State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic
Slovak Caves Administration
Located on the south-western edge of the Silická Plateau in the Slovak Karst National Park, close to the state border with Hungary. Cave entrance is on the southern foothill of Domica Hill at elevation of 339 m.
The cave is formed in the Middle Triassic pale Wetterstein limestones of the Silica Nappe along the tectonic faults by corrosive and erosive activities of Styx and Domický Brook and smaller underground tributaries draining waters mainly from the non-karst part of the basin. Horizontal oval passages with ceiling troughs dominate the cave. The passage are in places widened into domes and halls. The passage of Styx gains a character of underground canyon with meanders. Three development levels are situated in a relative lowering of 8 to 12 m. The lowest level is filled up with gravels and loam.
Domica Cave is connected with the Čertova diera Cave – and together they reach the length of 5,358 m. They also form one genetic unit with the Baradla Cave in Hungary with the total length of about 25 km, from which almost one quarter is in the Slovak territory.
The cave is rich in sinter fills, from which the most typical are shields and drums, cascade pools (Roman Spa – Rímske kúpele, Plitvice Lakes – Plitvické jazierka), onion-like stalactites and pagoda-like stalagmites. Also other sinter forms occur in the cave. Air temperature ranges from 10.2 to 11.4°C and relative humidity from 95 to 98 %.
Cave system is an important wintering place for bats. Sixteen bat species were found here by now. Very numerous colony of the Schreiber's Bat (Miniopterus schreibersii) used to hibernate in the Čertova diera locality by 1990 when from unknown reasons disappeared. The Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus euryale) forms some 1,200 – 1,400 members’ colony in the Domica cave. Thick layers of bat excrements – guano can be found in some places. Its chemical reaction with sinter created guano pots. From among the invertebrates a troglophilic beetle Duvalius hungaricus and several rare springtails and spiders occur here. The exceptional multipede of the Typhloiulus genus is with its length of 2,5 cm by now the biggest troglobite in Slovak caves. Also rare palpigrade Eukoenenia spelaea is living in cave as the only known representative of palpigrades (Palpigradida). The troglophilic mite of Gemmazetes cavatica genus was the first time described from the Čertova diera in 1962. Stygobitic blind crustacean Niphargus tatrensis is abundant in the underground Styx stream, where also tiny cave copepods (Copepoda) Diacyclops languidoides, Acanthocyclops venustus and Microcyclops rubellus are living. Frequent winter visitor of cave is also the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra). This amphibian uses the entrance parts of the cave as a refuge in winter. The cave is known by palaeontological findings of cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) skeleton remains.
Show caves – Domica Cave
Dear visitors, we would like to inform you that due to the technical conditions of payment terminals, there may be situations when card payment will not be possible. For this reason, we recommend that you have an adequate amount of cash available if you want to be sure that you will be able to visit the cave. Thank you for understanding.
Dear visitors,
after a longer period we reopen the long tour in the Demänovska Cave of Liberty from the 1st of July 2024. The tour is open once a day at 13:15 from June to August (3 months) and at 13:00 during the rest of the opening days. Number of visitors is limited, the tour is demanding, with many steps and it takes more than one and a half hours. Cave temperature is around 7°C whole year round. We are looking forward to your visit.
