User:Abyssal/Portal:Jurassic/Science, culture, and economics articles/10

The Jeita Grotto is a system of two separate, but interconnected, karstic limestone caves spanning an overall length of nearly 9 km. The caves are situated in the Nahr al-Kalb valley within the locality of Jeita, 18 km north of the Lebanese capital Beirut. Though inhabited in prehistoric times, the lower cave was not rediscovered until 1836 by Reverend William Thomson; it can only be visited by boat since it channels an underground river that provides fresh drinking water to more than a million Lebanese.

In 1958, Lebanese speleologists discovered the upper galleries 60 m above the lower cave which have been accommodated with an access tunnel and a series of walkways to enable tourists safe access without disturbing the natural landscape. The upper galleries house the world's largest known stalactite. The galleries are composed of a series of chambers the largest of which peaks at a height of 120 m.

Aside from being a Lebanese national symbol and a top tourist destination, the Jeita grotto plays an important social, economic and cultural role and is a finalist in the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition, and as of 7:44 pm GMT the provisional New7Wonders of Nature based on the first count of vote results on 11/11/11 Jeita was one of the top 14 Finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature. (see more...)