Javoříčské jeskyně

Javoricko Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Javoříčko, 783 24 Slavětín u Litovle. In the village of Javoricko, (49.6697569, 16.9111621)
Open:	JAN to MAR Mon-Fri 10, 13. APR to JUN Tue-Sun 9-16. JUL to AUG Tue-Sun 9-16:30. SEP Tue-Sun 9-16. OCT Tue-Sun 9-15. NOV Mon-Fri 10, 13. Online booking available. [2025]
Fee:	Short tour: Adults CZK 210, Children (3-15) CZK 110, Children (0-2) free, Students (-25) CZK 180, Disabled CZK 180, Seniors (65+) CZK 180. Long Tour: Adults CZK 190, Children (3-15) CZK 100, Children (0-2) free, Students (-25) CZK 160, Disabled CZK 160, Seniors (65+) CZK 160. [2025]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	L=3500 m, T=8 °C.
Guided tours:	Short tour: L=360 m, D=40 min, St=236. Long Tour: L=788 m, D=60 min, St=214. V=60,000/a [2000] V=45,000/a [2023]
Photography:	allowed, no flash, selfie stick or tripod
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Správa Javoříčské jeskyně, Ing. Martin Koudelka, 78324 Slavětín u Litovle, Tel: +420-585-345451, Tel: +420-730 575 924. E-mail:
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

1937	discovered by Vilem Svec.
14-APR-1938	exploration of the Objevná cesta (Trail of Discovery).
15-MAY-1938	opened for the public.
1961	show cave extended.

Description

Situated in the side of the wooded hill called Spranek, and near to the picturesque castle of Bouzov. It is 1 km southwest of the village of Javoricko, called the Moravian Lidice which was destroyed by the Nazis in 1945.

This is a large cave system on three levels. The largest of several huge domes, Dom Gigantu is 56 m long, 34 m wide and 18 m high. The spacious passages display an unusually sumptuous collection of speleothems ranging from delicate straw stalactites to gigantic stalactites, curtains, snow-white and reddish rimstone pools with cave pearls and other formations. The Javoricko Caves are described as being the most beautiful in Czech Republic.

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

Tony’s description is still valid, though it is necessary to add a few details after 20 years. The hill consists of Devonian limestone, the cave was formed by the underground Špraněk river, named after the hill. The cave was discovered by the local game warden Vilém Švec in 1937. He had dug with other men at the bottom of Svěcená díra (Holy Hole), a small cave which had been known for a long time. After six weeks of work they found a vertical shaft and descended 27 m where they reached a horizontal passage. One year later they explored the lower floor in a several-hour tour. Shortly after the cave was opened to the public, after trails had been built. Exploration continued in the 1950s and several sections of the upper floors were discovered. The show cave was extended to include the newly discovered passages, and the long tour was opened in 1961. At the end over 3.5 km were surveyed, 788 m have been developed as show caves.

Through the entrance the Debris Dome with an area of 2,000 m² is reached, famous for its rich speleothems. Down the Lion Abyss and along a beautifully decorated high passage the impressive Dome of Giants with his 6 m tall stalagmites is reached. Further on the short tour ends and the cave is exited. The rest of the long tour has no more chambers, it’s a series of straight and winding passages, shows strange speleothems, calcite crystals, helictites, scallops and dome pits. At the end there is a rather long artificial tunnel.

As already mentioned the village Javoříčko after which the cave was named, was destroyed during World War II. There is again a hamlet of that name with about 15 houses, but also a large parking lot and a sort of park with a memorial for the events during the war. Known as Památník obětí druhé světové války v Javoříčku (Memorial to the victims of the Second World War in Javoříčko), it is not only a monument of this mad war, it is also a monument of the socialist era monument design, which actually uses a very similar form of heroism and patheticism as the Nazi monuments. The fact that the trail from the parking lot to the cave entrance crosses the park is obviously intended. It’s a 900 m/15 minutes walk with an elevation gain of 70 m to the cave entrance in the forest on the hillside. The entrance was modernized lately and has ticket office, toilets, a small exhibition, a kiosk and some benches for the visitors who wait for the beginning of the tour.