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Geotourism Potential of Show Caves in Poland

Artur Zieliński
Artur Zieliński
, 
Aneta Marek
Aneta Marek
 oraz 
Zbigniew Zwoliński
Zbigniew Zwoliński
   | 09 wrz 2022
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Data publikacji: 09 wrz 2022
Zakres stron: 169 - 181
Otrzymano: 10 mar 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14746/quageo-2022-0032
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© 2022 Artur Zieliński et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1

Location of show caves on the digital elevation model of Poland.
Location of show caves on the digital elevation model of Poland.

Fig. 2

Mechowo Caves’ entrance hole is formed by characteristic columns (photo: A.Marek 2021).
Mechowo Caves’ entrance hole is formed by characteristic columns (photo: A.Marek 2021).

Fig. 3

The Łokietek's Cave. A – Model 3D and dimensions of chambers and passages; B – Isometric projection of a section of the Knights’ Hall; projection composed of 357 terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) images; (Curtesy P. Wężyk – Laboratory of Geomatics, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture in Kraków)
The Łokietek's Cave. A – Model 3D and dimensions of chambers and passages; B – Isometric projection of a section of the Knights’ Hall; projection composed of 357 terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) images; (Curtesy P. Wężyk – Laboratory of Geomatics, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture in Kraków)

Fig. 4

Entrance pavilion of Bear Cave (photo A.Marek 2021).
Entrance pavilion of Bear Cave (photo A.Marek 2021).

Fig. 5

White Passage (fractured corridor) in the Mroźna Cave (photo Zb.Zwoliński 2016).
White Passage (fractured corridor) in the Mroźna Cave (photo Zb.Zwoliński 2016).

Fig. 6

Visitor numbers in six most popular Polish caves during 2015–2020.
Visitor numbers in six most popular Polish caves during 2015–2020.

Fig. 7

Numbers of visitors to less popular Polish caves during 2015–2020.
Numbers of visitors to less popular Polish caves during 2015–2020.

Fig. 8

Speleothems in the Niedźwiedzia Cave, the most attractive show cave in Poland (photo Zb.Zwoliński 2022).
Speleothems in the Niedźwiedzia Cave, the most attractive show cave in Poland (photo Zb.Zwoliński 2022).

Assigned scores for cave attraction features.

Score Environmental values Geohistorical–geoarcheological–geocultural values Touristic values
(Representativeness, Rarity, Scenic-aesthetic)
Entrance altitude Total length Denivelation Clastic sediments Speleothems Fauna Settlement, human presence Accessible length Artificial path Entrance fee*
[m a.s.l.] [m] [N – none, R – rare, S – small, M – moderate, B – big amount] [m] [N – no, P – partly, Y – yes] [PLN]
0 0–100 0 0–10 N N N N 0 N 0
1 100–300 0–250 10–20 R R R R 0–100 – 30–…
2 300–600 250–500 20–40 S S S S 100–200 P 20–30
3 600–1000 500–1000 40–100 M M M M 200–500 – 10–20
4 1000–… 1000–… 100–… B B B B 500–… Y 0–10

Main attractive features of show caves in Poland.

Cave name Environmental values Geohistorical–geoarcheological–geocultural values Touristic values
(Representativeness, Rarity, Scenic-aesthetic)
Entrance altitude* Total length Denivelation Clastic sediments Speleothems Fauna Settlement, human presence Accessible length Artificial path Entrance fee**
[m a.s.l.] [m] [N – none, R – rare, S – small, M – moderate, B – big amount] [m] [N – no, P – partly, Y – yes] [PLN]
Mechowo Caves 56 61 0 R N R R 31 N 3/2
Kadzielnia Caves (Odkrywców, Prochownia, Szczelina) 257 392 23 S S M N 140 Y 15/10
Raj Cave 250 240 9.5 M B B B 180 Y 25/20
Głęboka Cave 365 190 16.5 M S M N 170 Y 15/12
Ciemna Cave 372 209 10 S S M B 130 P 14/7
Wierzchowska Górna Cave 390 975 25 M M M B 700 P 20/16
Łokietek's Cave 453 320 7 B N M B 270 N 26/13
Nietoperzowa Cave 439 891 52 B N M B 300 P 15/10
Smocza Jama 205 270 15 N N R M 81 Y 7
Radochowska Cave 453 501 30 S R M N 300 P 25/20
Niedźwiedzia Cave 800 4500 118 M B B R 700 Y 32/25
Mroźna Cave 1112 773 41.5 S S M N 511 P 14/7

Show caves according to the order in which the caves are made available to tourists.

No. Year of tourist availability Cave name Physiographic Region Geographical coordinates
1 1842 Smocza Jama Silesian-Kraków Upland 50°03′11.54″, 19°56′01.36″
2 1870 Wierzchowska Górna Cave Silesian-Kraków Upland 50°10′29.90″, 19°48′24.30″
3 1910 Mechowo Cave Polish Lowland 54°42′48.65″, 18°17′04.80″
4 1935 Radochowska Cave Sudetes Mts. 50°21′32.28″, 16°49′03.86″
5 1953 Mroźna Cave Tatry Mts. 49°14′58.90″, 19°52′01.90″
6 1972 Raj Cave Holy Cross Mts. 50°49′31.00″, 20°29′57.00″
7 1983 Niedźwiedzia Cave Sudetes Mts. 50°14′04.26″, 16°50′36.65″
8 1987 Łokietek's Cave Silesian-Kraków Upland 50°12′06.10″, 19°49′07.56″
9 1992 Ciemna Cave Silesian-Kraków Upland 50°11′48.95″, 19°49′54.29″
10 1994 Nietoperzowa Cave Silesian-Kraków Upland 50°11′38.33″, 19°46′28.24″
11 2005 Głęboka Cave Silesian-Kraków Upland 50°34′23.00″, 19°31′44.00″
12 2012 Kadzielnia Cave Holy Cross Mts. 50°51′42.00″, 20°37′07.00″

Results of the assessment of the attractiveness as geosites of show caves in Poland.

Rank Cave name Total score
1 Niedźwiedzia Cave 32
2 Wierzchowska Górna Cave 29
3 Nietoperzowa Cave 27
4 Mroźna Cave 26
5 Raj Cave 25
6 Łokietek's Cave 22
7 Głęboka Cave 21
8 Kadzielnia Caves 21
9 Ciemna Cave 20
10 Radochowska Cave 20
11 Smocza Jama 17
12 Mechowo Caves 9
eISSN:
2081-6383
Język:
Angielski
Częstotliwość wydawania:
4 razy w roku
Dziedziny czasopisma:
Geosciences, Geography
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