Harmanecka Cave

Harmanecká Cave, also known as Harmanec Cave, is a stalactite cave located in Central Slovakia. This is one of the most beautiful caves in Slovakia. It is situated on the northern side of the Kotolnica massif in the Staré Hory and Kremnica mountain ranges, as well as to the south of the Veká Fatra mountains. Harmanec and Doln Harmanec are the closest localities, and Banská Bystrica is about 16 kilometers south of the cave. It is made up of 220 million-year-old dark-grey Gutenstein limestone from the Middle Triassic period. The cave's entrance is located at an elevation of 821 meters, 260 meters above the Harmanec valley's bottom. Over 2,700 meters of underground corridors have been uncovered so far, although only 720 meters are available to the public. The air temperature ranges from 5.8 to 6.4 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels range from 92 to 94 percent.

Locals had long known where the cave's entrance was. They named it Izbica because they utilized it as a shelter during terrible weather. Michal Bacrik, an 18-year-old, was the first to locate the cave on June 22, 1932. He discovered a narrow fissure to the cave itself while making a careful examination of the entrance. He saw a strong draft and bats flying in and out via this fissure. As a result, he assumed the cave spaces were behind this crack. The entrance door to today's cave is placed here. He was able to enter the cave's first sections after two weeks of excavating. Other parts of the cave were soon discovered by the speleologists. In 1950, the cave was opened to the public, and it was designated as a national monument in 1972.

Many different creatures survive in these locations because of the safety, constant temperature, and ideal humidity. Bats are the most common creatures. During the winter, they hibernate in the cave and survive on the fat stored beneath their skin. So far, ten bat species have been documented in the Harmanec cave. The Greater Mouse-Eared bat and the Lesser Mouse-Eared bat are the two most prevalent species. They may form large groups of up to 1200 people. These subsurface habitats are also home to invertebrates.

Address: Harmanecká jaskyňa, 976 03 Dolný Harmanec, Slovakia