Achali Atoni Grotto
| Achali Atoni Grotto
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 Achali Atoni Grotto (2005) |
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| Location: | Abkhazia , Georgia | |
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Geographic location: |
43 ° 6 '1.5 " N , 40 ° 47' 26.4" E | |
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| Geology: | Karst | |
| Type: | Stalactite cave | |
| Discovery: | 1961 | |
| Show cave since: | 1975 | |
| Lighting: | Yes | |
| Overall length: | 150 m | |
| Length of the show cave area: |
150 m | |
| Particularities: | Electric feeder train, stalactites | |
The New Athos Cave or Novy-Afon cave , also Nowoafonskaja , Anakopia- or Iveria Cave (Abkhazian Афон Ҿыцтәи аҳаҧы, Georgian ახალი ათონის მღვიმე and Russian Новоафонская Пещера) is a cave near New Athos in Abchasien .
The central part of the cave houses cavities that are among the largest natural underground cavities in the world. The speleological hall is 260 m long, 75 m wide and up to 50 m high; the Aspar hall is even up to 75 m high. The numerous stalactites and stalagmites in the stalactite cave have produced many bizarre shapes.
The cave was not fully discovered until 1961 and, due to its beauty, was opened to tourists as early as 1975 after a kind of underground railway , the Novoafonskaya Railway , and numerous footpaths had been installed in the cave. The Novoafonskaya Railway transports visitors to the otherwise difficult-to-access cave. Footpaths, mostly built as a bridge, lead through the cave itself. Every year, numerous tourists visit the cave, which is one of the main attractions in Abkhazia.
literature
- S. Tintilisov, ახალი ათონის მღვიმე, Tbilisi, 1975 (Georgian)
- S. Tintilisov, Анакопийская пропасть, Tbilisi, 1968 (Russian)