In the southeastern part of Austria within the federal state of Styria, not far from the second largest city of Graz, there is an amazing place - the Lurgrotte karst cave, stretching between the cozy alpine villages of Peggau and Semriach, near which there is the most convenient entrance to this underground world.
Description
This kingdom of stalactites and stalagmites is located at an altitude of 420 m above sea level, and the investigated length of Lurgrotte is about 6 km. It is believed that this cave is the largest in Austria. Many cavers suggest that its length could be much longer.
Considering the fact that limestone predominates in the composition of the rocks of this area, karst processes can cover rather large territories. The temperature regime of this natural object depends little on external factors. Therefore, the temperature here is mostly kept at around 10 degrees.
Expedition
The Lurgrotte Cave was known at the beginning of the 17th century, as evidenced by the images of its entrance on the canvases of the artists of those times. In 1822, the first mentions of Lurgrotte appeared in written publications. Much later, on April 1, 1894, many learned about the cave thanks to the Italian speleologist M. Brunello.
It was on this day that the curious Italian explorer of the underground depths managed to reach the farthest corridors of the cave and to the most impressive chamber of Lurgrotte, called the Great Dome. The members of the expedition led by Brunello made a number of measurements of this huge hall and determined that its length is 120 m, width - 80, and height - 40 meters.
It was later established that the Great Dome is the largest underground hall in Central Europe. Given the importance of the information obtained during the expedition, April 1, 1894 was the date of the official opening of Lurgrotte. At the end of April in the same year, a new expedition of cavers set out to explore in detail the underground galleries discovered by Max Brunello.
No sooner had the members of the expedition had time to admire the bizarre underground structures made of stalactites and stalagmites, than water blocked their way. A flash flood caused a sharp rise in the water level in the underground river, and cavers were unable to get to the surface on their own.
The fact is that the cave river Lurbakh flows through the territory of the cave, the length of which is 6 km underground. It flows into the underground vaults near the settlement of Semriakh, and comes to the surface near Peggau.
The Imperial Engineer Battalion was used to rescue the expedition. The rescue operation lasted nine days and ended successfully for the researchers and rescuers. During this period, all of Europe closely followed the news of the events in Lurgrotte. This, at first glance, an unpleasant event brought widespread fame to the cave. Cavers, scientists, landowners and ordinary people started talking about it.
Natural tunnels
Interest in Lurgrotta grew so much every year that in 1912 a special company was founded to study this natural site. A year after the formation of the company, a drainage adit was equipped to provide access to the cave from Peggau.
As a result of the studies of the underground corridors of Lurgrotte, specialists discovered in 1924 natural connecting tunnels between the settlements of Peggau and Semriakh. In 1935, cavers for the first time managed to overcome the entire underground path between these villages.
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Paths for visitors
In 1937, experts began to equip the entrance to the cave within the Peggau. Twenty years after the start of work, the cave was opened to the general public. Work on strengthening the cave and equipping paths for visitors did not stop, and in 1962, visitors were already offered walks through the underground halls for 5 km.
However, a year later, another flood destroyed the tracks, which were quickly restored. The 1975 flood destroyed the tracks so much that they were completely out of order. Nowadays, the cave can be viewed both from the Peggau side and moving from the Semriakh settlement. From both entrances, the length of the paths for inspection is 2 km.
The mass of visitors to Lurgrotte began to bring considerable profit. Therefore, the territory on which the cave is located was put up for sale at an auction in 1927. Ultimately, the ownership of the underworld passed to the successful merchant Pezzi.
The new owner, Lurgrotte, organized the engineering work for the design of the cave for visitors, and also actively contributed to the construction of a railway in the area.
Underground kingdom
Lurgrotte is a real underworld. Fancy columns formed by stalactites and stalagmites support the arches of numerous corridors and halls. One of these natural wonders is the Wonderful Glade, discovered in the 1920s. Later, a new vault was opened, called the Lion's Way.
It was in this underground gallery that the remains of a predator, once unknown to modern science, were found. Many biologists have suggested that the remains found in Lurgrotta belong to the progenitor of the modern lion.
Cave halls
Each of the halls of the cave is amazing and admirable. It is not for nothing that each of them has its own name. Among all of them, the one hundred-meter Landfall Hall, whose height is 28 meters, evokes a special delight. In addition to the grandiose size of this hall, visitors are amazed by the amazing beauty of corralite flowers on the walls and graceful sintered columns.
Located next to the Cave-in Hall, a small compartment bears the promising name of the Gallery of Hope. Perhaps the stone altars formed by incrustations near the walls resemble a small church in which one can ask the Almighty, hoping to be heard.
A huge porous stone block 13 meters high rises in one of the halls and amazes visitors with its impressive appearance. It is no coincidence that she is called the Giant.
In the huge Big Dome during the summer, you can watch a special sound show accompanied by video images. It is worth noting that this performance is possible only in summer, since many bats hibernate here in winter and should not be disturbed.
In winter, visitors are offered adventure tours through the old sections of the cave. Armed with carbide lamps, each of them during such an excursion feels like a real explorer of underground depths.
Tourists are interested in the Peggauer and Rötelstein rocks, near which scientists have discovered traces of an ancient man.
For the convenience of visitors, the cave is equipped with paths, observation platforms and bridges. Special lighting makes it possible to see all the wonderful underground formations of Lurgrotte and appreciate their extraordinary beauty. From the settlement of Semriakh, railway tracks are laid through the entrance to the cave. Therefore, it is possible to make an underground journey even by train.
By the way, it is in Austria that the famous Benedictine monastery is located. - Have you heard about him? If not, read on the pages of our site.
