Aisrisenvelt - a cave from a winter fairy tale

On the planet Earth, there are many amazing places created by nature that look like magical worlds. There is such a place in Austria. This is the realm of ice and snow - Aisrisenwelt, a cave resembling the possession of the Snow Queen. Every year thousands of tourists come to this amazing place to see the fabulous beauty.

Geographical information

Is Eisrisenvelt (cave) in the Alps, near the town of Verfen, which is 40 km south of Salzburg. The length of the cave is more than 42 km. For visitors only the first kilometer is open, which is covered with ice and snow. Further, the Eisrisenwelt Cave is made up of limestone, and professional speleologists work in it, and this place is closed for untrained tourists. This is the largest system of ice caves that are open for access. It is located at an altitude of 1641 m. According to the estimates of the researchers, Eisrizenwelt consists of 30 thousand cubic meters of ice.

River Creator

Ice caves Aisrisenvelt - the result of thousands of years of work of the river Salzach. Millions of years ago, the river was on the surface of the earth. But after years she washed the underwater channel in soft limy rocks and is now under the ground. For a long time and to this day, water with the onset of warm days seeped through the rocks. When moisture penetrated to colder horizons, it freezed, and over time, fanciful shapes of shapes and amazing formations inside the cave were formed.

Several entrances lead into the interior. Therefore, the air circulates freely here. Warm currents of it complete the work of the cold, changing the shape of the ice. Therefore, every visit to the ice cave will not be similar to the previous one.

Opening of the cave

Interesting and the history of discovery and study of a place called Aisrisenvelt. The cave was opened in the middle of the XIX century. About it knew the hunters and poachers who traded here. But the locals bypassed it, considering a dangerous place a gateway to hell. The first researcher who ventured into the cave is an Austrian naturalist who lived in Salzburg. His name is Anton von Posselt. It was he who in 1879 made his way almost 200 meters deep into the cave. A year later, in one of the magazines for mountaineers, he published a detailed account of his discovery. But then the publication did not attract the attention of a large circle of scientists and researchers, the cave was forgotten for 22 years.

In 1912, speleologist Alexander von Merck, enthusiastic about the idea of studying Eisrizenwelt, arrived in Verfen. He conducted a series of expeditions, compiled a plan for the cave Aisrisenwelt. But the further investigation was prevented by the first World War that broke out. Von Merck was mobilized to the front, where he was killed. According to his will, the explorers' friends and associates established an urn with his ashes in one of the ice halls of the cave.

But the study of the ice kingdom continued, and attention to it grew year by year. In 1920, the first tourist route to the cave was laid, and a string of travelers was reached. The glory of the miracle of nature spread quickly, and the number of those wishing to see this wonder grew year by year. Today, the number of visitors is 200 thousand people per year.

Ice Kingdom

The journey to the icy realm begins at the entrance to the cave. Each of the halls and elements of the cave has its name. So, the first is named in honor of the discoverer of the hall of Posselt, and the huge stalagmite in the center is the tower of Posselt. At the end of the hall you can see an ashy cross - this is the mark of the first researcher, who designated the place to which he reached on his expedition.

Then you have a view of the Great Ice Embankment - this 25-meter ice formation. The next point of the excursion is the castle of Khimir, bearing the name of a giant from Norwegian fairy tales. Immediately you can admire the accumulation of giant icicles, called Ice organ. After walking a little more, the visitors get to the von Merke Cathedral, in which the urn with the ashes of a brave speleologist rests. And the final stage of the excursion is a visit to the Ice Palace, a wonderful hall, which conquers with its unreal beauty. The Ice Palace is 400 meters underground and about a kilometer from the entrance. Here the tour ends, and visitors return to the entrance.

When can I visit Eisrizenwelt?

For tourists, a wonderful cave is open in May, June, September and October from 8 to 15 hours. In July and August - from 8 to 16:30. In the winter, excursions are not held, the entrance for visitors is closed due to the fact that there is a high probability of avalanches.

The cable car leads to the cave, the climb takes only 3 minutes one way. The travel on it is included in the ticket price. Those wishing to walk can walk along the path leading straight to the entrance to Eisrizenwelt. The cave, however, is far from the ticket office, the journey will take an average of 90 minutes. But this time flies by unnoticed, because on the road you can admire the picturesque mountain views and breathe fresh air.

A few tips for visitors

Despite the fact that the excursions are conducted only in the warm season, it should be remembered that inside the cave the air temperature does not rise above 0 ° C. Therefore, going on a trip, you should wear a warm jacket, comfortable shoes that do not slip on the ice, and gloves. Differences in heights inside the cave are significant, during the excursion you will have to climb and descend the stairs with cold metal rails.

It's worth taking a thermos of hot tea and sandwiches. After an impressive excursion in the realm of cold, a brutal appetite is played out.

All who visited the excursion shared their impressions of the fabulous beauty of the underground miracle and left feedback on the difficulty of the route in the cave of Aisrisenwelt. This is a journey for those who are not afraid of difficulties and are ready for trials for the sake of meeting with the beautiful.