At the eastern end of Mount Parnon, in a green landscape with high peaks and ravines that fades into the Malea cape, is the cave of Kastania. Rich in density and variety of shapes, colors and forms, it ranks second in its kind in all of Europe. It took nature three million years to create its incomparable stone decoration and to shape bodies and forms of an unspeakable imagination. Between the red and white "waterfalls", the gigantic multi-shaped columns, nest "octopus", "corals" and monumental creatures. Rare occurrences such as discs, flat stalagmites, eccentrics and helictites have their special place in the cave and are important stops on the tour. With a bit of luck, you might meet a noble resident of the cave, the blind and deaf dolichopod. The wider area of the cave is dominated by alpine formations with the units "phyllite-chalazite" and "Tripole". Within Jurassic limestones (195-145 million years old) of the "Tripoli" unit, speleogenesis took place 3 million years ago, after a period of geological upheaval, which was followed by an active period of trickle flow and creation of chemical sediments. The stone decoration consists of calcium carbonate in crystalline form enriched with underground metal oxides that give it its seven-color palette. The area of the cave is 1500 sq.m, it is divided into two levels and the visitor goes around it with a route of 500 meters. Its exploitation projects were carried out in absolute harmony with the external natural environment and the internal interventions were characterized by the Paleoanthropology - Speleology ephorate as "excellent, even in their smallest detail". Information you can get:
D.E.T.A.K
MUNICIPAL ENTERPRISE FOR TOURIST DEVELOPMENT OF KASTANEAS
Kastanea Voion, 23053 Neapoli Laconia
Tel: 27340-23623, 29043
Editor: Fotini Anastasopoulou