Switzerland's version of hell is the Hölloch cave system.
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Located in canton Schwyz in central Switzerland, the Hölloch caves are the longest – at nearly 200km – in western Europe. “Hölloch” translates into English as Hell’s Hole, but the first syllable of the word means “slippery” in the local German dialect.
Text provided by Gregor Bättig, vice-president of the Hölloch Cave Research Association. Images from Trekking Team AG, “Abenteuer im Hölloch” by Hugo Nünlist, and “Im Banne der Hölle” by Alfred Bögli.
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Deep thrills under the Swiss surface
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Caves of all sizes and textures beckon from their underground hideaways, many of them accompanied by legends. Day-tripping spelunkers can easily visit places like the “coral crevice”, “spaghetti grotto” and “witch’s cauldron”, while the super-keen can spend the whole night inside a cave. Located high on a cliff-side overlooking Lake Thun, the Saint Beatus Caves…
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At 190 kilometres in length, the Hölloch – or Hell’s Hole – cave system is the longest in Europe. Guide Thomas Frauenfelder refuses to go along with the joke that he is opening the gates of hell as he unlocks the door to the cave. Even though “Hölloch” translates into English as Hell’s Hole, Frauenfelder…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.