SLOVAKIA ~ Demänovská Ice Cave - Low Tatras National Park - UNESCO ~

... Great new National Park... stunning view of an underground natural wonder...one of Europe's oldest known caves and the second largest of its kind in the country... its ice filling is about 400-500 years old... the lower part is called the "Freezer" with beautiful icicles and ice waterfalls... Slovakia is full of caves and this ice cave is one of 44 cave systems in this small eastern European country... Big Thanks once more Laco!!【ツ】

Photo: Ing. M. Rengevic
The Demänovská Ice Cave is located in the northern part of the Low Tatras in the Demänovská Valley and was first mentioned in 1299. After the opening of Demänovská jaskyňa Slobody in 1924, interest in this cave declined. It was reopened to the public after the reconstruction of wooden stairs and electrical lighting in 1952, with 680m accessible out of the 1.975m.

In the cave is a long-known find of bones of various animals, including cave bear, which were once considered as dragon bones - that's why the second name of Demanovska ice cave was the Dragon's cave. Ten species of bats live in this cave.

Low Tatras National Park in Central Slovakia is with its area of 728km²  the largest national park in Slovakia and was established in 1978. It is home to some of the most beautiful caves in the country (Demänovská Ice Cave and Demänovská Cave of Liberty).

Since 2000 it has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage list as a part of the Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst site.

Stamps:
Cultural Heritage
(Issued 02-01-2009)

Europa stamp - Astronomy
(Issued 28-05-2009)