Javoříčko (Javoříčské) Caves - Characteristics
JAVOŘÍČKO KARST
It is situated in the northern part of the Drahanská Highlands. Surface and underground karst phenomena with complex hydrographic conditions are developed here in discontinuous bands of Devonian limestones.
JAVOŘÍČKO CAVES
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They are situated under the Špraněk Hill near the villages of Javoříčko and Březina in picturesque landscape dominated by Bouzov Castle;
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It is a complicated complex of huge chambers, passages, abysses and joints created at several height levels;
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The part called the Holy Hole and the Zátvořice Abyss have been known for many years. The first written record of this underground area is from an anonymous author and dates from 1873. The majority of the cave system was discovered much later, in 1938, by a team led by the game warden Vilém Švec. Other parts were gradually discovered up to the present time by various amateur and professional speleologists. The areas of the Javoříčko Caves have been open to the public since 1938;
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The total length of all the corridors known today is over 4 kilometres with denivelation of over 60 m. The cave route is 450/800 metres long;
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The Javoříčko Caves are unique with their gorgeous, well-preserved and various dripstone decoration. They are one of the most beautiful caves in the Czech Republic;
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Tour duration: 40/60 minutes;
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Air temperature: 7–8 °C, relative humidity: ca. 99 %.
PARTS OF THE JAVOŘÍČKO CAVES INACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC
The tour routes do not lead through many parts of the Javoříčko Caves system. Frequently, they are a confusing tangle of so far unmapped corridors, chambers and joints which are difficult to access. The complex set of abysses – Lví jáma, Vlčí jáma and Medvědí jáma – which were mapped in detail by a professional speleological group of the Homeland Studies Museum Olomouc in the fifties, form an exception. The most significant discoveries of amateur cave explorers include penetrating the area behind Závrtový dóm (Doline Dome) in the Jeskyně míru Caves. In 1983–1984 two huge chambers were discovered. The latter of them – the Olomouc Dome – is more than 100 metres long and is the largest ever discovered in the Javoříčko Caves. It ends up in a massive impenetrable cave-in. The process of documentation and exploration works in the whole system of the Javoříčko Caves indicates the possibility of some other so far undiscovered areas. It is likely that new areas await discovery not only on the upper but also on the lower floors of the caves where levels with an underground stream can be expected.