European Regional Development Fund
Press conference - 2019/10/30 11:00
- Date:
- Location: Domica cave, Kečovo 049 55
- Project acronym: Medical/wellness tourism development in the World Heritage Caves of the Aggtelek and Slovak Karst
- Project registration number: SKHU/1601/1.1/035
- Event organized by: State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic
- Contact person: Martina Belkova
- Phone number: +421 903 570 186
- E-mail address: martina.belkova@sopsr.sk
- Language of event: Slovak
- Interpretation: no
- Registration is needed: no
Press conference and opening of the Domica educational trail concerning the project: Medical/wellness tourism development in the World Heritage Caves of the Aggtelek and Slovak Karst
Content
The project started in October 2017 within the framework of the cross-border cooperation programme INTERREG V-A Slovak Republic – Hungary, supported by the European Regional Development Fund. Project goal is to develop localities with favourable influence on the upper respiratory tract, as well as for speleoclimatic and recondition-rehabilitation stays in the caves Baradla and Béke in Hungary and Domica in Slovakia. The localities are in the territory of the Slovak Karst and Aggtelek Karst national parks, which are inscribed on the World Natural Heritage list of the UNESCO. The project is scheduled to end after prolongation in June 2020.
The basis for successful effect of cave environment on human health is constant temperature and high air humidity in underground spaces, presence of aerosols with contents of calcium and magnesium ions and clean atmosphere without dust and pollens. Human immune system and activity of respiratory organs can be favourably influenced by higher content of carbon dioxide and radioactive ions.
The first studies aiming at possibility of speleoclimatic stays in the Domica Cave were done in 1993. In spite of positive results, the realization hadn’t started due to lacking suitable space, which was developed by the Slovak Caves Administration as late as 2009.
The upcoming opportunity to utilize the cave spaces for healing stays is presented by realization of this bilateral project, where the leading partner is the Administration of the Aggtelek National Park and cross-border partner the State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic – Slovak Caves Administration in Liptovský Mikuláš. Activities planned on the Slovak side are as follows:
- construction of access path to the entrance adit to Liečebňa,
- construction of wooden object as technical facilities for cave stays and roofing of the space in front of the entrance adit to Liečebňa,
- renovation of Liečebňa electrification,
- adjustments of the Domica visitors’ centre
- reconstruction of the Domica educational trail including printed guide in three languages
- construction of educational sites Kečovská vyvieračka and Kečovské škrapy.
The contents of this press release does not necessarily represent the official position of the European Union.
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