The ice in the cave would stay all the year round.
The Dobšinská ľadová jaskyňa ice cave ranks among the most valuable natural unique and beauty sites in Slovakia. As to its depth and length, the cave also ranks among the largest ice caves in the world. Its location allows its temperature to stay below the freezing point all year round, and this is the factor that has played a key role in creating its ice decoration over time. Ice is formed in the cave sections where the dropping cold air is piled up in the winter. The air cools the cave and maintains its temperature below the freezing point. Sufficient amount of ground water flow icing-up in the cave is also of importance. The total volume of ice in the cave is estimated at 110 thousand m3, which equals about two million full fuel tanks of standard cars.
The walk up to the cave from the car park in the village of Dobšinská ľadová jaskyňa ice cave takes about 25 minutes, during which one passes the elevation of 130 metres.
Dobšinská ľadová jaskyňa ice cave.
The Dobšinská ľadová jaskyňa ice cave is also associated with the silver screen and with one of the legendary movie fairy tales, Good for Nothing - the Bravest Knight.
The Dobšinská ľadová jaskyňa ice cave is also associated with the silver screen and with one of the legendary movie fairy tales, Good for Nothing - the Bravest Knight). It was shot in the Slovak - German co-production in the year 1982, directed by Martin Ťapák, on the motives of the Slovak folk fairy tale recorded by Pavol Dobšinský.
One may get to the entrance to the cave, called the Ice Hole, along a winding walkway with an elevation of 130 metres. The length of the cave sightseeing route is 515 metres with the elevation of 43 metres, and would take about half an hour. The differences in temperature between the outside environment and the interior of the cave, especially in the summer, pose a burden on the human body. Therefore, it is advisable to relax before entering the cave so that your body may acclimatize itself without any problems. The temperature in the iced parts of the cave moves within the range of -3.9° C up to -0.2° C. It is slightly warmer in the non-iced parts, just above the freezing point, from 0.8° C to 3.5° C.
Until the year 1946, the public was allowed ice skating in the cave.
This is the most visited cave of the Košice region.
Eugen Ruffínyi, the Royal Mining Councillor, penetrated in the lower parts of the cave for the first time in June 1870, and the very next year it was made accessible to the public. In the year 1890, a concert was being performed in the Large Hall in honour of Charles Ludwig of Habsburg.
It is one of the first caves in Europe with electric lighting – it has been installed since 1887.