MORAVIAN KARST

It is the largest and the most important karst area in the Czech Republic. It’s situated north of Brno and with its area over 100 km2 of Devonian limestones (width 3 - 5 km, length 25 km) is a part of the Drahany Highlands. It’s divided into the northern territory - the Punkva system, the central part - Křtinský and Jedovnický Brooks and the southern territory formed by the Říčka system. This division is from the hydrographic point of view.

PUNKVA CAVES

• They are situated in the northern part of the Moravian Karst in the Canyon of Pustý Žleb in the national natural reservation of the Punkva in the protected landscape area called the Moravian Karst
• They are the spring up branch of the Punkva hydrographic system, the part of the largest and the longest cave system in the Czech Republic - Amateur´s Cave (its length = 33 km). The world-known Macocha Abyss leads into the Punkva Caves. Macocha Abyss is 187,5 m deep, 138,5 m is its dry part.
• Punkva Caves consist of the dry part and the water part. Dry parts were discovered gradually in 1909 - 1914, the water part and its surrounded dry areas were made accessible to tourists in 1920 - 1933, in some parts discoveries still continue.
• The total length of all known passages is 4 km with a denivelation of over 187 m.
• The dry part of the caves has been open to the public already since 1909. The present area of the system has been open to the public since 1933. The boat cruise has been in operation since 1920. The present tourist route is 1250 m long.
• Tour duration - 1 hour.
• Air temperature - 7 -8 °C (46°F)
• Relative humidity - about 99 %

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