Getting cold at the Dobšinská Ice Cave, Slovakia

*WS 120: getting cold at the Dobšinská Ice Cave, Slovakia*

The cave is some 30 km south of Poprad, at the foot of the High Tatra Mountains in northern Slovakia. It is the biggest one within a group of ice caves in Slovakia recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The cave is a giant cavity up to 70 m depth from the entrance. Most part of it is filled with glacier, in some places up to the ceiling. In other areas the ice occurs as columns, ground ice, stalagmites, etc. 

The cave floor descends downwards from the entrance which faces north, this means the cave is rapidly cooled during winter from the cold air from the north. The average year round temperature is just below zero degree, about 0 in summer and -4 in winter. The total length of the cave is near to 1.5 km, about a third open to the public.  

We were here in 2015. The main attraction is called the Great Hall where the depth of the ice is about 27 m. The 1st photo shows the access into the main hall. Others show the ice in many forms.