Cave of Stalactites – Ma'arat Shorq

All information about the stalactite cave – Ma'arat Shorok. To enter the site, it is recommended to book a visit in advance on the Israel Nature and Parks Authority website; otherwise, entry will be based on available space. Please note: the stalactite cave tour is self-guided and includes a film, with no guiding. A mask is required. Ma'arat Shorok is an impressive stalactite cave in the Jerusalem Hills region. The cave, located at the heart of the Avshalom Shoham Nature Reserve, was named in memory of Avshalom Shoham, who was injured during his service in the Shaked reconnaissance unit and passed away on 4.2.74. The cave has existed for millions of years, but only in 1968, when workers from the Har Tov quarry blasted the limestone in the area to supply gravel for construction, the entrance to the impressive cave was discovered. Even today, you can see the quarries from the cave entrance. Stalactites and stalagmites are karst phenomena, meaning phenomena caused by the dissolving of limestone by water. This dissolving process continues for millions of years, yet it creates breathtaking shapes. The tour will reveal to you the beauty and power of nature, and among the stalagmites and stalactites you can imagine whipped-cream cakes, little cabbages, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the wicked witch, and more. Perhaps the most charming are actually Romeo and Juliet—a pair of a stalactite and a stalagmite that, over millions of years, grow closer to one another yet still do not touch. If you look closely, you can see that water is still dripping from the stalactite, so maybe in one hundred years the gap will close… The cave tour is guided by a guide on behalf of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority only. The tour will begin with the film explaining the formation of stalactite caves, and then continue into the cave via a path installed inside it to minimize damage. In the summer of 2012, the lighting in the cave was upgraded and installed with colorful and impressive illumination, which also does not heat the cave. Travel back in time on a 4X4 trip in the Jerusalem Hills—an historical route between dirt roads and outposts, down the slopes of the Jerusalem Hills—this is a borma route for details and route viewing. Useful information Opening hours: Summer time: Sunday–Thursday and Saturday: 8:00–17:00 | Friday and eve of a holiday: 8:00–16:00 Winter time: Sunday–Thursday and Saturday: 8:00–16:00 | Friday and eve of a holiday: 8:00–15:00 Tour duration: about 45 minutes | Please note: entry to the reserve closes one hour before the reserve closes. Prices: Adult: 28 ₪ | Child or senior citizen (with proof): 14 ₪ Accessibility: There is access for people with disabilities to the cave | No need to bring flashlights. Two legends about the stalactites Legend One: Long ago, in a faraway land, there lived a beautiful princess. One day, the king decided that she should marry, and he sent messengers throughout the kingdom to bring the news. The next day, a large group of dignitaries arrived—dukes, important ministers, princes, and very wealthy men—all wishing to marry the princess. They brought gifts and presents galore, but the princess fell ill from them all. Her heart was captured by a handsome youth who worked in the palace courtyard. Of course, that could not happen—how could a princess marry a simple boy, the son of a palace shoemaker? Their love was great, and the princess refused to marry anyone else. Her father became very angry and decided to separate his daughter from the young man and punish her. So he built a large tower with a spire and locked her in a small room at the top. The princess's heart broke as she longed for the youth. She sat by the window and cried bitterly. The youth, sitting beneath the tower, drank in her tears hungrily. The king would not give up and left her imprisoned in the tower. The princess cried, and the youth swallowed her tears—thus, over the years, they grew closer to one another, and perhaps one day they will meet. The princess descends, slowly, following her tears, and the youth climbs higher from the tears he is swallowing. Legend Two: A karst tale. A spoiled young girl from a rich household who wished to be the most beautiful girl in the world. While traveling in this area, she met a very powerful sorcerer who disguised himself as a poor wretch and asked her for some food and warm clothing. But Karstі, who was very self-centered and inconsiderate, laughed at him and went on her way. Later, she met the sorcerer again, this time disguised as a rich and handsome prince, and immediately turned to him and greeted him politely. While they were talking, the sorcerer-prince asked her what she would want more than anything else in the world. Karstі answered: to be the most beautiful in all the land. The prince turned back into a sorcerer and said: Since your soul within is so black and ugly, I will make your outward appearance like it. Indeed, Karstі became a girl who squints, with an eagle-like nose and thin, pursed lips; in her mouth she had a tooth—yes, a tooth—no; her legs were crooked, and her entire body lacked proportion. Out of sheer shame, Karstі hid in a cave and began pleading with the sorcerer to turn her into stone. The magician yielded to her pleas and turned her into stone. Since then and to this day, there are karst caves with an upper tooth (a stalactite) and a lower tooth (a stalagmite).