Chýnovská jeskyně

Cave of Chynov


Useful Information

Location: Near Chynov, west of Tabor.
60 km south of Prague.
(49.4295587, 14.8330830)
Open: APR to JUN Tue-Sun 9-15:30.
JUL to AUG Tue-Sun 9-17.
SEP Tue-Sun 9-15:30.
OCT Tue-Sun 10, 12, 14.
[2010]
Fee: Adults CZK 80, Children (6-15) CZK 40, Children (0-5) free, Students CZK 40, Disabled CZK 40, Seniors CZK 60.
Photography Permit CZK 30, Video Permit CZK 100.
[2010]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: L=1200 m, T=7,8 °C.
Guided tours: L=220 m, D=40 min. V=40,000/a [2000]
Photography: allowed, no flash, selfie stick or tripod
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Správa Chýnovská jeskyně, Ing. Karel Drbal, 39156 Chýnov, Tel: +420-381-299034, Fax: +420-381-299034. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

14-JUL-1863 discovered during quarry works.
1868 opened to the public, first Czech show cave.

Description

The cave is located in the side of Pacova hora hill some 3 km north east of Chynov, which is 10 km east of Tábor.

The cave was discovered by quarrying on 14 July 1863. A quarry worker named Vojtech Rytir lost his hammer in a crack in the quarry floor. His foreman, Jan Strnad led a team to find the missing hammer and discovered the cave. A local schoolteacher, Mr Riedl, made a survey of the cave which attracted the attention of two researchers J Krejci and A Fric from the Prague Provincial Museum. They published a revised survey and cave description in 1863 in the journal Ziva.

The quarry with the cave entrance belonged to a peasant called P Juza, he sold it to Joseph Rothbauer's family in 1865. This family opened the cave up to visitors in 1868. His son Antonin and his grandson Vaclav did further work on the cave. They built the entrance buildings and installed electric lighting. The brothers Homola made some new discoveries in 1940 and more discoveries were made by cave divers in 1985.


Text by Tony Oldham (2002). With kind permission.

Chýnovská jeskyně is not a decorated cave. Its a river cave showing impressive colours and the geological features of the rocks. The cave is formed in a white, yellow and brown marble which has sometimes dark amphibolite fillings.

The change between marble and amphibolite, with their different ability to resist weathering, produced circular shapes, which make the typical character of the cave.


Chýnovská jeskyně Gallery