A serpentine path leads from the state road in direction Banská Bystrica - Turčianske Teplice to the Harmanecká Cave. The entrance part called Izbica was known to local woodcutters and workers from long ago, however the cave was discovered only in 1932. White soft flowstone dominates the cave and it is one of the most important localities of bat occurrence in Slovakia.
It is located in the valley of Harmanec to the northwest from Banská Bystrica, in the southern part of the Great Fatra Mts. Cave entrance is on the northern side of Kotolnica at elevation of 821 m, and 260 m above the bottom of the valley.
You will get to the Harmanecká Cave from the parking place at the state road Harmanec - Turčianske Teplice to the northwest from Banská Bystrica. Cave entrance, which is 260 m above is accessible by serpentine path. The ascent lasts 40 min. There are educational boards installed along the path.
The cave entrance is on the northern side of the Kotolnica Hill at elevation of 821 m above sea level and above the bottom of the valley. A serpentine pathway ascends to the cave 260 m uphill and is 1,420m long. The total length of the cave is 2,763 m, of which 1,020 m is the show path open for visitors. Air temperature in the cave ranges between 5,8°C and6,4°C.
Underground passages and halls are formed in the Middle Triassic limestones. The cave has a fissure-breakdown character. The fissures were widened by water activities and later were reshaped by collapses and crumbling of rocks, mainly in intersections of passages, where larger halls and domes originated. The above lying rock is formed of pure limestone thanks to which the cave gained a name the White Cave.
Address: 976 03 Dolný Harmanec
Phone: +421/ (0)48/ 419 81 22
E-mail: harmanj@ssj.sk
