Macocha Gorge
The chasm, German spelling Mazocha, also stepmother gorge is a 138.5 -meter-deep sinkhole in the Moravian Karst. The abyss located on the corridor of the community Vilémovice has a surface dimension of 174 x 76 m and is the deepest in the Czech Republic. By the subsoil of the cone, which is bounded on both sides by two ponds, the fracture has a depth of 187 m.
By the cone flow the water of the underground river Punkevní. The visible watercourse is not Punkevní, but a tributary of the amateur caves that represent the largest cave system in the Czech Republic with 30 km across.
The natural monument is 6.5 km northeast of the city Blansko and is part of the cave system of Punkvahöhlen ( Punkevní jeskyně ). The steep walls of two observation decks were built.
The upper deck is located on the high south-west wall near the Chata chasm and provides an insight into the depth and to the opposite wall. It was built in 1882 by the Section of the Austrian Tourist Club Brno. At the opening ceremony on October 1, 1882, she was baptized in honor of the Section Executive Board on the name " Ripka - waiting ".
From 1899 to the northwest attached "Lower view" especially the opposite exit from the caves is visible.
In 1895 the Club of Czech tourists had built the first hut on the Mazocha, which was completely rebuilt in the early 20th century to today's Chata chasm. The cottage renovated in 1996, contains a restaurant and tourist accommodation with 60 beds.
History
The resulting from the collapse of a large cave cathedral abyss is known at least since the 16th century. Johann Amos Comenius also recorded it on his 1627 created a map of Moravia. A first detailed description of the chasm, which was held at that time for the deepest canyon in the world, dates from 1663rd
After lengthy research Punkvahöhlen through the cave archaeologist Dr Heinrich Wankel (1821-1897) was carried out in 1901 by Karl Absolon ( 1877-1960 ), the first investigation of the reason the Mazocha. To this end, he had the upper Perron down to the talus attach a vertical ladder. Absolon sailed until 1909 several more times on the ground and found the connection to Punkvahöhle. In 1914 the entrance of the cave in the chasm was made.
Today, access to the bottom of Macocha both within walking distance from the Punkvahöhle as well as on the boat ride on the underground Punkevní is possible.
From the valley of Punkevní, to which the name Pustý žleb as dry valley, there is the possibility to climb through a small cable car to the chasm. The valley itself is locked above the hotel Skalni Mlyn ( Felsenmühle ) for individual motor vehicle traffic.
Famous and infamous, the chasm is but also because be took in the course of time there over 50 people by jumping into the depth of life.
Saga
According to the old folk tradition is said to have happened, that a stepmother her little stepson lured into the forest for berry picking to remove him in favor of her own son. The rammed by her step- mother in the gorge boy caught on a root and could be saved. When it became known in the village what had happened, the stepmother plunged into the abyss.