| Location: |
In a pine forest called Tanneben near Semiarch in the Steiermark (Styria).
Right beside the federal highway between Bruck/Mur and Graz.
5 min walk to the cave entrance.
25km north of Graz.
|
| Open: |
15-APR to OCT daily 10-16.
Main tours at 11, 14, 15:30.
Other times as needed.
NOV to 14-APR Sat, Sun, Hol 11, 14.
Erlebnisführungen (adventure tours): per person EUR 12.
Tours only for 5+ visitors.
|
| Fee: |
Adults EUR 5, Children EUR 3, Students EUR 4.50.
Groups (20+): Adults EUR 4.50, Children EUR 2.50, Students EUR 2.50.
|
| Classification: |
 Karst cave,
river cave
|
| Light: |
electric.
|
| Dimension: |
L=6,000m, T=10°C, A=640m asl.
|
| Guided tours: |
D=70min.
Erlebnisführungen (adventure tours): D=3h.
|
| Bibliography: |
Anon (1994):
Festschrift Lurgrotte 1894-1994,
332 pp 82 B&W & 14 colour photos 4 surveys.
In 1894 this cave became world famous when 7 cavers were
trapped underground for a week by a flash flood. This book tells the
story of the rescue with excerpts and photos from old news papers,
diaries etc. The history of exploration, geology and hydrology, flora
and fauna etc are all covered in this detailed monograph. Trevor Shaw
describes some early cave "Stamps" sold to raise funds for exploration
work. Nicely produced on art paper SB
( )
|
| Address: |
Gasthaus Schinnerl, A-8102 Semriach, Tel/Fax: +43-3127-8319.
E-mail: 
Lurgrotte Semriach, Familie Schinnerl, Gleinalmsts. 75, A-8102 Semriach, Tel: +43-3125-2218.
|
| Last update: | $Date: 2007/11/19 21:30:05 $ |
| | |
| 1601 | first picture of the cave entrance. |
| 1822 | first mentioned. |
| 01-APR-1894 | Max Brunello, an Italian speleologist, explored the Semriach entrance of the cave. |
| 1894 | seven cavers trapped underground for a week by a flash flood. |
| 1895 | first guided tours. |
| 29-APR-1896 | six cave explorers were trapped inside the cave by a flood. |
| 1912 | Lurgrottengesellschaft, a company to develop the cave, founded. |
| 1913 | drainage adit provided access from Peggau. |
| 1924 | the link between the Peggau an Semriach part was discovered. |
| 1935 | first through-trip through both parts, Peggau and Semriach, by J. Gangl and 15 other cavers. |
| 1962 | cave through tour with a length of 5km developed and opened to the public. |
| 1963 | a flood destroyed the paths, which were soon repaired. |
| 1975 | once again, a flood damaged the paths, this time the paths were not restored. |
The Lurgrotte cave is Austria's largest and most beautiful stalagtite cave.
It is a through cave and an active river cave.
The water of the Lurbach enters the cave near Semriach at 640m asl and
leaves at an resurgence near Peggau at 400m asl.
The cave system in between is 6km long.
On both sides of the cave is a show cave.
The description on this page is mainly for the Semriach part.
Near Semriach a huge entrance leads into the cave, which beacme famous in 1894.
Seven cave explorers were trapped inside the cave by high water.
The Imperial Engineering Battalion was sent to free them.
The European public held their breath for nine days and the papers only reported
about the Lurgrotte cave.
This event boosted the development of the cave, as it was well known from now
on.
The Semriach part of the Lurgrotte shows an active river cave, as the Lurbach
enters the cave at the portal.
But soon it vanishes and the cave shows numerous speleothems, which are
apparently named with phantastic names.
The most impressive point of the tour is the Großer Dom (Big Dome) which
is the biggest chamber of the cave, 120m long, 80m wide and 40m high.
It is said to be one of the biggest chambers of Central Europe.
A summer highlight is the multivision show in the big dome.
Sound and vision fills the huge chamber.
In winter this show is not possible, as it would disturb hibernating bats.
The winter highlight are Erlebnisführungen (adventure tours) which are made with carbide lamps on old parts of the show cave.
This paths are less good developed, but still easy to visit.
This part of the cave was originally developed as a show cave, but the paths were partly destroyed by floods and so it is not part of the regular tour any more.
