kosovohp Semi-Pro
Posts : 900 Join date : 2010-09-06
| Subject: Gruta das Torres Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:35 pm | |
| The Gruta das Torres, a lava cave, a geological formation of volcanic origin, is located outside of the Criação Velha parish, Madalena on the western slopes of Mount Pico, in the western central part of Pico Island in Azores. The cave system formed as part of a pahoehoe lava flow which originated from the Cabeço Bravo parasitic cone about 500 to 1500 years ago. The caves are a group of interconnected lava tubes of the width 0.5–22 meters (2–72 ft) that show a variety of geological formations and carried both pahoehoe and aa types of lavas at different times. With the estimated length of over 5.2 km (3.2 mi) it is the longest lava cave in the Azores.[1] It has a height between 1.1 and 15 meters (3.6–49 ft) and is located at an elevation of 300 meters (980 ft). Access to the cave is managed by the Mountaineering Association (“Os Montanheiros” – Núcleo da Ilha do Pico).[2][3][4][5][6] The cave was discovered in 1990. The cave's uniqueness lies in its impressive drainage pattern, which can be shown by the presence of more than seven layers on the walls, with lateral benches and three cornices.[2] Gruta das Torres is one of the 17 caves (out of 28 found here) in Pico Island of the 30 caves chosen for Azores as a whole (from a over all list of for inscription under the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites proposed by the Government of Azores.[7][8] dublin hotelport canaveral transportation | |
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