Alistrati - Alistrati's Caves and Aggitis Ravine

Alistrati's Caves and Aggitis Ravine

According to the Greek Mythology, the Sphinx was appearing near the ravine of Aggitis river in the area of "Petroto". It's also been said that Pluto, master of Hades, when he had kidnapped Persephone, daughter of goddess Demeter led her to the ravine where it's believed that there were the Gates of the Underworld. The specific area which is mentioned in these Greek Myths is the same one near the Alistrati's Caves.

The Alistrati cave lies about 6 km southeast of Alistrati's town at a place called "Petroto". The expanse of the area is almost 14.000m2. The antechamber of the cave is 8 m height. It's from this point that start different high galleries folly decorated with stalactites and stalagmites. The main branches of the cave are developed to the left and to the right of the entrance starting from a huge chamber, the Teception Chamber of a width of 60 m, a length of 100 m and height of 20-30m. It's in this chamber that nature decided to demonstrate its power in creating ornaments. What fascinates the most is the huge stalactites and those pure white forming draperies. There are other chambers and their height is quite the same 8-10m. From the reception chamber and towards the left, emerges a second passage, quite parallel to the first. In this gallery there are even some red stalagmites which are called "The flames". The height of these formations reaches 35 m. Somewhere in this passages the two main passages join each other and continue with an always increasing width and height while from the ceiling one can see suspended huge and majestic stalactites of a height of 15 m.

Inside the cave there are countless floors which are still unknown. Very impressive is the big variety of stalactites and stalagmites inside the cave mostly because of the difference of their shapes and their age. The older stalactites are mainly in the galleries which are on the right side of the entrance. On the other hand the "infant" stalactites on the left side of entrance.

• Stalactites: They are the limestone tubular formations which are growing from the ceiling and downwards. Their length fluctuates between few centimetres and many metres.

• Stalagmites: They are formed as the water drops, which carry acid carbonate, fall on the ground under a stalactite. When a stalactite meets a stalagmite, we have a new formation which is called "column"

• Helictites: It's a rear kind of stalactite which is developed on the sides, on the floors even on the ceilings of the caves, towards many directions (up, side and down).

• Shields: They are being developed as the water comes out through very thin fissures of the rock. Many times their diameter is of some metres.

• Cave Pearls: They are small formations like spheres

• Gours: They are another kind of formation which is also very interesting. Small barriers of calcium carbonate which are placed on the floor of the cave. The creation depends on the rainfall in the area of the cave. On Gour evolve a rear fauna.

The "egg- shaped " and the " Tumour - shaped " are different kinds of formatious. They are dark - coloured and usually found shaped. The " Cauliflower- like formation is another type of cave deposites. We can find them usually on the main body of a stalactite or a stalaguite.And finally the " Heccendrites in a variety of shapes.

The cave is placed 50 km away from Serres, 25 km from Drama and 55 km from Kavala. It is considered to be the most beautiful and most decorated cave in Greece and probably in Europe where nature revealed its power in creating ornaments and impressive rock formations.

At a distance of 250 m from the southern part of the entrance of the cave the railway line from Serres to Drama passes. Near the railway line and on the southern side of it is the Aggitis River. As a result of the waterflow of the river the limestone layers of the mountain has been corroded and the ravine of Aggitis river has been shaped.

The visitor in Alistrati apart from the cave can enjoy the river Aggitis which flows through the villages of Symvoli, Lefkothea and R.S. Aggista, forming idylic river by zones with rich plantation. Many connoisseur fishermen combine their hobbies with walks and pic-nic in the countryside.The area is suitable for rafting and Kanoye. It is a few meters further down the railways which pass beside the cave. The locals call it "Vraous".