The Riezhupe Sand Caves

Overview of Riezhupe Caves

The total length of the dark labyrinth of passages and rooms hidden from view underground is more than 2 km. However, tourists have access only to the first segment of about 500m in length. It is dangerous to go further — cave corridors are unstable and constantly strive to collapse, and in winter bats live in the depths of caves.

These unusual caves were formed about 20 thousand years ago, during the retreat of the glaciers, and were excavated manually for three generations by a family of the same family, which owns them today.

The owner of the caves, Inese Stofregen, inherited them along with the land from her ancestors. Back in the time of Duke Yokaba, local residents discovered a unique white sand pressed into stone underground. It was ideal for glass production, so they began to dig it up and send it to glass blowers.

It is extremely interesting in the caves themselves: once at depth, visitors enter the Hall of Love — a traditional place for newlyweds to visit, flowers left on the sand by the newlyweds retain their freshness for months. Next is the Hall of Faith, built at the intersection of underground water streams, the next hall is the Hall of Hope, filling visitors with energy and hope.

The caves have a constant temperature of 8 degrees Celsius all year round, and this is not just a unique natural complex, but also a kind of hospital. Local sand, which has healing qualities, is used to warm up diseased parts of the body.