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Tafkos pothole at Petradolakia
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Tafkos sinkhole is located at the area Petradolakia at an altitude of 1,440 meters in Psiloritis Range approximately 13 km south of Anogia. Its explored depth is 475 meters and the total length is 383 meters. It is considered the second deepest cave at Psiloritis after Tafkoura and when it was firstly discovered (1989) it was the deepest cave in Greece. 

The "room of the deer," the largest room in the cave with 300 meters length at -23m deep, has rich decoration. It was named after the deer bones, a species that disappeared thousands of years ago from Crete but is met regularly in caves. Deeper  one meets flow of water and a pond is formed. It is considered that the water of the cave is connected to the water of "Tafkoura" and "Diplotafki" caves and are emptied at the north coast of Crete.

The cave was always known to residents for its big water quantities. In 2002, the municipality of Anogia, with the help of cavers, explored and mapped the cave, while installing a drill for pumping water.

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Additional Info

  • Location: Rethymnon Prefecture
  • Type: Sinkhole
  • Length (m): 383

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