It was back during the late Tertiary period when the Tennengebirge mountains were first formed. Known as the Würm glaciation period, much of the Austrian Alps were formed, including that of the Eisriesenwelt cave. With each passing year, as the melting snows trip into the cavern and then froze the following year, the Eisriesenwelt was slowly eroded away over hundreds of thousands of years.

Eisriesenwelt caves, Austria by eisriesenwelt.at

Anton Posselt, who was a scientist from Salzburg back in 1879, is credited with having first discovered the Eisriesenwelt Caverns. Up until this point in time, only the locals in the area knew anything about the cave. It is interesting to note, that Anton Posselt only took the time to explore the first several hundred meters of the cave, as he believed that the cave itself was an entrance to Hell.

It was not until 1912 when further expeditions into the cave would occur. Alexander von Mörk who was a speleologist from Salzburg spent much of the next two years dedicated to mapping out the internals of the cave network. However, as a result of World War I, his expeditions ceased due to the fact that he was killed as a result the bombings.

Eisriesenwelt Caves, Austria by eisriesenwelt.at

Shortly after the end of the First World War, the Eisriesenwelt started to develop into a popular terse destination in the region. As a result, a number of cabins and walking paths up to the cave were constructed. However the more than three decades the only option to access the Eisriesenwelt caves was to walk on foot more than 90 minutes. In 1955 a cable car was constructed in the region, which allow people to access the Eisriesenwelt caves in less than three minutes.

It is important to remember, that the Eisriesenwelt Caves are composed entirely of ice and therefore the temperatures inside are well below freezing level. As a result, it is important to make sure that you bring the proper clothing, no matter what time of year you choose to visit them. At the same time you must keep in mind that flash photography within the caves are strictly prohibited.

Eisriesenwelt Caves, Austria by eisriesenwelt.at

In order to get the most out of your trip to the caves it is important to take the time to sign up to a tour. This will allow you to get the most amount of relevant information about the caves, as well as their formation, and the various monuments and designations that can be found throughout the geological formation.

The caves are closed during the winter and basic admission is €20. For more information check the official site of Eisriesenwelt Caves: eisriesenwelt.at.

Pictures were used upon eisriesenwelt.at approval. Thank you!

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Lamprecht’s Cave by naturgewalten.at

The cave itself is the center of clouded and deep mystery that dates back to the days of the Crusades. According to local legend, the cave was named after a member of the Knights Templar, Knight Lamprecht, who is said to have brought back treasure from the Crusades. Fearing that someone will try to take his treasure, he hid it in the caves.

As the days led on, the Knight grew old and weary and as a result bequeathed his entire treasure to his two daughters equally. However, one of the girls took one part of the treasure for herself and stole the other part that belonged to her sister and hid it deeper in the cave. For centuries, countless people have made their way into the Lamprecht’s Cave in an attempt to find the long-lost treasure that is said to be hidden somewhere deep inside.

Treasure hunters from all over the region would come to the Lamprecht’s Cave in hopes of finding the treasure. As a result, in 1701, the local government decided to prevent access to the cave and built a wall at the cave’s entrance. However, due to the fact that the cave is responsible for drainage of vast amounts of floodwater, the wall eventually fell down.

The cave itself is now easily accessed on foot. For the most part, even though the depth of the Lamprecht’s Cave is more than 1632 meters, the 50 kilometres of caverns that consists of the Lamprecht’s Cave network are easily accessed. However, due to floodwaters it can also be a very dangerous place. Over the years advanced alarm system has been installed within the cave in order to warn any people of potential flooding.

It was back in 1991 and 1998 when 14 tourists along with four cavers were trapped within the cave for a brief period of time as a result of heavy rains. However, although the people are trapped they are not in any real danger as once the floodwaters recede they are able to exit the cave; usually within a day or so.

Due to the fact that the cave is so accessible by foot, it has grown to become one of the most popular caves in all of Europe. One does not have to be a cave expert to traverse the meandering passageways that have been carved out over the millennia by raging floodwaters.

For more information visit naturgewalten.at

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