Silicka Ladnica Jaskyna

Silicka Ice Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Slovensky Kras, between Rožnava and Plesivec. Slovensky kras, Silicka planina, cadastral area Slavec, district Roznava, Kosicky region. (48°33'46" N, 20°28'02" E)
Open:	Outlook: no restrictions. Cave: after appointment with the Gombasek Show Cave Service.
Fee:	Outlook: free Cave: fee.
Classification:	Karst cave ice cave.
Light:	None. For entrance shaft daylight is sufficient.
Dimension:	L=8,355m, A=503m asl.
Guided tours:	L=1,000m, T=7°C.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Správa Slovenských Jaskýn, Hodžova 11, 031 01 Liptovský Mikuláš, +421-849-5536411, Fax: +421-849-5536311. 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

Description

I had several problems, to decide if this cave is a show cave or not. On one hand, the cave is very fragile and has a very interesting biology. On the other hand, the Slovak Cave Administration lists it as a touristic cave.

Silicka Ladnica Jaskyna is, as the name says, a Speleology ice cave. This means, it has a natural opening to the surface, which works as a cold trap. Cold air is heavier than warm air, and thus flows into the cave. The entrance shaft is 80m deep and has temperatures slightly below zero. Dripping water freezes most of the year and typically does not melt completely in the summer.

This entrance shaft may be visited on an outlook terrace with explanatory texts. It is a stop on a touristic route through the area, prepared by the Slovak Cave Administration. The outlook gives a good vista on the ice formations, which can be seen most of the year.

At the bottom of the shaft the cave gets very narrow, and so the ice shaft and the horizontal cave have little exchange, and the cave behind is called warm. This obviously means, it is not as cold as the ice cave. The temperature is typical for the caves of the area.

The cave is guided too, but only for small groups of physically fit visitors with an appointment. The entrance shaft is slippery because of the ice, and a descend without appropriate gear is very dangerous. The cave passage itself is not very difficult. About 1,000m are visited on those tours.

The warm passage is famous for archaeological finds, but as the cave was accessible, the site was vandalized and archaeological remains stolen. Today the cave is protected by a gate at the bottom of the entrance shaft. This also reduces the interchange between cold and warm part.