Tatras (and of Poland) are located in the Czerwone Wierchy and Kominiarski Wierch massifs. Another highly promising region, the massif of

Giewont The Giewont () is a mountain massif in the Tatra Mountains of Poland. Its highest peak, Great Giewont (''Wielki Giewont''), is 1,895 metres (6,217 ft) above sea level and the highest peak of the Western Tatras ( Polish: ''Tatry Zachodnie'') l ...

, is largely unexplored due to its strict nature conservation status. Jaskinia Wielka Śnieżna Wielka Studnia

* Bańdzioch Kominiarski * Bliźniacza Studnia * Dudnica * Dudowa Studnia * Dziura * Dziura Wyżnia – Jaskinia Lisia * Dziurka w Trawce * Górne Kominy * Jasiowa Dziura * Jaskinia Bystrej * Jaskinia Czarna * Jaskinia Goryczkowa * Jaskinia Kalacka * Jaskinia Kamienne Mleko * Jaskinia Kasprowa Niżnia * Jaskinia Kasprowa Średnia * Jaskinia Kasprowa Wyżnia * Jaskinia Kozia * Jaskinia Lejbusiowa * Jaskinia Lodowa Małołącka * Jaskinia Lodowa Miętusia * Jaskinia Lodowa Mułowa * Jaskinia Lodowa w Ciemniaku * Jaskinia Lodowa w Twardych Spadach * Jaskinia Magurska * Jaskinia Mała w Mułowej * Jaskinia Małołącka * Jaskinia Marmurowa * Jaskinia Miętusia * Jaskinia Miętusia Wyżnia * Jaskinia Mroźna * Jaskinia Mylna * Jaskinia Naciekowa * Jaskinia nad Zagonem * Jaskinia Obłazkowa * Jaskinia pod Dachem * Jaskinia pod Okapem * Jaskinia pod Wantą (Litworowy Dzwon) * Jaskinia Poszukiwaczy Skarbów * Jaskinia Przeziorowa * Jaskinia przy Przechodzie * Jaskinia Psia * Jaskinia Raptawicka * Jaskinia Śpiących Rycerzy * Jaskinia Śpiących Rycerzy Wyżnia * Jaskinia w Czubie Jaworzyńskiej *

Jaskinia Wielka Śnieżna Jaskinia Wielka Śnieżna ("great snowy cave") is a limestone cave system in Mount Małołączniak in the Western Tatra Mountains, of the Carpathian Mountains System, in southern Poland. The cave is within Tatra National Park. With the length of ...

— longest, largest, and deepest cave in Poland * Jaskinia Wodna pod Pisaną * Jaskinia Wodna pod Raptawicką * Jaskinia Wysoka – Jaskinia za Siedmiu Progami * Jaskinia Wyżnia Litworowa * Jaskinia za Płytą (Dziura z Kośćmi Kozicy) * Jaskinia Zakosista * Jaskinia Zimna * Jaskinia Zośka – Zagonna Studnia * Jędrusiowa Dziura * Komin w Kazalnicy * Komin w Ratuszu * Koprowa Studnia * Mnichowa Studnia Wyżnia * Niebieska Studnia * Piwnica Miętusia * Pomarańczarnia * Ptasia Studnia * Śnieżna Studnia * Studnia w Dziurawem * Studnia w Kazalnicy * Studnia w Progu Mułowym * Studnia za Murem * Szara Studnia * Szczelina Chochołowska * Tunel Małołącki * Tylkowa Szczelina * Zielone Kominy

Pieniny

* Jaskinia nad Polaną Sosnówką * Jaskinia Pienińska * Jaskinia w Ociemnem * Jaskinia Wyżna

Jura

In the area of Kraków-Częstochowa Upland there are over 1800 known limestone caves, most of them shorter than 100m and rather shallow. * Tunel Wielki, an archaeological site.

Beskids and Subcarpathia

Sudetes

* Aven w Połomie, Wojcieszów * Jaskinia Biały Kamień * Jaskinia Błotna, Wojcieszów * Jaskinia Imieninowa, Nowe Rochowice * Jaskinia Kontaktowa,

Stara Morawa Stara Morawa is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Stronie Śląskie, within Kłodzko County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. In 1975–1998 it belonged to Wałbrzych Voivodeship. It lies approximately south ...

* Jaskinia Kryształowa, Wojcieszów (destroyed) * Jaskinia na Ścianie, Rogóżka * Jaskinia Niedźwiedzia, Kletno * Jaskinia Nowa, Wojcieszów * Jaskinia Pajęcza, Wojcieszów * Jaskinia Północna Duża, Wojcieszów * Jaskinia Radochowska, Radochów * Jaskinia z Filarami – Jaskinia Prosta, Kochanów * Jaskinia z Rondami, Kochanów * Szczelina Wojcieszowska, Wojcieszów * Złota Sztolnia,

Duszniki-Zdrój Duszniki-Zdrój (; cs, Dušníky; german: Bad Reinerz), often simplified to Duszniki, is a spa town in Kłodzko Valley and Kłodzko County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in southwestern Poland. As of December 2021, the town has a population of 4,3 ...

