Geology - Paleontology
The cave extends over a 300 meter route where the visitor can admire an impressive decoration of stalactites and stalagmites. The temperature inside the cave is kept constant throughout the year, between 16 – 18 ⁰C, while the humidity amounts to 90 %. In order to properly replenish the air, no more than 12 people are allowed to be inside the cave at the same time.
No traces of human presence have been found in the cave, while some paleontological remains have been identified, mainly the bear bones of the caves, aged about 10,000 years . This species lived in Europe during the Pleistocene and later became extinct. Male animals weighed up to half a ton while females weighed 200-250 kg. Their height reached 3 meters in a standing position! Fossilized remains are found almost exclusively in caves, where they probably lived for a longer period of time.
Inside the cave are formed 7 small underground lakes while it is the only cave in Greece with fresh water lakes. It has 10 rooms (the largest with dimensions of 45×17m), 3 bridges (one floating) and 5 tunnels . As the cave continues, to depths inaccessible to the visitor but mapped, the exit of the visitors is through an artificial passage that leads to a corridor, which also functions as an exhibition. There the visitor can be informed about the construction phases and also observe a collection of various photos of the findings.
Outside the dragon's cave and in an idyllic setting next to the lake and imposing plane trees, there is a coffeehouse housed in the renovated old cells of the adjacent small monastery of Agios Nikolaos, where visitors can recuperate after their meeting with the mythical dragon of the cave...
