Dechen Cave

Dechen Cave near Iserlohn is one of Germany's most visited show caves, carved into the Devonian limestone of the northern Sauerland region. It was discovered in 1868 during construction of the Hagen–Dortmund railway line, when workers broke through into the underground passage system. A particularly significant find was an almost complete cave bear skeleton from the last Ice Age, underlining the site's palaeontological importance. Guided tours cover around 360 metres of passages lined with stalactites and stalagmites that took millennia to form. Listed as a cultural monument in North Rhine-Westphalia, the cave maintains a steady interior temperature of eight degrees Celsius, making it a refreshing destination for families and geology enthusiasts year-round.