Cave lawsuit: Due to a legal dispute, one of the Kama region's main attractions, the Kungur Ice Cave, has closed. And it won't reopen anytime soon.

Since 2006, the Stalagmite company has held the right to conduct tours of this unique natural monument. The cave attracts approximately 150 tourists annually.

However, in 2022, regional authorities accused the tenants of making illegal structural changes—drilling a borehole above the cave and creating additional tunnels, jeopardizing visitor safety.

Furthermore, the company was found to be violating the established limit on visiting the cave, which contributed to an increase in temperature inside the natural monument.

Entrance to the Kungur Cave closed back in May, after Stalagmite's license was revoked. By October, it became known that the facility would not be opening anytime soon: in an attempt to appeal the authorities' decision, the company filed a There are about 30 claims in the arbitration court—their consideration could take one and a half to two years.

Currently, entry to the cave is difficult not only for tourists, but also for the owner, the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use: the entrance group belongs to the company "Stalagmite."

Photo: AndreyOzhegov