Cueva De Nerja EarthCache
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The Cuevas de Nerja are one of the worlds most spectacular show caves due its enormous chambers and its wealth of speleothems
The caves of Nerja were discovered by boys in 1959 and were declared as a Monument of Historical and Artistic Interest in 1961.
They are located in the south of spain, in the slopes of the Sierra Almijara, near the town Nerja in the province of Malaga.
This spectacular caves are the formation of karstic cavities, which have its origin in the chain of geologic processes occured during the last 225 Million years.
In the period of Triassuc significant quantities of calcarous mud settled down on the fond of the ancient Mediteranien See, later transforming into calcaroues-dolomite limestone which at present shelter the Caves of Nerja.
During alpine orogeny, (from 65 Million to 5 million years ago) drifts between tectonic layers of Africa and Europe resulted in the creation of the Belicas mountains such as Sierra Tejeda and Sierra Almijara.
Rain abundance during the 5 million years infiltrated through fissures of the limestone, stimulating its dissolving. By this huge caves in which underground water was circulating were formed. Later the whole area was lifted due to tectonic embossment, and the waterlevel lowered.
The cave started to get filled by carbonate deposits and formed the massive and impressive stalagmites and stalagtites that you can see here today.
Only a third of the halls are released for tourists: Lower Galleries and from there you can reach the Higher Galleries, discovered in 1960 and the New Galleries which where discovered in 1970, these two areas are limited to spealogical visitor groups.
Alltogehter the total area of the caves are 35.484m², it is 4823m long in total and its vertical distance is about 70m.
To log this Earthcache as a find, you need to perform two activities: 1st Answer the following question, send it to the cache owner and 2nd (optional) post a photo of you in front of the monument at the entrance with your log entry.
If you have submitted your answer, feel free to log the cache. If there's something not OK I am going to contact you.
Outside in the park you find several sinkholes connected with the caves, please send me per email your estimated diameter of the largest one.
Be sure to tick the box "I want to send my email address along with this message." whilst sending your message through my profile, otherwise I cannot grant approval. .
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