Wonder Cave (Kromdraai, Gauteng)

The Wonder Cave, in Kromdraai, Gauteng, South Africa, is the third-largest cave chamber in the country. The single chamber has an area of 46,000 square metres (500,000 sq ft), and is 125 by 154 metres (410 by 505 ft).

The "Praying Mary"
Stalactite and stalagmite formations in the Wonder Cave

It was discovered in the late nineteenth century by miners who dynamited and excavated limestone for the making of cement. Mining stopped during the Second Boer War, and never resumed.

The cave has about 14 stalactite and stalagmite formations up to 15 metres high, 85% of which are still growing. The 60-metre-deep cave is accessible to visitors by elevator, and is located within the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve, in the Cradle of Humankind, a World Heritage Site.

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