European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 04, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Devil s Cavern top Limestone formations formed slowly Over centuries. Above the franconian Village of Rottenstein. Continued from Page 11 Teufel Hohle or Quot Devil s Cavern Quot As Brand renamed it is one of the largest caves in Germany. Rottenstein is in the Franzische Schweiz franconian Switzerland Region of northeastern Bavaria near the czechoslovakian Border in the Triangle roughly bounded by Bamberg Bayreuth and Erlanger. It is just Down the Road from Grafe Woehr training area. According to the geology books about 120 million years ago the Region was covered by the Jura sea a vast expanse of water that stretched South to Stuttgart. Over the years As the sea ebbed the relatively soft Calcium Rich Dolomite rocks in the Franzische Schweiz eroded leaving deep Gorges and caverns. Theo Dippold director of the local tourist office says there Are about 600 known caves within 20 Kilometres of Rottenstein. Of those three Are open to the Public a Teufel Hohle bin Hohle and Sophie Hohle. The Teufel Hohle at More than twice the size of the other two is the most spectacular. Rottenstein itself looks like the kind of town Goldilocks might have lived in. It is nestled in a Valley surrounded by Lush forests rolling Green Hills and Rock towers that reach High into the sky. Half timbered houses and bavarian style chalets their balconies overflowing with geraniums line the main Street and a babbling Brook flows through the Center. A 1,000-year-old Castle stands watch Over the goings on of the townsfolk and tourists. The Teufel Hohle has been made completely Safe and accessible for visitors electric bulbs Light the Way the passageways leading from gallery to gallery have been cemented staircases with handrails provide easy Access to elevated Grottoes. Oust one or two spots might be a Little tight spotlights illuminate the Rock formations though Many of the stalactites and stalagmites Are kept behind wire mesh fences to prevent vandalism. Despite the commercialization of the Teufel Hohle the formations Are both Beautiful and fascinating. The most impressive ones have names Given to them by excavator Brand which reflect their size and appearance. Stalactites those formations that hang from the roofs of caves and stalagmites those that jut up from the floors Are formed by the evaporation of dripping water full of Calcium and other minerals. Calcium deposits that hang like sheets on Cave Walls formed by seeping water Are known As Flo Stone. Speleology its estimate a formation s age by its size using the approximate ratio of 13 years per millimetre. The largest a and therefore oldest a stalactite in the Teufel Hohle is the tree. So called because it resembles a tree Complete with leaves and roots it is about a i meters High and at least 1 million years old. The oldest stalagmite also dating Back a million years is the giant Goliath. The most Beautiful stalagmite is the glistening Barbarossa named after Frederick Barbarossa emperor of the holy roman Empire. Presumed to be about 500,000 years old the Pagoda shaped Rock stands tall and regal amid smaller stalagmites its top tapering to a narrow Point. The Barbarossa is in the deepest Section of the Teufel Hohle about 70 meters below the ground. Groups of stalactites and stalagmites also have names that reflect their appearance the Barbarossa Beard the Church Organ the three Kings and the Hall of candles to name a few. Imaginative visitors can discover their own shapes amid the rocks. When excavators unearthed the Teufel Hohle they found the skeletal remains of some 80 prehistoric Cave bears presumed to have lived in the Cavern during the Middle ice age about 30,000 years ago. According to local history mostly old and sick bears found shelter there at some Point the Cave s Entrance co used the bears were trapped inside and died. The prese e of split Bones led excavators to believe that some of Thi healthier bears ate the sick ones in an Effort to survive. T Complete 12-foot Skeleton of a Bear that weighed an e mated 900 pounds is displayed in the Cave. The Teufel Hohle also has three Quot thera stations Quot for the treatment of respiratory ailments. A ring to tourist director Dippold doctors in Eastern euro it have Long believed that caves have beneficial effect for patients suffering from asthma Hay fever whoops g cough chronic bronchitis and various allergies be Clear dust free air inside caves the constant temper Ture High level of humidity and High carbonic acid Conte to Theair allegedly help to cure such illnesses Inch Iren and relieve the symptoms in adults. The stations in the Teufel Hohle Are be irate rooms set up with lounge chairs. Patients unde Goir this Type of treatment must spend two hours a Day in de the Cave for about three weeks says Dippold. They m St be under strict doctors supervision however since the air in caves can be detrimental to people with heart f  photos by Ken Georgs 12 stripes Magazine october 4, 1990 top lighting adds an eerie Quality to some Limestone formations. Above a Monument to Hans Brand the first Man to extensively explore the Cave. Center ferocious looking Skeleton of a Cave Bear. Far right a chamber used in treating certain lung  tips Rottenstein is off autobahn 9, near Segnitz Between Nurnberg and Bayreuth. The Teufel Hohle is open daily from 9 . To 5 . From easter through nov. 1. From nov. 2-dec. 23 and from Jan. 7 to easter it is open tuesdays and saturdays from 10 . To noon except for groups with prior reservations. Between dec. 26 and Jan. 6 it is open daily from 1 30 . To 3 30 . Entrance is 3.80 Marks for adults and 2.70 Marks for children Ages 6 to 15, students and military personnel with . In groups of 15 or More Entrance is 3 Marks per person. In groups of 15 or More schoolchildren accompanied by a teacher Entrance is 2 Marks per person. Tours through the Teufel Hohle take about 40 minutes. English speaking guides Are not available though English language brochures Are. The town of Rottenstein is also Worth visiting. Tourists can visit the Castle and museum of local history. There s also Trout fishing License require boat rentals and other Leisure activities. For More information Call Theo Dippold at the tourist office Tel. 09243-833