Dripstone cave

As a stalactite cave an underground cave is called, where the geological occurrence of stalactites is characterized. It was created naturally by leachate. Many caves are open to the public and guided tours are offered. A well-developed network of trails allows for a safe visit to the often spotlighted natural formations.

Stalagmites and stalactites

Speleothems that grow from the cave ceiling towards the floor, stalactites are called. The opposite form is called stalagmites. Connect both, it is called a stalagnates. The material that forms the stalactites, called calcite. It usually attaches to a soda straws. Prerequisite for the formation of caves is water-permeable rock.

Conceptual framing

The term stalactite cave was coined in the 19th century by the first cavers and has found popular science publications the entrance into the vernacular. Originally, however, so were usually caves meant that hold stalactites, which, according damaligem knowledge caves in limestone, thus were karst caves. Thus, the term was a synonym for karst cave, and whether and to what extent speleothems were present.

The term was specifically used to refer to so-called Tuffhöhlen, so caves, which form as a primary caves in the deposition of tufa. This usage derives from it that travertine can also be called a stalactite, so there are caves in limestone. This is still the name of such caves recognizable (eg Niedaltdorfer stalactite cave ). The original meaning of the term is, however, forget, so that visitors assume wrongly, he would refer to the secondary stalactites in the cave.

The two original meanings of the term are no longer in use and only relevant for the understanding of older literature. The current use of the term is limited to the tourist and museum educational aspect of the presence of stalactite formations. So it came now and then to use the term for artificial cavities, especially mines, which may also have stalactites.