Hermann's Cave
Encyclopedia
Hermann's Cave together with Baumann's Cave
, is one of two show caves in Rübeland
near Wernigerode
, Germany.
The cave was formeed out of the Devonian
limestone
of the Elbingerode (Harz) complex during the shaping of the Bode Valley. It was discovered in 1866 during road works and was soon opened up to visitors.
As a result of being protected early on its rich dripstone stalactites and stalagmites have been largely preserved. The cave is well known for, amongst other things, the discovery of numerous bones of cave bear
s. The cave was comprehensively surveyed by J. H. Klooß, Robert Nehring (1888) and Dr. Ing. Friedrich Stolberg (1932). Progressive exploration since 1970 has uncovered and surveyed previously unknown chambers.
Baumann's Cave
Baumann's Cave is, like nearby Hermann's Cave, a show cave in Rübeland in the district of Harz and is Germany's oldest show cave.The grotto was formed in the Devonian limestone of the Elbingerode complex as the Bode Valley was being shaped. It was discovered in the 16th century and was...
, is one of two show caves in Rübeland
Rübeland
Rübeland is a village in the collective municipality of Elbingerode in the district of Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and, since 2004, has been given the additional description of Höhlenort...
near Wernigerode
Wernigerode
Wernigerode is a town in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until 2007, it was the capital of the district of Wernigerode. Its population was 35,500 in 1999....
, Germany.
The cave was formeed out of the Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
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....
of the Elbingerode (Harz) complex during the shaping of the Bode Valley. It was discovered in 1866 during road works and was soon opened up to visitors.
As a result of being protected early on its rich dripstone stalactites and stalagmites have been largely preserved. The cave is well known for, amongst other things, the discovery of numerous bones of cave bear
Cave Bear
The cave bear was a species of bear that lived in Europe during the Pleistocene and became extinct at the beginning of the Last Glacial Maximum about 27,500 years ago....
s. The cave was comprehensively surveyed by J. H. Klooß, Robert Nehring (1888) and Dr. Ing. Friedrich Stolberg (1932). Progressive exploration since 1970 has uncovered and surveyed previously unknown chambers.