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The Macocha Abyss, also known as the Macocha Gorge, is a
The abyss is long and wide. It is deep to the surface of Dolní Lake. Below the surface of Dolní Lake are other underground spaces, so far explored to a total depth of . The dimensions of the abyss allow for its overall daylight and therefore it is classified in the "light hole" abyss category.
At the beginning of the Pustý Žleb (Desolate Canyon), below the town of Sloup, the waters of the Sloupský Brook, one of the tributaries of the subterranean river Punkva, helped to form an extensive system of underground passages, domes and abysses, measuring approximately 6,500 meters, known as the Sloupsko-šošůvské jeskyně (Sloup- Šošůvka Caves). At 3,000 meters long the viewing circuit is the longest underground trail open to the public in the Czech Republic.
Information on ShowCaves.com
{{Authority control Caves of the Czech Republic Blansko District Geography of the South Moravian Region Sinkholes of the Czech Republic
The Macocha Abyss, also known as the Macocha Gorge, is a sinkhole
A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. The term is sometimes used to refer to doline, enclosed depressions that are locally also known as ''vrtače'' and shakeholes, and to openi ...
in the Moravian Karst
The Moravian Karst ( cs, Moravský kras) is a karst landscape and protected landscape area to the north of Brno in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It encompasses a number of notable geological features, including roughly 1100 cav ...
cave system of the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. The sinkhole is deep, which makes it the deepest of its kind (light hole type) in Central Europe
Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the a ...
. It is a popular tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement.
Types
Places of natural ...
for casual visitors to the region, in addition to caver
Caving – also known as spelunking in the United States and Canada and potholing in the United Kingdom and Ireland – is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems (as distinguished from show caves). In contrast, speleology i ...
s and advanced technical divers.
Location
Macocha Abyss is located in the Vilémovice municipality in theSouth Moravian Region
The South Moravian Region ( cs, Jihomoravský kraj; , ; sk, Juhomoravský kraj) is an administrative unit () of the Czech Republic, located in the south-western part of its historical region of Moravia (an exception is Jobova Lhota which trad ...
, north of the city of Brno
Brno ( , ; german: Brünn ) is a city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers, Brno has about 380,000 inhabitants, making it the second-largest city in the Czech Republic ...
. It is part of the Punkva Caves and the Punkva River
Punkva is a long river in South Moravia, Czech Republic. It is a Subterranean river in the Moravian Karst and a left tributary of the Svitava. It is the longest underground river in the Czech Republic.
The river forms underground as a confluen ...
flows through it.
Description
The abyss is long and wide. It is deep to the surface of Dolní Lake. Below the surface of Dolní Lake are other underground spaces, so far explored to a total depth of . The dimensions of the abyss allow for its overall daylight and therefore it is classified in the "light hole" abyss category.
At the beginning of the Pustý Žleb (Desolate Canyon), below the town of Sloup, the waters of the Sloupský Brook, one of the tributaries of the subterranean river Punkva, helped to form an extensive system of underground passages, domes and abysses, measuring approximately 6,500 meters, known as the Sloupsko-šošůvské jeskyně (Sloup- Šošůvka Caves). At 3,000 meters long the viewing circuit is the longest underground trail open to the public in the Czech Republic.
Etymology
The name Macocha is derived from ''macecha'', i.e. "stepmother". According to a popularfolk story
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging fro ...
, the abyss got its name after an evil stepmother who married a widowed farmer from a nearby village. The farmer had a son whom she accepted until she gave birth to her own son. Knowing her child wouldn't inherit anything, she decided to lure her step-son to the abyss and throw him into it. Once she realized what she's done, she decided to end her own life by jumping into the very same abyss. Surprisingly, her step-son survived and was eventually saved by his father and other villagers. Another version of the story says that the step-mother didn't commit suicide but was in fact thrown into the abyss after the villagers learnt what she's done to her step-son.
See also
*Karst
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, Dolomite (rock), dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathe ...
References
External links
*Information on ShowCaves.com
{{Authority control Caves of the Czech Republic Blansko District Geography of the South Moravian Region Sinkholes of the Czech Republic