# Piatra Altarului Cave [Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Transylvania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/transilvania) › [Cluj County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/cluj) › [Răchițele](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/locality/rachitele) > A cave in the Bihor Mountains, discovered in 1984, with chambers richly decorated with calcite formations; a class A reserve, padlocked and open only to scientific research. **At a glance:** Caves in Răchițele, Cluj County. Information verified on 31 October 2026. ## Key facts - **Opening hours:** The cave is closed to visitors; access is allowed only for scientific research, with a permit and authorisation. - **With kids:** No — no tourist access - **Address:** Ponor Valley, in the upper basin of the Someșul Cald, about 11 km south-west of the village of Răchițele, Răchițele, Cluj County - **Coordinates:** 46.6575, 22.7736 - **Website:** https://www.parcapuseni.ro/10-pesteri - **Wikipedia:** https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pe%C8%99tera_din_Piatra_Ponorului - **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12737985 - **Categories:** [Caves](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/caves), [National parks and reserves](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/national-parks-and-reserves) ## About Piatra Altarului Cave Piatra Altarului Cave lies in the Bihor Mountains, in the upper basin of the Someșul Cald, on the right slope of the Ponor Valley, within the village of Răchițele, close to the boundary between Cluj and Bihor counties. The Systematic Catalogue of Romanian Caves lists it as the Cave of Piatra Ponorului, after the group of rocks above it; the name it is known by comes from a formation in the Palace Hall that resembles an altar. The cave was discovered in 1984 by Daniel Cârlugea, then a student, and cavers from the Politehnica Cluj club explored and mapped it. It is a 2-hectare speleological reserve within Apuseni Natural Park, protected by Law 5/2000, and one of the class A caves, the highest protection class. The park administration regards it as the most valuable cave in Romania. As state public property, it cannot be sold, leased or let as a concession. In the 1990s, bauxite prospecting above the cave was halted. ### What lies inside The access passages are narrow and full of clay and mud. Beyond them open four large chambers: the Palace, about 30 m high, shaped like a Gothic cathedral, with calcite flowstone and domes; Paradise, with columns, discs, calcite macrocrystals, palm-tree columns, draperies and cave pearls, which ends abruptly at a stream of moonmilk; the Geode, its walls entirely covered in calcite crystals; and the Altar, also called the Bear Cemetery, where skulls of young cave bears lie beneath a thick crust of calcite. A nest of cave pearls has been dated to about 14,000 years. ### Good to know The cave cannot be visited and will not be developed for tourism: the entrance is padlocked, and access requires the approval of the Apuseni Natural Park Administration and of the Speleological Heritage Commission, granted only for scientific research. The formations are very fragile, and the passage at the entrance calls for caving training. Show caves in the Apuseni include [Bears' Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pestera-ursilor) and [Scărișoara Ice Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pestera-ghetarul-de-la-scarisoara); [Coliboaia Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pestera-coliboaia), with its cave drawings, is also closed to the public. Near Răchițele you can see the [Bride's Veil Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cascada-valul-miresei), and towards Padiș, [Cetățile Ponorului](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cetatile-ponorului). ## Don't miss - The Palace Hall, about 30 m high, shaped like a Gothic cathedral, with the formation that gave the cave its name. - Paradise, with palm-tree columns, discs, draperies and cave pearls, ending abruptly at a stream of moonmilk. - The Geode, a chamber whose walls are entirely covered in calcite crystals. - The Altar or Bear Cemetery, with skulls of young cave bears held beneath a crust of calcite. ## Good to know before you go ### Getting there **By car:** the cave cannot