Kubach Crystal Cave
The Kubacher Kristallhöhle is one of the few show caves in Hessen (Hesse) and, as the name suggests, a unique cave. However, the term "crystal cave" is exaggerated, and the cave's true specialties are something else. This cave is a massive cleft or cracks in the rock. It was formed along pre-existing tectonic cracks in the rock by the solution of almost standing groundwater, and the walls exhibit impressive corrosive solutional forms. The cave, like the original crack, is tilted about 15 degrees from vertical. The tour's deepest point is nearly 70 m below the surface, and the cave is nearly 30 m high at this point. As a result, this chamber is the highest of any show cave in Germany.
An artificial adit was constructed from the entrance building to the cave's level. The natural cave is entered at the cave's highest point on one end. The path follows the almost straight cleft, descending steadily until it reaches the cave's lowest point at the other end. Visitors return to the entrance via the same route they came in on. Except for one location, the cave has almost no normal speleothems such as stalagmites or stalactites. However, there are a plethora of impressive solutional forms. The preceding description necessitates a technical remark: caves are always difficult to visit; even well-developed show caves have dripping water, slippery paths, dark spots, are cool, and, of course, have steps. As a result, they always necessitate a certain level of physical fitness and footing. The management decided that a warning sign at the cave's entrance was necessary. The cave is not recommended for people who have cardiovascular disease or have difficulty walking. This cave descends 70 meters, and it is obvious that this height must be climbed on the way back.
The cave contains two areas with extraordinary speleothems, including a strange and rare speleothem known as bulbous calcite or cave coral. The first location is right at the cave's entrance in the first chamber. Cave coral covers the walls, which are sometimes flecked with other minerals. The 50 cm borehole and the small group of stalagmites that was discovered first and is the only dripstone formation in the cave are shown here. The second area is a narrow passage in the cave's center, with even more beautiful cave coral filling holes and cracks and making it difficult to find. To find the hidden minerals, we recommend walking slowly and looking up and back. This is one of the main attractions of this cave.
Location: Auf dem Kalk 1, Weilburg/Kubach, Germany
