Cuevas dels Hams
Encyclopedia
The Coves dels Hams (ˈkɔvəz ðəɫz ˈams, , English: "Fishhook Caves") are a Solutional cave system on the east coast of the Spanish Balearic Island
of Mallorca
. The caves are in the municipality of Manacor
, about 1 kilometer to the west of the town of Porto Cristo
.
Together with the Porto Cristo's other cave system, the Coves dels Drach
("Cavern of the Dragon"), the Coves Dels Hams are a popular tourist attraction in the eastern region of the island.
and the coastal town of Porto Cristo
. Like Coves dels Drach
, the Coves Dels Hams hold an underground lake, which is known as "The Sea of Venice". The caves get their name from the unique formations of the stalactite
s and stalagmite
s. Hams is the Mallorquí (local dialect of Catalan
) word for fishhooks or harpoons. Scientists have yet to explain the cause of these unique formations.
Lorenzo Caldentey, a son of the discoverer, is a certified diver and has outfitted the caves with an electric lighting system for performances and tours. Multilingual tour guides lead visitors on a roughly 500 meter walk through 12 different areas of the caves. Currently the visitors also enjoy the "Magical Mozart" concert accompanied by a light show. The musicians navigate the "Sea of Venice" in a small rowboat with candle-lit railings. The caves are a popular tourist attraction for tour groups and individual visitors during the summer months.
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
of Mallorca
Mallorca
Majorca or Mallorca is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea, one of the Balearic Islands.The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Cabrera Archipelago is administratively grouped with Majorca...
. The caves are in the municipality of Manacor
Manacor
Manacor is a town and municipality on the Mediterranean island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is one of the biggest municipalities in Majorca. It has tourist areas like Porto Cristo, site of the famous Caves of Drach, and Calas de Mallorca. Manacor...
, about 1 kilometer to the west of the town of Porto Cristo
Porto Cristo
Porto Cristo is a small town on the eastern coast of Mallorca. It is 10 minutes away from Manacor.-Tourism:Though not a primary tourist destination in Mallorca, the local council of Porto Cristo promotes the small town and new roads have been built between it and Manacor to encourage foreign visitors...
.
Together with the Porto Cristo's other cave system, the Coves dels Drach
Cuevas del Drach
The Coves del Drach are four great caves that are located in the island of Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. They are in the municipality of Manacor, near the locality of Porto Cristo. The caves extend to a depth of 25 m, reaching 2.4 km in length. The four caves, called Black Cave,...
("Cavern of the Dragon"), the Coves Dels Hams are a popular tourist attraction in the eastern region of the island.
Description
The caves were discovered on the 2nd of March, 1905 by Pedro Caldentey. The caves lie along the route between the regional capital of ManacorManacor
Manacor is a town and municipality on the Mediterranean island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is one of the biggest municipalities in Majorca. It has tourist areas like Porto Cristo, site of the famous Caves of Drach, and Calas de Mallorca. Manacor...
and the coastal town of Porto Cristo
Porto Cristo
Porto Cristo is a small town on the eastern coast of Mallorca. It is 10 minutes away from Manacor.-Tourism:Though not a primary tourist destination in Mallorca, the local council of Porto Cristo promotes the small town and new roads have been built between it and Manacor to encourage foreign visitors...
. Like Coves dels Drach
Cuevas del Drach
The Coves del Drach are four great caves that are located in the island of Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. They are in the municipality of Manacor, near the locality of Porto Cristo. The caves extend to a depth of 25 m, reaching 2.4 km in length. The four caves, called Black Cave,...
, the Coves Dels Hams hold an underground lake, which is known as "The Sea of Venice". The caves get their name from the unique formations of the stalactite
Stalactite
A stalactite , "to drip", and meaning "that which drips") is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling of limestone caves. It is a type of dripstone...
s and stalagmite
Stalagmite
A stalagmite is a type of speleothem that rises from the floor of a limestone cave due to the dripping of mineralized solutions and the deposition of calcium carbonate. This stalagmite formation occurs only under certain pH conditions within the underground cavern. The corresponding formation on...
s. Hams is the Mallorquí (local dialect of Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
) word for fishhooks or harpoons. Scientists have yet to explain the cause of these unique formations.
Lorenzo Caldentey, a son of the discoverer, is a certified diver and has outfitted the caves with an electric lighting system for performances and tours. Multilingual tour guides lead visitors on a roughly 500 meter walk through 12 different areas of the caves. Currently the visitors also enjoy the "Magical Mozart" concert accompanied by a light show. The musicians navigate the "Sea of Venice" in a small rowboat with candle-lit railings. The caves are a popular tourist attraction for tour groups and individual visitors during the summer months.