Cuevas de Artá

Coves de Artá - Cave of Arta


Useful Information

Location: Near Artá, Mallorca. 10 km southeast of Artá, near Playa de Canyamel on the Cap Vermell.
Open: MAY to OCT daily 10-18.
NOV to APR daily 10-17.
[2012]
Fee: Adults EUR 11, Children (0-5) free.
[2012]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave Jurassic limestone.
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: L=450 m, A=35 m asl
Guided tours: L=978 m, D=45 min, in four languages.
Photography: allowed.
[2012]
Accessibility: many stairs, not accessible
Bibliography:  
Address: Carretera de las Cuevas, s/n., Capdepera, Mallorca, Spain, Tel: +34-971-841293. 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

1994 discovery of new parts in the lower level called Inferno.

Description

The cave Cuevas de Artá (cave of Artá) is named after the city Artá, but is located in the small village Canyamel at the Cape Vermel. The entrance is located in the cliff face of the cape, in a very prominent location with a nice view on the sea and the village. The cave entrance is only 35 m above sea level.

This cave was formed by brackish water corrosion, a special form of Explainmixture corrosion. The salt water entering the cracks in the rocks from the sea mixes with the sweet water from the ground water body. Where it mixes the ability of the water to dissolve limestone increases. As a result the cave formation is rather fast along the coast.

The Cuevas de Artá has a huge entrance portal, a long stone staircase leads up to the cave entrance. The cafeteria and ticket office were built inside the huge portal. After entering the cave, the first chamber is called Entrance Hall or Antechamber. A stone staircase leads down to the floor, a trail leads to the next chamber called Pilar Chamber, because of the huge number of stalagmites. At the other end is the passage leading to the Salon de la Reina de las Columnas (Chamber of the Pilar Queen). It was named after the huge, 25 m high stalagmite in the middle. In 1941 a British society tried to buy this stalagmite for GBP 25,000.

The most beautifully decorated chamber is called Hell. It has all kinds of speleothems including stalactites, stalagmites, and draperies. Severeal more chambers are part of the tour, like the Theatre, the Mallorcan Artisans, and the Chamber of the Bells. The last was named after the bell like sound the stalactites here produce, when they are hit with a stick.

The Cuevas de Artá are known for a long time and were used as show caves since the 19th century. The cave was visited by numerous famous people, Jules Verne, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas and Sarah Bernhardt are listed in its guestbook.