Sontheimer Höhle

Important bat roost

The Sontheim Cave near Heroldstatt is the oldest show cave in Germany and can be explored for 190 metres. The cave impresses with a rich stalactite ornamentation. In winter, it is an important bat roost. Traditionally, a big cave festival takes place on Whit Monday. Only then can visitors take a look at the fairytale, untouched stalactite world of the small Kohlhalden cave.

Special feature: Bats to be protected

Caves are closed to visitors from November to April. During this time, bats hibernate. Any disturbance causes the animals to be startled and thus use up energy reserves unnecessarily. This can even mean that they do not survive the winter. The Sontheim Cave is one of the most important hibernation sites for rare bats in the Swabian Alb. Thirteen different bat species have been recorded. Bats entering the cave are counted by a light barrier. In the winter of 2021/2022, over 1200 bats had their winter quarters in the cave.