Macocha Gorge

▪ gorge, Czech Republic

also called  Macocha Abyss 

      gorge in Jihomoravský kraj (region), Czech Republic. It is the best-known and most frequently visited feature in the Moravian Karst region and contains a labyrinth of caves and galleries and a number of magnificent stalagmites and stalactites. The gorge reaches a maximum depth of 420 feet (128 m) and is accessible through a chain of subterranean passages and caves. It is about 900 feet (275 m) in length and about 390 feet (120 m) at its widest point. Macocha Gorge probably was formed by the collapse of the roof of an underground cave. Physiographically, parts of the same system are the Catherine Cave, the largest cavern in the district, and a string of lakes, the Punkva water caves, which may be reached by boat.

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