Prometheus Cave

PROMETHEUS CAVE
 

Prometheus Cave may regard as the visit card of Georgia.  The magic cave is full with stunning curtains of stalactites and stalagmites. While visiting, once again it will convince you about existence of the fairy world. 

Prometheus Cave is located in Tskaltubo municipality, village Kumistavi. River. There are 22 halls found, where just 6 halls are open for tourists. It is possible to walk through the length of 1420 meters in the cave's territory visit the halls and enjoy boat tour by walking the river. Discover real masterpieces of nature - stalactites and stalagmites at Prometheus Cave, which are the most beautiful forms created by nature. While visiting the cave, hanging waterfalls are waiting for you. Be more adventurous and spend your weekend in a beautiful and special area – Western Georgia.  

IUCN Categories: Natural Monument

History

The cave was discovered and studied by Georgian speleologists (consisted of the leader Mr. Jumber Jishkariani and the members: Tamaz Kobulashvili, Amiran Jamrishvili, Vakhtang Kapanadze, Kote Nizharadze) in the early 1980s. It is part of a large cave system, united by one underground river. Currently, about 30 km of the river has been investigated, which is about half the length of the entire cave system. In 1985 the conversion of the cave into a sightseeing tourist destination began. By 1989, a pedestrian route was laid in the cave for about 1 kilometer, stairs and paths were built, and a 150-meter tunnel was punched out at the exit and the construction of ground-floor buildings began. The cave was equipped with temporary lighting, and small groups of tourists started to visit.

In 1990, due to the collapse of the Soviet Union and a lack of funds, the project was closed. For several years a local citizen protected the cave from vandals, as memorialized by a statue of him and his dog at the cave's entrance.

In 2007, 17 years after the closure of the project, the Georgian authorities returned to the idea of the conversion of the cave into a tourist destination once again. President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who visited cave in 2010, gave an impetus to cave transformation into a tourist object, and suggested new name — Prometheus Cave, since the legendary antique protagonist Prometheus was chained to the mountains approximately in this area. ( Local legend makes Prometheus enchained to the bluffs of Khvamli, being perpetually tortured by a raven. In a year cave was refurnished and reopened to visitors on May 26, 2011.