FEATURES, ORIGINS, VALUES AND LEGAL PROTECTION
In 1942, limestone was extracted here for a short time but during the excavation the central section of the cave was discovered and unfortunately destroyed. As a result of originally having two entrances, the karst cavity was divided into two parts and acquired two additional openings at the bottom of the excavation. In the 1970’s the southern chamber of the grotto was adapted for large numbers of visitors with the construction of a massive concrete staircase. In 2006, the staircase was rebuilt and extended, which slightly altered their course. The current shape of the cave was achieved during the work carried out to adapt it for tourist traffic in 2010. As a result, the northern and southern sections were connected by a new corridor and the openings to the quarry have been permanently sealed off. The microclimate inside re-stabilized thus improving the living conditions for the underground organisms. The cave was electrically illuminated and has a total of 175m of corridors. The dripstone covering is heavily damaged as a result of the excavation of calcite which was used to the mid 20th century as a fluxing agent in the manufacture of glass. Intense karst formations can be seen in the cave, which have lead to the reconstruction of dripstones as well as numerous fissures caused by tectonic movements. Some of them have been exploited by flowing underground streams which, in the past, have led to the formation of caves on Mount Zborow. The Gleboka Grotto is the first cave in the Czestochowa Uplands that has been opened to tourists. Its advantage is the fact that it is easily accessible with a safe descent to the lower reaches of the cave. It is located within the territory of the Mount Zborow nature reserve.

TOUR ORGANISER
Society of Friends of the Zawiercie Lands
Ul Piastowska 1
42-400 Zawiercie
Phone: +48 32 672 21 65 or +48 32 672 28 53
e-mail: tmzz@zawiercie.com.pl
www.tmzz.zawiercie.com.pl
http://www.podlesice.org.pl/

ACCESSIBILITY OF FACILITIES BY VISITORS
The cave is open every day between 15 April and 31 October:
Between 15 and 30 April - 09.00 to 16.00
Between 1 May and 31 August - 09.00 to 18.00
Between 1 September and 31 October - 09.00 to 16.00
Entrance to the cave, every hour on the hour (individual tourists from 10.00)
Minimum group size - 5 people
Maximum group size - 30 people
Tourist Trail length is approximately 60m
Time required to explore the cave is about 30 minutes
The internal temperature is about 8° C and the humidity is approximately between 95% and 98%
The route is electrically illuminated
Sightseeing without any difficulties
Suitable for people with disabilities
We recommend comfortable, athletic shoes and warm clothing in the summer
Guided tours for organised groups