Dechen Cave
| Dechen Cave | |
|---|---|
The Emperor Chamber in the Dechen Cave | |
| Location | Sauerland, Germany |
| Length | 870 metres |
| Elevation | 250 metres |
| Discovery | 1868 |
| Geology | Rhenish Massif |
| Show cave opened | 1868 |
| Show cave length | 360 metres |
| Lighting | electric |
| Website | http://www.dechenhoehle.de |
The Dechen Cave (German: Dechenhöhle) in Iserlohn, Germany, is one of the most visited show caves in Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Sauerland at Iserlohn (Grüne district). 360 metres of the 870-metre long cave have been laid out for visitors, beginning at the spot where, in 1868, the cave was discovered by two railway workers. The workers dropped a hammer into a rock crevice which turned out to be the entrance to a dripstone cave when they were searching for the lost tool.
The cave is named after Oberberghauptmann Heinrich von Dechen (1800–1889), in recognition of his contribution to researching the geology of the Rhineland and Westphalia.