Świętokrzyskie

* Chelosiowa Jama – Jaskinia Jaworznicka, Jaworznia * Jaskinia Pajęcza, Jaworznia * Paradise Cave, Dobrzączka * Jaskinia Zbójecka, Łagów * Prochownia, Jaskinia Odkrywców, Kielce * Szczelina na Kadzielni, Kielce

Nida Basin

Gypsum karst caves of the

Nida Nida or NIDA may refer to: People * Nida Allam (born 1993), American politician * Nida Fazli (1938–2016), Indian Hindi and Urdu poet and lyricist * Nida Eliz Üstündağ (born 1996), Turkish female swimmer * Eugene Nida (1914–2011), American l ...

syncline. * Jaskinia Sawickiego, Bronina * Jaskinia Skorocicka, Skorocice * Jaskinia u Ujścia Doliny, Skorocice * Jaskinia w Aleksandrowie, Aleksandrów * Jaskinia w Gackach, Gacki

Gdańsk Pomerania

* Grota Mirachowska I (Schron z Kolumnami),

Mirachowo Mirachowo ( csb, Mirchòwò, german: Mirchau) is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Kartuzy, within Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately north-west of Kartuzy and west of the regiona ...

* Grota Mirachowska II (Schronisko Owalne),

* Jaskinia Bajka I,

Gądecz Gądecz (german: Gondes) is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Dobrcz, within Bydgoszcz County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, also known as Cuiavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship or simply Kujawsko-Pom ...

* Jaskinia Bajka II,

* Jaskinia Goryla,

Gdynia Gdynia ( ; ; german: Gdingen (currently), (1939–1945); csb, Gdiniô, , , ) is a city in northern Poland and a seaport on the Baltic Sea coast. With a population of 243,918, it is the 12th-largest city in Poland and the second-largest in th ...

* Jaskinia Klonowa,

Grudziądz Grudziądz ( la, Graudentum, Graudentium, german: Graudenz) is a city in northern Poland, with 92,552 inhabitants (2021). Located on the Vistula River, it lies within the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and is the fourth-largest city in its prov ...

* Jaskinia pod Wierzbą,

* Jaskinia Śpiącego Szweda,

* Jaskinia w Mechowie, Mechowo * Schronisko w Połchowie, Połchowo

Tourist caves

There are currently 17 tourist caves in Poland.

Show caves

Show caves, with guided tours and requiring an entrance fee: * Jaskinia Ciemna,

Ojców National Park Ojców National Park ( pl, Ojcowski Park Narodowy) is a national park in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland, established in 1956. It takes its name from the village of Ojców, where it also has its headquarters. Chopin ...

* Jaskinia Dziurawy Kamień, Sudetes * Jaskinia Łokietka,

* Jaskinia Mroźna,

* Jaskinia Niedźwiedzia, Sudetes * Jaskinia Nietoperzowa, Polish Jura Chain * Jaskinia Radochowska, Sudetes * Jaskinia Raj, Świętokrzyskie * Jaskinia w Mechowie,

Gdańsk Pomerania Gdańsk Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze Gdańskie), csb, Gduńsczim Pòmòrzã, german: Danziger Pommern) is a geographical region within Pomerelia in northern and northwestern Poland, covering the bulk of Pomeranian Voivodeship. It forms a part and ...

* Jaskinia Wierzchowska Górna,

Polish Jura Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

* Smocza Jama,

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...

Other

Other caves made accessible to the general public as part of a tourist trail: * Dziura,

* Jaskinia Malinowska,

Silesian Beskids Silesian Beskids ( Polish: , Czech: , german: Schlesische Beskiden) is one of the Beskids mountain ranges in Outer Western Carpathians in southern Silesian Voivodeship, Poland and the eastern Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. Most of ...

* Jaskinia Mylna,

* Jaskinia Obłazkowa,

* Jaskinia Raptawicka,

* Smocza Jama,

Records

* The largest and deepest cave: *:

in the

, with the length of 23.723 km and vertical range of 824 m * The largest horizontal extent: *: Jaskinia Miętusia in the

, with the horizontal extent of ca. 1135 m * The highest cave: *: Świnicka Koleba, a tiny tectonic granite cave in mount

Świnica Świnica (Polish) or Svinica ( Slovak) is a mountain in the main crest of the High Tatras The High Tatras or High Tatra Mountains ( Slovak: Vysoké Tatry; pl, Tatry Wysokie; rue, Высокі Татри,'' Vysoki Tatry''; hu, Magas-Tátra; ...

in the

High Tatras The High Tatras or High Tatra Mountains ( Slovak: Vysoké Tatry; pl, Tatry Wysokie; rue, Высокі Татри,'' Vysoki Tatry''; hu, Magas-Tátra; german: Hohe Tatra; french: Hautes Tatras), are a mountain range along the border of norther ...

