Chil-Ustun
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| Chil-Ustun Cave | |
|---|---|
| Чилустун үңкүрү (in Kyrgyz) | |
  | |
| Coordinates | 40°32′19″N 72°31′32″E / 40.5387°N 72.5256°E |
| Length | 380 m |
| Elevation | 1100 m |
| Discovery | Ancient times |
| Entrances | 1 |
| Show cave opened | no |
| Lighting | Nne |
| Chil-Ustun | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Chil-Ustun | |
| Location | Aravan District, Osh Region, Kyrgyzstan |
Chil-Ustun Cave (Kyrgyz: Чил-Устун үңкүрү) also known as Aravan Cave is located in the Southwest of Kyrgyzstan in the Osh Mountains, composed of Paleozoic limestones, in 3.5 km from Aravan, Kyrgyzstan.[1] It is a protected natural monument.[2] The cave belongs to the group of Karst caves of outlier mountains to the west of Osh.[3][4]
The entrance to the cave forms a 15-meter-tall (49 ft) and approximately 25-metre-wide (82 ft) arc. The cave is 380 meters long [5] or up to 350 meters according to another source.[4] It is located in a rock formation at 1100 meters above sea level. The entrance is located on a steep, oblique rock face.
The cave's existence has been known since mediaeval times as attested by Arabic inscriptions on the walls.
The cave consists of 3 chambers of different sizes, connected with corridors and narrow openings. The largest chamber is 85 m × 40 m × 20 m in size.
Inside the cave, stalactites and stalagmites (columns) reach heights of over 50 meters. These forms vary in color, from white and cream to dark brown.
