Sites
Býčí skála Cave
Wikipedia data hasn't been reviewed for accuracy by the Gignos Research Team
- Site type:
- Cave
- Lat/Long:
- 49.3, 16.69
- Country:
- Czech Republic
Býčí skála Cave (in Czech Býčí skála, in German Stierfelsen, in English The Bull Rock Cave) is part of the second longest cave system in Moravia, Czech Republic. It is also famous for archaeological discoveries. Except for the entrance, the cave is not accessible to the public, although occasionally it is opened for visitors.
The cave is in the central part of the Moravian Karst, in the Josefovské Valley (Josefovské údolí) between the town of Adamov and the village of Křtiny. Together with the cave system Rudické propadání Býčí skála forms the second longest cave system in the country, after the Amatérská Cave. Its known length is over 13 km.
The entrance to the cave was always known locally, with the first written mention coming from 1669. The cave was visited by two European monarchs: on 7.9.1804 the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II and on another occasion Alois I, Prince of Liechtenstein. During 1867-1873, the part named Předsíně was explored by the archaeologist Jindřich Wankel, who discovered a Palaeolithic settlement from around 100,000 - 10,000 BCE. Later, a statuette of a bronze bull was found, and starting in 1872 a large Hallstatt culture site had been excavated. The site contained animal and material offerings, crops, textiles, ceramic and sheet-metal vessels, jewelry, glass and amber beads.