Macocha Gorge

The abyss has respectable dimensions - 138.5 meters deep, 174 meters long and 74 meters wide. It was most likely formed by the collapse of the weakened ceiling of a huge cave dome through which the river Punkva flowed. At the bottom of the abyss, this river forms a lake. Thanks to its massive dimensions, the abyss belongs to the type of light hole, which means that its bottom is illuminated by sunlight during the day.

Ancient ancestors knew about the abyss, the first recorded attempts to explore it come from 1723, when the Brno monk Lazarus Schoper descended into it. It was followed by another 12 experiments by 1900, which were getting closer and closer to scientific expeditions. Their culmination was the discovery and access to the dry parts of the Punkva Caves in the years 1909-1914 and then the Macoš Water Dome in the years 1920-1933. However, people could see the abyss safely a little earlier. In 1882, the Brno section of the Austrian Tourist Club built and opened an upper bridge, which serves tourists to this day. Sixteen years later, the lower bridge was built, which is located against the wall of caves at a height of 90 meters. In 1895, the Tourist Club had the Cozy built here so that it would be possible to lay its head. However, it soon lay in ashes and today's Chata Macocha grew up in its place.

You can park your car directly at the upper bridge, in a parking lot about 200 meters away. The path to the lower bridge is led by stairs and who would like to continue, can go down to the entrance to the caves. Whoever does not want to pedal, will use the cable car, which will comfortably transport him there and back. However, you can also take it the other way around, drive to the Skalní mlýn hotel, from there 1.5 km on foot or by motorized train to the cable car and then up to the abyss. The view from the bottom up and up close to the lake can be found as part of a tour of the Punkva Caves.

And how did Macocha actually get her name? This is told by a legend based on true events from the 17th century. The evil stepmother wanted to get rid of it at the time and therefore threw him into the abyss. However, the boy miraculously caught himself in the treetops and survived. However, the indignant inhabitants of the village did not leave it alone, and the pansies prepared the same fate as she wished to her stepson. She died at the bottom of the abyss and it is named after her.

Unfortunately, the evil stepmother was not the only one who died at the bottom of the abyss. This place is sought after by suicides and is thus unhappily famous. But most of all, it is a magical place surrounded by beautiful nature, where you will want to spend hours and days.

Author: Martina Limbergová