Caves of Grutas del Palacio
Departamento de Flores, Rincon del Palacio, Gruta del Palacio, Uruguay | Cuchilla de Marincho
Description:
The ancient caves of Grutas Palace are located in the northern part of the Flores district, 45 kilometers from the city of Trinidad and 200 kilometers from the capital of Uruguay – Montevideo.
The first mention of the caves falls at the beginning of the XIX century. Then the construction of caves was attributed to Indian settlements. However, as it turned out, the Indians only used them as housing.
At the beginning of the XX century, the study of these formations was carried out by the geologist Carl Walter, who discovered rock paintings and came to the conclusion that the caves are more than 50 million years old.
The height inside the caves reaches 2 meters, and the width is 75-100 centimeters. A small depth allows you to reach up to 8, sometimes up to 30 meters. The caves have a yellowish tint, characteristic of rocks that contain iron oxyhydroxide.
Beautiful landscapes, variety of flora and fauna make this place attractive for tourists. At the service of customers - guidebooks and organization of routes.
The caves are unique in the world and are protected by UNESCO.