Emil Racovita (Criva) Cave – one of the world’s biggest

The Criva Cave is an awe-inspiring reminder of nature’s handiwork, starting with its length of 89,000 meters -- or more than 55 miles – on several levels. It is the world’s third-largest cave carved out of gypsum, a sulfite mineral, and the world’s 26th-largest cave over-all. Its chambers range from five to 50 meters – or 150 feet – deep. Another amazing feature is the cave’s 20 underground lakes. The cave’s walls come in many colors, and it boasts stunning stalagmites and stalactites. It was discovered by accident in 1959 when quarry workers were using explosives to dislodge chunks of gypsum, which is used for construction and in fertilizer.