Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Belgium Orp-Jauche The Grottoes of Folx-les-Caves
The Grottoes of Folx-les-Caves is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

The Grottoes of Folx-les-Caves

Ancient man-made caves underneath small town Belgium.

Orp-Jauche, Belgium

Added By
anderl
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/lew2424/21118...
  http://tchorski.morkitu.org/3/folx05.jpg
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Underneath the small town of Folx-les-Caves in Belgium, are six hectares of manmade caves that can only be reached using a narrow staircase, 15 meter below the ground.

Room after vaulted room, resting on mighty pillars carved out of the tuff stone. It is unknown when exactly they were constructed, and though some suggest they were made in prehistoric times using aurochs horns, it is more likely that they were begun between the late Roman times to the early middle ages. Nonetheless, the size of the ancient mine is quite incredible, and the caves are certainly large enough to get lost within.

Made from tuff, a kind of soft, easy to carve volcanic rock, the tuff, rich in calcium carbonate, was mined to serve as fertilizer. Later the caves harder rock was mined for use in local building projects.

Over time, the caves have served as a refuge and hiding place from various occupants, from possibly as early as the Romans up to the Nazis. Some occupants left sculpted graffiti in the stone, and it can be difficult to tell which era those date from. Among those who hid in the caves was Pierre Colon, a famous robber who has gained a reputation as the Belgian Robin Hood.

The 1965 Flemish youth television series Johan and Alverman (a mix of history and fantasy) was also shot in part in the caves. Today the cave is also used to grow mushrooms.

Related Tags

Caves Subterranean Sites Ecosystems

Community Contributors

Added By

anderl

Edited By

jac0011, mbison

  • jac0011
  • mbison

Published

February 3, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.maplandia.com/belgium/wallonne/brabant-wallon/folx-les-caves/
  • http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grottes_de_Folx-les-Caves_01.jpg
  • http://www.opt.be/informations/tourist_attractions_orp_jauche__grottoes_of_folx_les_caves/en/V/17154.html
  • http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grottes_de_Folx-les-Caves
  • http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotten_van_Folx-les-Caves
  • http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Colon
The Grottoes of Folx-les-Caves
Folx-les-Caves, Rue Auguste Baccus, 35
Orp-Jauche, 1350
Belgium
50.665, 4.940286
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Les Cinq Tombes (The Five Graves)

Geer, Belgium

miles away

Geographic Center of Belgium

Walhain, Belgium

miles away

Miniatures of Isaac Cordal

Namur, Belgium

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Belgium

Belgium

Europe

Places 204
Stories 12

Nearby Places

Les Cinq Tombes (The Five Graves)

Geer, Belgium

miles away

Geographic Center of Belgium

Walhain, Belgium

miles away

Miniatures of Isaac Cordal

Namur, Belgium

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Belgium

Belgium

Europe

Places 204
Stories 12

Related Places

  • Castillo Cave, entrance

    Puente Viesgo, Spain

    Caves of Monte Castillo

    The walls of these four caverns are filled with art that dates back to the earliest human presence in Europe.

  • Mine, Japan

    Akiyoshido Cave

    Approximately 300 million years ago, a massive coral reef existed in what is now the largest limestone cave in Japan.

  • Cricova, Moldova

    Wine Cellars of Cricova

    Seventy-five miles of limestone caves host more than a million bottles of wine beneath a sleepy Moldovan town.

  • Entrance to the cave

    Rožanstvo, Serbia

    Stopića Cave

    Through the colossal entrance to this cave you'll find limestone tubs and an underground waterfall.

  • Peach Springs, Arizona

    Caverns Grotto

    In a 345-million-year-old cave that's 200 feet underground, dinner awaits.

  • Ice stalagmites.

    Tulelake, California

    Crystal Ice Cave

    Each winter this underground cave forms a dazzling ice palace.

  • Avshalom Cave.

    Israel

    Avshalom Cave

    This amazing ancient cave was kept secret for seven years to protect it from the public.

  • Upton Chamber.

    Upton, Massachusetts

    Upton Chamber

    This mysterious artificial cave has long puzzled New Englanders.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.