Kisil-Koba - Rote Höhle
Kisil-Koba (tatarisch: „Rote Höhle“) ist ein sechsstöckiges Höhlensystem und das größte der Krim. Es besteht aus horizontalen Galerien und vertikalen Schächten von bis zu 517 m Tiefe. Hier gibt es einen unterirdischen Fluss, Wasserfälle, einige unterirdische Seen mit einer Wasserfläche bis zu 500 Quadratmetern und bis zu 3 m Tiefe. Die größte Höhle des Systems ist 200 Quadratmeter groß und 8 m hoch. Ein beträchtlicher Teil der Höhle liegt jedoch im Wasser und ist nur mit Taucheranzug (im Verleih) „zugänglich“. Voraussetzung für die Teilnahme an einer Exkursion sind daher TauchkenntnisseStep by step not far from entrance to cave it is formed the platform, high step of which, as a dam, cross the canyon. The volume of rocks reaches here 400 000 sq.m! The water of river, streaming downwards, form on canyon slope of platform the waterfall - cascade of height more than 50 m. In bottom part of slopes grow the diverse trees and bushes: maple, pear, oak, hazel-nut, wild-rose.
The tops slopes of canyon are nearly plumb. They are of pink-red shadow limes - from here the name of canyon and located in it Red cave. It is investigated by long-term researches of karstologists, that the general extent of all known ways of Kizil-Koba makes more than 13 km, depth - 135 m. This the most large lime cave in our country. The first information about Kizil-Koba was printed in 1843. The long time it was sured, that the length of cave ways makes about 2 kms.
However after in 1957 was managed to open the new way ("The neck of Shamanski"), in addition were studied and described more than 10 km of underground cavities - the grandiose halls and extensive galleries, adorned with calcium flow formations. The lengths of separate stalactites reach here 5-8 m. Specific beauty of flowings differ so called Indian And Chinese halls. The grandeur of Academic hall, becouse of area of 300 sq.m, height of dome - to 8 m.
The halls, located further away, reach 30-40 m in the height, 20-25 m of width and is pulled on tens of meters along main direction of galleries. In old part of down cave, in 180 m from entrance, in the end of Griboyedov corridor (it is named in honour of famous writer Griboyedov, visited it in 1825), the small underground lake and river were known. In new-opened galleries and halls waterish cavities is pulled on hundred meters; the area of some lakes reaches 500 sq.m with depth 3 m and more.
The stocks of underground waters in cave are in dependence on season and they are ranged from 15 th.sq.m to 250 th.sq.m. With total right it is possible to be attributed the words of academician A.Fersman, said him about crimean caves in general to Kizil-Koba: "...it is especially wonderful in caves, their decoration - it is sometimes white-snow, mild colours, and long columns, slim, as the young wood, and long, came from above as icicles, garlands, curtains.
White, yellow, red minerals by the adjourment cover the walls of caves: in wonderful forms there are miracle wonders, resembling figures of great giants, bones of huge snakes..." Kizil-Koba is known and as memorial archaeology: material traces of people so named of kizil-koba culture are here found and bones of cave bears. The work on conversions the nearest halls of unique cave into underground museum-reservation at present planned.