The name, given by the people from Baia de Fier, comes from the fact, that in the old times, with frequent wars, when the men were gone to fight, the women and children were hidding in the cave, transformed in a shelter, well protected and undiscovered by the invaders.
The galleries, resulted after the Karstification of the limestones due to the infiltration of the water of the Galbenul river, on the fracture line from NNW to SSE, is about 3600 m and are disposed in 4 levels. The lower level is divided in two sectors: from North (1500 m) and the South (880 m) with a scientific importance, being a speleological reservation and unaccessible for tourists.
The uper level, at 40 m altitude from the valley thalweg, is composed by a horizontal gallery, 573 m long, electrified and arranged for visit, which crosses the limestone band on all its length and at which is added, till the length of 1228 m, a hardly accessible network of galleries.
Entering the Northern access way we arrive after almost 20 m in a zone rich with stlactites on the ceiling making a compact mass of icicles. Under the adorned ceiling is a majestic stalagmitic form which relief are like veritable organ tubes.
Not far from here a gallery is oppening which leads to the Northern sector of the inferior level, but the access is very diffult even for the specialists.
Following the main gallery at the bulb light is seen a sanctuary. At our feet is raising a form (stalagmite) like a Gothic cupola name the Little Dome. On the left is the Altar Hall. One can see the image of a sacrifice in the Blooded Rock a fine emboidery from ferrum oxide flows. Next is a the Cupola, 17 m high, where a bat colony emits a sound like a bell. to the East, after many rocks, there is the Eastern entrance on the abrupt side of Galbenul Gorges.
The main gallery goes further to South where there are many spectacular stalagmites which touched with a hard object makes sounds like an electronical organ. At few meters, in a high and wide hall is restored a bear skeleton (Ursus spelaeus). Follows a zone with many water eye, specially during the Spring. The ceiling is coming menacing lower (less then a meter) and next is a stoned waterflow.
At a few meter in a big hall, the Turk's Hall, is a stalagmitic formation like an Oriental mantle with a fez on the head - the Turk. Here huge stalagmite, domes, ceiling concretions take curious forms named: Odalisque, Santa Claus, BIg Dome, Wounded Hen Hawk etc.
A deviation to the left takes us to the Wonders Hall with an infinity of forms, sizes, coulours. Columns and odd figures make the image unbelievable. Back to the Turk Hall passing through the Gate, one arrive in place where the ceiling is at 80 cm height, and next in the Guano Hall with a network of galeries, reffuge for the cave fauna.
The bats colonies add to the gray ceiling black spots. Excepting the bat spieces - Myotis sp. Miniopterus sp. si Rhinolophus sp. - the cave fauna is composed by myriapods, pseudoscorpions, spiders and many inferior invertebrates.
After the Guano Hall, is a 15 m gallery, where the ceiling is again very low (almost 1 m), "painted" with calcite-apatite, giving it a silvery touch - the Silver Ceiling. Next is the Vaults Hall where the ceiling is high and on semicilindric arches. On the right of this hall is the entrance in the South inferior level which cannot be visited being a scientific resevation (here is the Bears Gallery, because here were found many Ursus spelaeus skeletons. In this cemetery of prehistoric animals were indentified skeleton remains from hyenas, lions, foxes, wild goats, wolves, wild boars; here are also a calcite hall with beautiful veils Woman Veil and the Perle Hall with many natural beauties; arriving to the last leader is the Musterian Hall, where were found cultural objects, proofs of the human life at thousand of years B.C.).
The superior gallery continues with a great hall were is a chimney communicating with the exterior, called the Cave Chimney, probably because of the fire that burned here in the middle of this hall. (source: here)
I think this photo was made by Iulian with my camera.
I'll do something with my eyes. :D
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