be visited and its entrance is not signposted. The nearest village, Răchițele, is ~74 km (~1 h 25 min) from Cluj-Napoca, on the DN1 (E60) to Huedin and then via Mărgău; from Huedin it is ~27 km (~30 minutes), and from Oradea ~118 km (~2 h 20 min). **Public transport:** the nearest railway station is Huedin, on the Cluj-Napoca – Oradea line; beyond it you need a car. ### Rules The cave is a speleological reserve in Apuseni Natural Park. Entering the park's undeveloped caves requires the approval of the Apuseni Natural Park Administration and, where applicable, the authorisation of the Speleological Heritage Commission; here only scientific research is approved. Unauthorised entry into caves is punishable by law. ### Facilities No facilities ## Details - **Protected area type:** speleological reserve - **Part of:** Apuseni Natural Park - **Developed and lit:** No ## Frequently asked questions about Piatra Altarului Cave **Can you visit Piatra Altarului Cave with kids?** No, Piatra Altarului Cave is not recommended for visits with children (no tourist access). **How do I get to Piatra Altarului Cave?** Piatra Altarului Cave is located at Ponor Valley, in the upper basin of the Someșul Cald, about 11 km south-west of the village of Răchițele, Răchițele, Cluj County. More under “Getting there”. ## Nearby attractions - [Cetatea Rădesei Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cetatea-radesei-cave) — Caves · Bihor County · 1½ – 2 hours · 8 km A tunnel cave on the Padiș Plateau, with a portal of about 15 m and 260 m of underground route where the Rădeasa stream runs past boulders, roof openings and a narrow canyon. It is crossed on foot, through the water. - [Moara Dracului Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/moara-dracului-waterfall) — Waterfalls · Budureasa, BH · Free · 5½ – 6 hours · 8 km A 20–25 m, two-tier waterfall hidden in a narrow valley of giant boulders and spruce on the western slope of the Vlădeasa massif; reached on foot from Stâna de Vale along a marked trail of about 8 km. - [Vălul Miresei Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/valul-miresei-waterfall) — Waterfalls · Răchițele, CJ · Free · ½ – 1 hours · 9 km A roughly 30 m, two-tiered waterfall at the foot of the Vlădeasa massif, on the Stanciului valley near Răchițele; the water fans out over the rock like a veil, and in winter the frozen wall is an ice-climbing spot. - [Padiș Plateau](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/padis-plateau) — National parks and reserves · Pietroasa, BH · Free · 7½ – 8 hours · 10 km A karst plateau at around 1,200 m in the heart of Apuseni Natural Park, with meadows, sinkholes and spruce forest. Marked trails lead from Cabana Padiș to Cetățile Ponorului, the Galbena Gorge and Groapa de la Barsa. - [Bohodei Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/bohodei-waterfall) — Waterfalls · Pietroasa, BH · Free · 6 – 6½ hours · 13 km A waterfall of about 80 m on the Bohodei stream, below the peak of the same name, regarded as the tallest in the Apuseni Mountains; reached on a demanding loop from Pietroasa with chain-equipped rock sections. - [Focul Viu Ice Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/focul-viu-ice-cave) — Caves · Pietroasa, BH · Free · 15 km An ice cave in the forests of the Galbena Valley near Padiș, reached on foot along a marked trail. Around midday, light pours in through a hole in the roof and falls on the ice. ## Featured in the guides - [Famous caves in Romania you cannot visit: Movile, Topolnița, Vântului, Coliboaia, Peștera cu Oase (and what to see instead)](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/guides/caves-you-cannot-visit-in-romania) — Movile, Coliboaia, Cu Oase, Cloșani and Piatra Altarului are closed; Topolnița and Tăușoare need a permit; Wind Cave is open with a caving guide. --- Full page: https://peplaiuri.ro/en/piatra-altarului-cave Other languages: Română: https://peplaiuri.ro/pestera-piatra-altarului.md · Deutsch: https://peplaiuri.ro/de/hoehle-piatra-altarului.md · Italiano: https://peplaiuri.ro/it/grotta-piatra-altarului.md · Français: https://peplaiuri.ro/fr/grotte-de-piatra-altarului.md · Español: https://peplaiuri.ro/es/cueva-de-piatra-altarului.md · Magyar: https://peplaiuri.ro/hu/oltarko-barlang.md Last updated: 31 October 2026 Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania