Peştera Comarnic

Comarnic Cave

Pestera de la Pârâul Ponicova - Cave of the Ponicova Sink

Useful Information

Location:	Comarnic, Muntii Aninei (Mountains of Aninei). From Resita road 58 towards Carasova (-Anina), turn left after 10km to Iabalcea, 5km very rocky road. From Iabalcea two trails to the cave, 1.5h walk. By car only possible with 4WD, forestry road Iabalcea-Comarnic about 6km.
Open:	Summer daily 9-17.
Fee:	Adults ROL 25,000, Children ROL 12,500.
Classification:	Karst cave. Cretacious, Barrem-Apt, Plopa limestones
Light:	Carbide lamps, or bring own electric torches.
Dimension:	L=6203m, HD=102m, A=440m a.s.l., T=8-11°C, H=85-100%.
Guided tours:	D=90-150min, L=2,000m. ( )
Bibliography:	Adrian Iurkiewicz, Silviu Constantin, Bogdan Badescu (1996): Sisteme Carstice Majore din zona Resita-Moldova Noua, Asociatia speologica "Exploratorii" Resita 1996, ISBN 973-0-00314-9
Address:	Cristian Osan, E-mail: . ( ) ASER, Tel/Fax: +40-255-210914, E-mail:
Last update:	$Date: 2008/07/01 20:29:35 $

History


1912		geological description of the cave by Z. Schretér.
1929		speleobiologic research by E. Bokor and R. Jeannel.
1933-1939		mineralogic and palaeontological research by E. Balogh.
1946		declared a natural reserve.
1961		research by L. Botosáneanu, A. Negrea, and St. Negrea.
1965-1969		research by A. Negrea and St. Negrea.
1967		survey by E. Balogh.

Description

Peştera Comarnic is named after the nearby village Comarnic. It is the biggest cave of the Banat, the mountainous area in the south western corner of Romania, north of the Danube.

The cave has three different levels. The upper level, etajul superior is dry, the lower level etajul inferior is an active river cave. The middle level is sometimes flooded at times of high water.

The tour shows most of the upper level, which is rich in speleothems. Only the Sala Virginá is not accessible to the visitors, to protect it from damages.

The Pestera de la pârâul Ponicova is the same cave system but another entrance. The Comarnic entrance is only 200m from the forestry hut, and is used for the cave tours. It is the resurgence of the cave river which sinks at pârâul Ponicova, pârâul is the Romanian word for sink, swallow hole or ponor. The pârâul Ponicova is 3.5km from the Comarnic entrance.

As typical for Romanian caves, there are no regular tours or open hours. Near the cave is a huge building of the forestry service and nearby the small hut of the speleologists. The meadow here is a possibility for camping. In summer there should be a cave guide at the cave every day, normally this is is Jerry aka Romulus Vuia. He speaks French and a little English. After appointment guides fluently speaking German and English are available too.