Grotta Gigante
A guinness cave
About this place
Friuli Venezia Giulia is a karst area, and in its subsoil lies an underground world yet to be explored. Among the karst cavities that have been discovered, Giant Cave is the most spectacular. It is a huge hall almost 100 meters high and very rich in concretions. Inside it towers the Roger Column, an imposing 12-meter stalagmite. The cave has been equipped with ladders, which descend windingly to the bottom floor and allow the entire cavern to be explored safely. The tour is guided.
- Location: Sgonico (TS)
- Parking: near the visitor center
- Difficulty: easy; presence of long steps
- Ticket price: 15 €.
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Why visit
01.
It is "Giant"
The Giant Cave consists of a giant hall nearly 100 m high, 168 m long and 76 m wide. In 1995 it was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest natural hall.
02.
The guided tour
The guided tour reveals the many secrets of this cave. Leads visitors to the discovery of concretions, stalactites and stalagmites, and to the entrance of a shaft; explains the karst peculiarities of the cave and the stages of its discovery.
03.
Caving for all
When it was discovered, the entrance to this cave was above a 95-meter chasm. The construction of stairs and lighting have made what was reserved only for experienced cavers accessible to all.
Route and visit
- Trail length: 850 m
- No. of steps: 1000
- Duration: 1 hr.
A PATH FOR ALL IN THE UNDERGROUND WORLD
The Giant Cave has been made accessible to all by a route that is made on ladders and walkways built above the rock or leaning against the walls.
- Descent : In the first part you descend 500 steps down to a depth of 100 meters and explore the bottom of the cave. The descent is very exciting because the stairs descend winding and allow you to discover the cavern little by little, with striking glimpses, and then you reach the magnificent hall.
- The ascent : The ascent is via an additional 500 steps that lead to a lookout point, from which to admire the cave from a height of 95 meters, and then to the exit. All along the way, thousands of stalactites, stalagmites and columns can be seen.
GUINNESS MEASUREMENTS
- The cave is 100 m high, 168 m long and 76 m wide.
- It has a volume of about 365,000 cubic meters. It has been estimated that it could contain Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica.
- In the hall you can see the Roger Column, a 12-meter-high stalagmite formed over 200,000 years.
- In the 1995 Guinness Book of World Records, it was recognized as the largest tourist cave in the world.
The visitor center and museum
Guided tours start from the Visitor Reception Center, where the ticket office and waiting room are located. The facility also houses the Scientific Caving Museum, where you can discover the history of exploration, accompanied by the display of period pieces with which cavers descended into caves. The Visitor Center also displays a life-size reproduction of an Ursus Spelaeus, the Cave Bear, reconstructed with original finds and artificial parts to complete its structure.
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Hours and prices
COST OF TICKET
The unit ticket price is €15; there are specific discounts for groups and schools.
RESERVATIONS
Each tour has a limited number of places and the cave is very busy; therefore, reservations are necessary.
OPEN DAYS
Giant Cave is open year-round, every day except Mondays, Christmas Day and January 1.
VISITING HOURS
The one-hour guided tours start at 10 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. and follow these times: 10 a.m.; 11 a.m.; 12 noon; 2 p.m.; 3 p.m.; 4 p.m.
getting there and parking
The Giant Cave is located in Sgonico, in the province of Trieste. It can be reached by car or bus, departing from Trieste.
The area is well marked and the cave has ample free parking.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, reservations are necessary, as the cave is well known and the number of places per visit is limited.
Recommendations are to wear appropriate footwear with rubber soles, such as sneakers. The indoor temperature is a constant 11°; a sweatshirt or light jacket is recommended in summertime. The visit is not recommended for those suffering from dizziness.
Absolutely. The cave is of great interest to children, and the experience is instructive.
Contact the Giant Cave
Through this section you can contact the giant cave visitor center directly. Explorer FVG does not handle responses, nor is it responsible for the information exchanged in these conversations.
For information:
Giant Cave
Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/A
34010 – Sgonico (TS)
Phone:
Tuesday through Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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