“Can you feel that cool air?” That is the breath of the Grotta della Capra. The Grotta della Capra is a cave. It sits 312 meters above sea level. The Grotta della Capra lies in Italy. It is about 3 km north-northwest of Monte Franco. That is near the border with Slovenia.
The Grotta delle Capre, not far from here in the Circeo area, is a testament to time. It is perhaps easy to confuse the two caves. This one sits in the Karst region near Trieste. The other one is near the sea.
Imagine shepherds seeking shelter here. They would be protecting their goats from storms. The Grotta della Capra’s name speaks to this past use. Its location is high.
The geological story of the Grotta delle Capre involves sea-level changes. During glacial periods, the sea was lower. During warmer periods, it rose. Around 125000 years ago, the sea was much higher. It may have been about 8 meters above today’s level.
How do we know this? Look closely at the cave walls. You can see the marks of marine mollusks. These creatures bored into the rock. Their work shows the old sea level.
Archaeological finds are from the Grotta delle Capre near Circeo. Remains of hippopotamus. Also the remains of arctic fir trees. The area near the sea created a microclimate. This allowed animals to survive.
The Grotta della Capra is a natural wonder. It tells stories of geological change. It speaks to the past use. It is a place where nature and history meet. Take a moment. Appreciate the forces that created this cave.