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Ojcowski Park Narodowy, k. Smardzowic, gmina Skała, powiat krakowski, woj. małopolskie
Ciemna Cave is one of the most important caves in Ojców National Park, renowned above all for its archaeological site. The cave is 230 m long, with the entrance at an altitude of 410 m above sea level, about 65 m above the valley floor. The main chamber is 88 m long, up to 23 m wide and over 10 m high.
The cave is located in the Skała municipality, near the village of Smardzowice, within Ojców National Park.
It is one of the most important Middle Palaeolithic sites in Poland, with traces of human presence from about 120,000 years ago. In 2018, the hand bones of a Neanderthal child dated to about 115,000 years were discovered here - the oldest known human remains in Polish territory.
Seasonal, guided visits; the route takes about 15 minutes. At the entrance there is a reconstruction of a Neanderthal camp and a viewing platform.
In July 1787 the cave was visited by King Stanisław August Poniatowski.
