Griffener Tropfsteinhöhle

Griffen Dripstone Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Griffen, Kärnten. A2 Wien-Klagenfurt, exit Griffen. The entrance is only 60 m from the marketplace, at the foot of the castle mountain.
Open:	MAY-JUN daily 9-12, 13-17. JUL-AUG daily 9-17, Tue, Thu at 20:30. SEP daily 9-12, 13-17. OCT daily 10-11, 13-16. Tours on the full hour, 5 pers. minimum, 20 pers. maximum. [2002]
Fee:	Foto permit: ATS 10. Holders of Kärnten-Card free!
Classification:	Karst cave Triassic limestone.
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	A=485 m asl.
Guided tours:	D=30min
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:	Friedrich Hans Ucik (1990): Führer durch die Tropfsteinhöhle im Griffener Schlossberg, (mit Beiträgen von Erwin Graze, Günther Körner, Walter Leitner) Verlag Verschönerungsvereins Markt Griffen, Klagenfurt 1990, 38 Seiten, 8 Farbfotos. (2. überarbeitete Auflage).
Address:	Verschönerungsverein Tropfsteinhöhle, Harald Deutsch - Werner Fischer, 9112 Griffen 53, Tel: +43-4233-2029, +43-4233-3232, +43-4233-3031. E-mail: Marktgemeindeamt Griffen, 9112 Griffen 86, Tel: +43-4233-2247-0, Fax: +43-4233-2247-32.
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

1945	discovered in the last months of World War II, in search for an air-raid shelter.
1956	opened to the public.
13-MAR-1957	declared a Naturdenkmal (natural monument).

Description

Griffen Dripstone Cave is called Austrias most coloured cave! It is located in the Schloßberg (castle mountain), the southern outcrop of the Saualpe. This huge limestone rock got its name from the former castle, now a ruin, on its top.

Two fireplaces and tools show that this cave was visited by stone age man. The remains allowed the reconstruction how man lived 20.000 to 30.000 years ago in this area. The bones of cave bear, cave hyaena, cave lion, mammoth and many other animals were found.

This cave was the only show cave in Kärten for a long time, until the Showcave Obir Tropfsteinhöhlen were opened in 1991.