Easter Cave
Encyclopedia
The Easter Cave is a small cave
in the vicinity of Trondorf (in the municipality of Neukirchen bei Sulzbach-Rosenberg
) in Germany. The cave is 185 metres long and may be visited during the summer months. It was first mentioned in the records around 1630. The present entrance was artificially created in 1905 in order to open it as a show cave
for visitors. The Easter Cave is one of the last caves in Germany to be lit with carbide lamp
s. Relatively high concentrations of manganese
were found on the walls. The origin of the German name, Osterhöhle, is not entirely clear, but it probably comes from the location of the cave on the Osterberg, a hill whose name in turn may possibly be connected with the German goddess of dawn, Ostara.
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
in the vicinity of Trondorf (in the municipality of Neukirchen bei Sulzbach-Rosenberg
Neukirchen bei Sulzbach-Rosenberg
Neukirchen bei Sulzbach-Rosenberg is a municipality in the district of Amberg-Sulzbach in Bavaria in Germany....
) in Germany. The cave is 185 metres long and may be visited during the summer months. It was first mentioned in the records around 1630. The present entrance was artificially created in 1905 in order to open it as a show cave
Show cave
Show caves — also called tourist caves, public caves, and in the United States, commercial caves — are caves that are managed by a government or commercial organization and made accessible to the general public, usually for an entrance fee...
for visitors. The Easter Cave is one of the last caves in Germany to be lit with carbide lamp
Carbide lamp
Carbide lamps, properly known as acetylene gas lamps, are simple lamps that produce and burn acetylene which is created by the reaction of calcium carbide with water....
s. Relatively high concentrations of manganese
Manganese
Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
were found on the walls. The origin of the German name, Osterhöhle, is not entirely clear, but it probably comes from the location of the cave on the Osterberg, a hill whose name in turn may possibly be connected with the German goddess of dawn, Ostara.