The Kungur ice (karst) cave is perhaps the most popular attraction in the Urals. Scientists say: its age is estimated in millennia. About 10-12 thousand years. The cave is being filmed and photographed. The only pity is that ordinary tourists with their unpretentious cameras are unlikely to be able to show off what they saw. The Ice Tale allows itself to be displayed only with the help of special equipment.
The cave stretches over a distance of more than five kilometers. However, tourists, for an overview, are offered only one and a half kilometers. There is no need to grieve about this. Believe me, grottoes containing installations more than compensate for hidden areas.
All the grottoes to which the excursion will invite you have their own special name and unique character. It is asserted by experts that it is necessary to visit the Kungur cave in winter. They are, of course, right. By the way, even before the appearance of refrigerators, the cold that reigned in this cave was used by merchants who traded in meat. Still - the temperature here never rises above +5 degrees Celsius. In February, March, and if the weather conditions are right, then even in April, you can see fantastic ice stalactites, skillfully accentuated and painted with artificial lighting.
By and large, the guests of the cave find themselves in a fairy tale, where they admire the unprecedented beauty of the underground halls. There are quite a few grottoes in the Kungur cave. Each of them is able to charm, shock, stay in memory for a long time.
The most popular grottoes of the Kungur cave are called "Diamond" and "Polar". The first one is unusually beautiful. The ice crystals that cover it resemble sparkling diamonds with their brilliance. The temperature in this grotto may well reach -30!
There is also a grotto called "Seabed" in the ice cave. It is called that for a reason. In ancient times, this place was the Perm Sea! Traditions are maintained even now - the ice hall is illuminated so skillfully that the viewer has a complete feeling of being on a real seabed.
Grotto "Dante" will delight fans of the famous writer. Still - the landscapes of this grotto are so reminiscent of the "Divine Comedy"!
But in the "Cross" grotto you will be greeted by a real mystical story. Someone once installed a wooden cross in these ice. It was rumored that the cross was raised by the Old Believers, who made a refuge here for themselves. This is hardly true, because the climate of the cave is not at all suitable for human habitation.
The tour will take you to the deepest grotto of this cave. It is named "Meteor". The very first installation was once demonstrated there. She demonstrated the fall of a meteorite. Now, on excursions, the lighting in this grotto is completely turned off in order to demonstrate to the visitor the absolute darkness that reigns in the cave. Get ready - not a pleasant feeling. Usually tourists remember it for a long time and do not get tired of retelling their impressions many times.
Separately, it should be said about the underground mirror lakes. This is a very special sight. There are about 70 lakes in the cave. They are also specially illuminated and, what is incredible, these cold lakes are inhabited! They were chosen by the crustaceans Arthropoda.
No, don't listen. The "organ pipes" of the cave do not emit musical sounds. They will only superficially remind those that are really in these organs. In the cave, these are ice mines that connect the grottoes to the surface. The air passes through them and emits a hum, thanks to which the ice pipes have been given such an original, musical name. These pipes are another attraction of these caves. At the same time, they are also technical devices with the help of which the local temperature balance is maintained. They are used as a kind of ventilation holes. In winter, the pipes are opened in order to properly freeze the cave, and in summer they are closed.
The city of Kungur is located in the Perm Territory. It was founded as a merchant town in the 17th century. In the last century, it was awarded the title of the historical city of Russia. Kungur has gained particular popularity due to the fact that it has an extensive karst cave. Nowadays, this cave is a very significant attraction. She is properly cared for. Some visitors claim that motion sensors are installed in the grottoes. The light will not go out here as long as the slightest movement is detected in the cave.
Visitors to karst caves are very partial to stalactites. They are photographed, they are photographed with them as a keepsake. Translated from Greek "stalactite" means "leaked drop by drop." There are a lot of them in the Kungur cave. In fact, any karst cave is composed of stalactites and stalagmites. These ice formations are the main feature of these caves. In order to take a photo of the ice beauties that have flowed down the drop, you better not use ordinary cameras. None of the "soap boxes" are capable of capturing the beauty that you will see here. In pictures taken with a flash, only nondescript semblances of icy wonders will remain. Stalactites and stalagmites are not friends with a flashlight. It is necessary to shoot in the dark and have at least minimal knowledge of professional photographers.
People who are curious and not indifferent become travelers. They, of course, have long known about the splendor of the centuries-old cave in the Urals, and they have either already been there, or dream of visiting. Ancient magic, beauty of underground halls beckons and bewitches the true traveler. Snow caves will plunge into history, generously share their beauty. You will be amazed by the uniqueness and grandeur of the lakes, and the snow diamonds will charm you so much that you will immediately believe in all the tales and legends told by the old-timers. Just dress warmly! It can get very cold here.
