Caves of Han-sur-Lesse
Encyclopedia
The Caves of Han-sur-Lesse (in French: Grottes de Han-sur-Lesse or simply Grottes de Han) are a major Belgian tourist attraction
(around half a million visitors per year) located on the outskirts of the village of Han-sur-Lesse
.
The caves are the result of the underground erosion
of a limestone
hill by the river Lesse
. The river forces its way under the hill over a distance of over one kilometer as the crow flies. The caves have a constant temperature of 13°C (55°F) and a high level of humidity. Access is only possible via a vintage streetcar, a remnant of the country's once extensive vicinal tramway
system, which departs from the center of Han-sur-Lesse. The entry to the caves is about 2 km from the village. The guided tour takes about an hour to an hour and a half and includes a sound and light show
in one of the largest chambers of the cave and an ending with a cannon shot to demonstrate the cave's acoustic
properties.
Tourism in Belgium
Tourism in Belgium is one of Belgium's industries, and its accessibility from elsewhere in Europe still makes it a popular tourist destination. The tourist industry generates 2.8% of Belgium's Gross Domestic Product and employs 3.3% of the working population . 6.7 million people travelled to...
(around half a million visitors per year) located on the outskirts of the village of Han-sur-Lesse
Han-sur-Lesse
Han-sur-Lesse is a village in the municipality of Rochefort, Namur Province, Belgium. It is famous for the exceptional caves carved under a nearby hill by the river Lesse, which tourists reach via a preserved remnant of the country's vicinal tramway system....
.
The caves are the result of the underground erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
of a limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
hill by the river Lesse
Lesse
The Lesse is a river in the Ardennes, in the Walloon region of Belgium. It is a right tributary to the river Meuse.The source of the Lesse is near Libramont-Chevigny, in the Belgian province of Luxembourg. The Lesse flows roughly in north-western direction. Near Han-sur-Lesse the entire river goes...
. The river forces its way under the hill over a distance of over one kilometer as the crow flies. The caves have a constant temperature of 13°C (55°F) and a high level of humidity. Access is only possible via a vintage streetcar, a remnant of the country's once extensive vicinal tramway
Vicinal tramway
The Tramways vicinaux or Buurtspoorwegen were a system of narrow gauge tramways or local railways in Belgium, which covered the whole country and had a greater route length than the mainline railway system...
system, which departs from the center of Han-sur-Lesse. The entry to the caves is about 2 km from the village. The guided tour takes about an hour to an hour and a half and includes a sound and light show
Son et lumière (show)
Son et lumière , or a sound and light show, is a form of nighttime entertainment that is usually presented in an outdoor venue of historic significance....
in one of the largest chambers of the cave and an ending with a cannon shot to demonstrate the cave's acoustic
Acoustics
Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics...
properties.