Among the many caves associated with the name of Salavat, this is probably one of the most picturesque. The Cave of Salavat Yulaev has many names like Idrisovskaya, Dvortsovaya, Kissyatash or just Dvorets, which means “a palace” in Russian. Many legends are related to the cave, one of them has it that Salavat Yulaev was hiding from prosecution there. No one has yet been able to find any confirmation of this story, but the entire essence of the place gets its air from these very great legends.
There are many centers of modern civilization around the cave. Nearby located the village of Idrisovo connected to the Palace Cave with the beautiful trail. Tourist club "Strannik" camps out in the surrounding areas of the cave. One-day boat tour to Maloyaz is sure to delight visitors.
Cave inside and out
A slightly noticeable path leads to the cave sited high in the rock that served as a temporary shelter for Salavat. It is located on the left bank of the river and can be seen from afar. The most beautiful part of the cave is the miraculous “viewing terrace” with columns stretching 40 meters above the river overlooking the scenic valley along the banks and beautiful river curves. From the riverside, the cave looks like two “windows”, and it has the interior resembling a small hall with an arched entrance and low-hanging ceilings.
Multiple halls, passages and narrow tunnels, small stalactites found in the cave are the famous tourist attraction. The only way to get into the depths of this rock is to crawl. After crossing a narrow aisle awaits the entrance to the hall, allowing the visitors to stretch out and walk upright. There is a corridor and a hall with another narrow passage on the left. The walls are covered with wet clay, the floor is full of puddles and water is dripping from the ceiling. It is interesting to observe the white mineral formations similar to lime flowing down the walls.
The total length of the cave is about 100 meters. It is cool and damp inside, with a window opening the view to the second floor. The drawings of the Paleolithic period can be seen inside the grotto entrance.
Evidence of rock art
Cave paintings of three human figures made with red pigment were found in the eastern “window” in the 1930s. Half a century later, archaeologists had been finding similar paintings but by that time in the 1980s the paintings were highly deteriorated; the time and erosion have almost erased them. The findings of the ancient sites belong to inhabitants of the Paleolithic era (about 2.5 million years ago). Now the ancient people habitats are open for visitors.
One does not need to travel to the other end of the world in order to get to places of amazing beauty with an incredible history and legends; all the beauty lives in Yangantau Geopark. The entire world is within you.