Discovered in 1956, Grotta ad E di Villa Opicina’s entrance appeared suddenly. Now, it typically stays hidden by brushwood. Let’s explore this intriguing cave.
Grotta ad E di Villa Opicina is located near Villa Opicina. To get here follow the trail N.26 from the Villa Opicina-Rupingrande road. After the first level crossing the path continues between rustic dry-stone walls. After about 120 meters the wall on the right disappears. An open meadow appears. The cave’s narrow entrance is about ten meters inside the path. It is also 40 meters from the end of the wall.
Grotta ad E di Villa Opicina features a detrital slope at the base of its access shaft. This slope continues into a short corridor. The corridor widens into a small chamber. It is just over two meters in diameter. The floor consists of debris. You will notice a considerable amount of twisted iron. This first section is almost entirely without concretions.
From here you descend into a fissure. It is about 1.5 meters long and just over half a meter wide. Here the detrital accumulation ends. Covering a height difference of about three meters it is large in proportion to the cave. Another narrower fissure opens 1.20 meters from the ground. It leads to the base of a chimney. Here, as in the rest of this second part of Grotta ad E di Villa Opicina, are numerous cave flowers or coralloids. Tiny fissures almost completely filled with concretion insinuate themselves at the base of the chimney.
Another Grotta near Villa Opicina has a depth of 20 meters. Its entrance sits at 305 meters above sea level. The bottom lies at 285 meters. Inside this well the north wall is uniform. The opposite wall is interrupted by complex niches. The bottom is flat. A massive calcitic column descends from the southern side. It disappears into the debris.
Another nearby cave called Grotta a NW di Villa Opicina is also worth mentioning. It has a planimetric development of 8 meters and a depth of 9.5 meters. Its bottom is at 280.5 meters.
Grotta ad E di Villa Opicina offers a glimpse into the hidden wonders beneath our feet. Its discovery and unique formations make it a special place.