Bärenhöhle - Sonnenbühl
N 48° 22.237 E 009° 12.901
32U E 515924 N 5357516
One of two caves in the area which are easily accessible to the public. This one is named after bears which lived there.
Waymark Code: WMF5P
Location: Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Date Posted: 06/18/2006
Published By:
TVN
Views: 80
20,000 years ago this cave was frequented by bears and other animals, the bones of which are still found in the cave. 8,000 years ago, humans lived in the cave.
The cave was discovered first in 1834 by a school teacher who was foraging for herbs and dropped his tobacco tin down a hole. The hole opened up into a cave chamber and he found human skeletons, probably victims of the plague whose bodies were disposed of here back in the middle ages.
Also found were the bones of bears. These bones, now encased in calcite which has preserved them through the ages, can be seen along the tour as well as a reconstructed bear skeleton.
A second part of the cave was discovered in 1949 by a cave researcher and there were many more bear bones found here. The entire length of the cave is 271 meters. The cave contains many of the classic cave formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, and some very nice columns. Although it seems to be in better shape than the nearby Nebelhöhle, it also is suffering from the growth of algea and foreign plants due to the artificial lighting. This feature is actually touted in some of the descriptions of the cave.
This is said to be the most frequented public cave in Germany. Visit is by guided tour only. The tour is given in German.
A restaurant, snack bar, gift shop, and toilets are located near the cave entrance. There is also a small amusement park near by.
Type of Land: Local Park
Managed By: Gemeinde Sonnenbühl
Contact Info: info@sonnenbuehl.de
Website: [Web Link]
Type of Cave: Karst Cave
Contains Stalactites: yes
Contains Stalagmites: yes
Contains Bats: no
Price of Admission: 4.00 (listed in local currency)
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Visit Instructions:
Please include a digital photograph of the cave which documents your visit and any information that may be helpful for future visitors.