, at ca. 2250 m above sea level * The deepest underground pitch: *: Studnia Wazeliniarzy (pun – "lickspittles shaft" or "vaseliners shaft") in Śnieżna Studnia in the

, with the depth of ca. 230 m * The largest underground chamber: *: Sala Fakro in Jaskinia Mała w Mułowej in the

, with the size of ca. 85 × 35 × 90 m * The largest underground lake: *: Wielki Kłamca ("the great pretender") in Ptasia Studnia in the

, with the size of ca. 6 × 20 m * The oldest human species in Poland: *: Tunel Wielki

Biology

Notable troglobionts,

troglophile Troglofauna are small cave-dwelling animals that have adapted to their dark surroundings. Troglofauna and stygofauna are the two types of subterranean fauna (based on life-history). Both are associated with subterranean environments – troglofau ...

s, and

trogloxene Trogloxenes or subtroglophiles, also called cave guests, are animal species which periodically live in underground habitats such as caves or at the very entrance, but cannot live exclusively in such habitats."Cave Plants and Animals". 9 December Am ...

s of Polish caves include:

Crustaceans

* '' Acanthocyclops languidoides clandestinus'' * '' Bathynella natans'' * '' Niphargus tatrensis'' * '' Proasellus slavus'' * '' Synurella ambulans tenebrarum''

Arachnids

* '' Lobohalacarus weberi quadriporus'' * '' Meta menardi'' – European cave spider * '' Oribella cavatica'' * '' Porrhomma moravicum'' * '' Pseudanophthalmus pilosellus''

Insects

* '' Arrhopalites pygmaeus'' * '' Catops tristis infernus'' * '' Choleva lederiana'' * '' Mesogastrura ojcoviensis'' * '' Onychiurus alborufescens'' * '' Protaphorura janosik''

Bats

17 out of 21 species of Polish

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most ...

s can be found in caves – most of them only in winter, during their hibernation. * ''

Barbastella barbastellus The western barbastelle (''Barbastella barbastellus''), also known as the barbastelle or barbastelle bat, is a European bat in the genus '' Barbastella''. This species is found from Portugal to Azerbaijan and from Sweden to Canary Islands, whe ...

'' – Barbastelle * '' Eptesicus nilssoni'' – Northern bat * ''

Eptesicus serotinus The serotine bat (''Eptesicus serotinus''), also known as the common serotine bat, big brown bat, or silky bat, is a fairly large Eurasian bat with quite large ears. It has a wingspan of around and often hunts in woodland. It sometimes roosts ...

'' – Serotine bat * '' Myotis bechsteini'' – Bechstein's bat * '' Myotis brandti'' – Brandt's bat * ''

Myotis dasycneme The pond bat (''Myotis dasycneme'') is a species of vesper bat. It is found in Eurasia from France to Russia and Kazakhstan. Physical characteristics The bat is medium-sized, with a noticeably short tragus for a species in the genus ''Myotis''. ...

'' – Pond bat * '' Myotis daubentoni'' – Daubenton's bat * '' Myotis emarginatus'' – Geoffroy's bat * '' Myotis myotis'' – Greater mouse-eared bat * '' Myotis mystacinus'' – Whiskered bat * '' Myotis nattereri'' – Natterer's bat * '' Nyctalus noctula'' – Common noctule * ''

Plecotus auritus ''Plecotus'' is a genus of vesper bat, commonly called long-eared bats. They are found throughout Eurasia and northern Africa. Many species in the genus have only been described and recognized in recent years. Species Genus ''Plecotus'' – lon ...

'' – Brown long-eared bat * ''

Plecotus austriacus The grey long-eared bat (''Plecotus austriacus'') is a fairly large European bat. It has distinctive ears, long and with a distinctive fold. It hunts above woodland, often by day, and mostly for moths. In captivity, it has also been recorded t ...

'' – Grey long-eared bat * ''

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum The greater horseshoe bat (''Rhinolophus ferrumequinum'') is an insectivorous bat of the genus '' Rhinolophus''. Its distribution covers Europe, Northern Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Asia. It is the largest of the horseshoe bats in Europe an ...

'' – Greater horseshoe bat * '' Rhinolophus hipposideros'' – Lesser horseshoe bat * ''

Vespertilio murinus The parti-coloured bat or rearmouse (''Vespertilio murinus'') is a species of vesper bat that lives in temperate Eurasia, from Western and Southern Europe, eastwards over the Caucasus and Iran into Mongolia, north-east China, Korea, Afghanistan a ...

'' – Parti-coloured bat

Conservation

Exploration

References

External links

Epimenides cave page

''Jaskinie''
(''The Caves'') – Polish speleo magazine

{{Authority control

Caves A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...