Didn’t a nearby quarry give the Caverna Tripoli its name? Grotta a N della Caverna Tripoli waits nearby. It’s a smaller cave. It offers its own unique subterranean charm. This cave, catalog number 3682, is also known locally as 5159VG. It has a single entrance. The entrance was precisely located on January 25, 2015. The location is considered accurate. A sign marks the spot.
Grotta a N della Caverna Tripoli resides in the Carso Triestino area. It is part of the Duino Aurisina municipality. This places it within the province of Trieste. GPS coordinates pinpoint its location at latitude 45.74447344 and longitude 13.6922116. You’ll find the entrance 169 meters above sea level.
Measuring just 18 meters in planimetric development, this Grotta a N della Caverna Tripoli descends to a depth of 8 meters. The total difference in elevation is 8 meters. The bottom of the cave rests at 161 meters above sea level.
Accessing Grotta a N della Caverna Tripoli involves a short journey. The cave entrance is on the southern edge of a large sinkhole. This sinkhole houses a plastic ski slope. Look for a pile of stones. These stones were placed with detrital material. The material once filled the access shaft almost entirely.
Once inside Grotta a N della Caverna Tripoli, an initial drop leads into a chamber. This chamber is moderately decorated with concretions. It stretches 14 meters long. Its height reaches 4 meters. The average width is 2 meters. Debris, clay, and calcitic crusts cover the floor. These features obstruct any further passage.
Interestingly, the larger Caverna Tripoli is nearby. It is known locally as Tripoli. Its entrance features a beautiful portal. The cave’s initial section retains stunning profiles. These profiles show the cavity’s origins as a sinkhole. Concretions and collapses alter the characteristics further inside. A few meters from the entrance, the cave splits. Two branches diverge in opposite directions. The left branch leads to a cavern via a slide and a short jump. A large calcitic flow descends from an opening beneath the vault. It forms draperies and slender columns.
The right gallery of Caverna Tripoli slopes steeply. Detritus has slid downward. This exposes the stalagmitic crust forming the floor. Accumulated stones narrow the passage. It leads to a small final cave. A tall chimney surmounts this chamber. The floor is level and earthy. Excavations have occurred here and in other areas. They searched for prehistoric objects but found nothing.
In 1963, a new and complex cave was discovered near Tripoli cave. Important archaeological finds occurred there. The proximity suggests the caves were once connected. Caves 4114 VG and 4135 VG, also nearby, may have belonged to the same system.
Exploration in 1969 revealed more about Caverna Tripoli. An excavation cleared a passage. It uncovered a new chamber. Both the passage and chamber showed fluvial erosion. A calcitic flow obstructs the passage. An excavation here yielded no results. Clay containing sand was found beneath a layer of soil.
In 1983, explorers ascended the chimney in Caverna Tripoli. They found no continuation. Both Grotta a N della Caverna Tripoli and Caverna Tripoli offer glimpses into the area’s geological history.