Print

User Rating: 0 / 5

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive
 

Kapsia Cave is located about 1.5 km north of Kapsia village and 15 km away from Tripoli, in the prefecture of Arcadia and is considered one of the most remarkable caves in Greece.


The cave, known as the "Capsia sinks", was first explored in 1887 by the French archaeologist Fuzer during excavations in Ancient Mantineia, and experts have classified it as one of the 10 most valuable caves in Greece. Situated on the plateau of Mantineia, it is linked to the complex geological system of caves and natural sinks that characterize the aquifer.
The first cave exploration was done in 1892 by a group of Greek-French cavers. Its length is about 380 meters and its explored area is about 6.5 acres. What makes the cave special is its decoration, which is a magnificent spectacle of color and pattern. Colorful stalactites and stalagmites create formations of unique beauty, as well as impressive reflections inside the cave. Inside the cave were found traces of old floods and numerous fragments of human bones and skulls, about 40 people, mostly young, covered in mud. The event is probably attributed to a sudden flood, which found the crowd inside the cave, possibly while performing its religious duties. Lamps were also found that may belong to later Greek times. One of the sites of the Capsia Cave has the name "The Hall of the Wonderful", which presents the rarest colorings of fossil material from any other known Greek cave. The explosive colors, the red of the fire and the pale yellow and greenish blue, mixed with the white of the Stalactites, offer a unique sight of natural art.