The caves of Is Zuddas open out in the limestone of Monte Meana (236m above sea level) at Santadi and stretch for an overall length of about 5412 ft even if the tourist trail is limited to 1640 ft.

They are composed by several chambers each different for the peculiar characteristic of the concretions.
Just beyond the entrance, on the vault, there are traces of the Prolagus Sardus, an extinct rodent, once present only in Sardinia and in Corsica.
Among the most beautiful chambers there is the Organ Chamber that owes its name to the stalactite-stalagmite column similar to a pipe organ erected on a basis of various concretions while the walls are covered by white needle-shaped aragonites.
After a short tunnel we enter the imposing Theatre Chamber and then the Room of the Eccentrics, adorned by the very rare eccentric aragonites, whose horizontal formation has not been explained by the experts. These aragonites are the most significant peculiarity of the caves: the caves of Is Zuddas are unique in the world for their presence in a single room.

For some year in the Organ Chamber a suggestive manger is prepared, enriched by the trachyte sculptures of Giovanni Salidu.

In the same area there are other interesting caves: the Grotta Pirosu, with a nuragic ipogean sanctuary, The Grotta del Campanaccio and the Grotta della Capra.
These caves can be visited only under the guide of the SpeleoClub of Santadi.

The caves of Is Zuddas were created by the waters, inside the Monte Meana, during over 500 million of years.
The result are the concretions: stalactites, stalagmites, flows and pipes, beyond the very rare eccentric aragonites (the glory of the caves).
The eccentric aragonites are small concretions (1.95-3.9 in with a diameter of 0.04-0,12 in) of arborescent shape.
They are called eccentric because they are not affected by the force of gravity during their formation.
This phenomenon is due both to the capillary inner channel of the stalactite and to the water pressure that forms insoluble grains and the water spreads out where it is possible.

The caves of Is Zuddas are in south-west of the Sardinia, at Santadi in the area of the Sulcis.
The cave is inside the mountain, constituted by dolomitic rocks dating back to 530 million of years ago.

The cave was discovered by the speleologists in 1971.
The inner temperature is constantly at 61°F with quite 100% of humidity.

For more info:
grotteiszuddas

Thank to our friend Francesca for the beautiful photographs