List of caves in Ukraine

The Atlantida

A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, ^{[1] [2]} specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word cave can also refer to much smaller openings such as sea caves, rock shelters, and grottos, though strictly speaking a cave is exogene, meaning it is deeper than its opening is wide, ^[3] and a rock shelter is endogene. ^[4]

List of Caves in Ukraine

Name	Location	Notes
Atlantida	Khmelnytskyi Oblast	Atlantida is a karst cave in Ukraine, most famous for its unusual geology, rare formations, and pristine condition. It is located at the bank of the river Zbruch in Kamianets-Podilskyi Raion of the Khmelnytskyi Oblast, close to Zavallya village. The cave is 2525 m long and 18 m deep, with 4440 m² area. [5] Subordinated to the Tourism and Excursions Council of Khmelnytskyi Oblast, the cave is a part of the Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park. [6]
Near Caves	Kyiv	The Near Caves or the Caves of Saint Anthony [7] are historic caves and a network of tunnels of the medieval cave monastery of Kyiv Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The Near Caves have a total length of 383 metres and are 5 to 20 metres deep (see map). [8] The Near Caves were founded when in 1057, Saint Varlaam was appointed as the first hegumen ( abbot ) of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra by Saint Anthony. Monk Anthony withdrew himself from the monastery and later settled on a new hill, where he dug out a new underground cell, now called the Near Caves. [9]
Odessa Catacombs	Odessa	The Odessa Catacombs are a labyrinth-like network of tunnels (subterranean cavities) located under the city of Odessa and its outskirts in Ukraine, that are mostly (over 90%) the result of stone mining, particularly coquina. [10] The system of Odessa Catacombs consists of a network of basements, bunkers, drainage tunnels and storm drains as well as natural caves. [10] The Catacombs are on three levels and reach a depth of 60 metres (200 ft) below sea level. It is one of the world's largest urban labyrinths, running up to 2,500 kilometres (1,600 mi). [10] Parts were used as air-raid shelters during World War II. Part of the tunnels, only under the city, were turned into bomb shelters in the Cold War. Such bomb shelters supposed to be refuge for civilians in case of nuclear strike or gas attack.
Optymistychna Cave	Borshchiv Raion	Optymistychna is a gypsum cave located near the Ukrainian village of Korolivka, Borshchiv Raion, Ternopil Oblast. [11] Approximately 230 km (140 mi) of passageways have been mapped within. [12] As a result, it is the longest cave in Eurasia and the fifth-longest cave in the world, [13] after Mammoth Cave, Sistema Sac Actun, Jewel Cave and Sistema Ox Bel Ha. It is also the longest gypsum cave in the world. [12]
Priest's Grotto	Borshchiv Raion	Priest's Grotto is a cave in western Ukraine near the village of Strilkivtsi (Ukrainian : Стрілківці), located within the Borshchiv Raion (District) of the Ternopil Oblast (Province). Priest's Grotto is part of the extensive gypsum giant cave system, and is one of the longest caves in the world with over 140490 m (2017) of explored passages. It is about 450 kilometers (280 mi) driving distance southwest of Kiev, and about 5.5 kilometers (3.4 mi) south of the district seat of Borshchiv. In World War II it was used as a refuge by Jewish refugees from the Nazi occupation during the Holocaust.
Saint Anthony's Caves	Chernihiv	The history of Saint Anthony caves started in the second half of the nineteenth century when Anthony of Kiev came to Boldina Gora. The place had unique power, so he dug out a cave for solitude and prayers. Chernihiv and Kiev were the largest centres of the Kievan Rus, and they faced constant confrontation. To keep up with Kiev's pace, the first church of the contemporary Trinity Monastery complex appeared a century later. The total length of the Chernihiv underground premises is about 350 meters (1148 feet). [14] [15]
Vyalova cave	Crimea	Vyalova Cave is a cave in a lower plateau of the Chatyrdag mountain, Crimea. It also has an 'old' name: Togerik-Alan-Hosar (Тогерик-Алан-Хосар). The cave has a vertical entrance of 31 m (102 ft) depth, which gradually, at a depth about 16 m (52 ft), transforms into a steep, almost vertical, shaft. The total depth of the cave is 124 m (407 ft). It belongs to the Vyalova Cave system.

References

1. Whitney, W. D. (1889). "Cave, n.1." def. 1. The Century dictionary: An encyclopedic lexicon of the English language (Vol. 1, p. 871). New York: The Century Co.
2. "Cave" Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) © Oxford University Press 2009
3. Moratto, Michael J. (2014). California Archaeology. Academic Press. p. 304. ISBN   9781483277356.
4. Lowe, J. John; Walker, Michael J. C. (2014). Reconstructing Quaternary Environments. Routledge. pp. 141–42. ISBN   9781317753711.
5. "Кадастр пещер Украины". Institute.speleoukraine.net. Retrieved 7 January 2018.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
6. User, Super. "Описание пещеры - Атлантида: спелеология, кристаллы сталактиты, экскурсии, экстрим поход, ХСК, адреналин". Atlantida-speleo.com.ua. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
7. Another name can be Caves of Saint Anthony because the relics of Saint Anthony are buried here.
8. Malikenaite, Ruta (2003). Guildebook: Touring Kyiv. Kyiv: Baltia Druk. ISBN   978-966-96041-3-2.
9. "Monastery of the Kiev Caves". orthodoxwiki.org. Retrieved November 23, 2006.
10. Bachynska, O. Odessa Catacombs (ОДЕСЬКІ КАТАКОМБИ) . Encyclopedia of History of Ukraine.
11. "Optimistic cave. Speleotourism. Active and extreme tourism. Travel". www.cave-ua.narod.ru. Retrieved 2017-06-28.
12. White, William Blaine; Culver, David C. (2012). Encyclopedia of Caves. Academic Press. p. 830. ISBN   9780123838322.
13. "OPTYMISTYCHNA IS THE LONGEST CAVE IN UKRAINE - Information Portal Good News". ukrainegoodnews.com. Retrieved 2017-06-28.
14. "Ukraine Chernihiv Sights | Anthony Caves". ukraine-kiev-tour.com.
15. "Anthony Caves, Chernihiv". UA.IGotoWorld.com.