Where would you say you can find the cave with the highest entrance? Don’t worry, we won’t keep you wondering for long: it’s in Brazil. After decades of doubts, researchers from the University of São Paulo (USP), confirmed through a scientific expedition that Casa de Pedra, located in the Ribeira Valley in the state of São Paulo, has an entrance measuring 197.1 meters high. To picture how high this is, you just have to think of stacking five Christ the Redeemer statues one on top of another.
The discovery was documented by the Brazilian television program Fantástico, which followed the team during the challenging expedition. So, let’s learn more about this, shall we?
A giant cave hidden in the Atlantic Forest
Casa de Pedra is located in a region known as PETAR (Alto Ribeira State Tourist Park), home to more than 400 cataloged caves. Even in an area famous for caves, Casa de Pedra stands out because of the extraordinary height of its entrance.
The cave is surrounded by the Atlantic Forest, one of the most biodiverse regions in Brazil. The area is home to species such as bellbirds, wild pigs, jaguars, and ocelots. This rich natural environment highlights how well-preserved the region remains.
What would you see if you happened to approach Casa de Pedra? Well, you would see a massive stone arch that dominates the landscape, and the scale of the opening is so large that I’m sure it will immediately impress you.
The 36-year mystery
The size of the cave entrance had been estimated since 1989. At that time, explorers used ropes to measure it. While creative, this method had limitations because ropes can stretch, and human weight can affect accuracy. As a result, the true height remained uncertain for decades.
To solve this mystery, researchers from USP organized a new scientific expedition and they carried specialized equipment through a difficult three-and-a-half-hour trail that included mud, streams, steep climbs, and heavy loads. The key tool was a drone equipped with a high-precision laser, which emitted 1.92 million laser points per second, creating a detailed 3D model of the cave entrance. This technology eliminated previous doubts and confirmed the exact height: 197.1 meters.
Inside Casa de Pedra
Although the cave entrance is extraordinary, Casa de Pedra is also dangerous. A river runs through the entire interior of the cave. Crossing it requires walking nearly three kilometers over wet rocks, and in some areas the water reaches chest height.
In 2003, a waterspout struck a group crossing the cave and unfortunately a guide and a tourist died during that incident. After this tragedy, the cave was closed to tourism. The thing is that conditions inside the cave can change very quickly, even local residents say that when it begins to rain, the water level can rise within minutes.
Today, the Casa de Pedra remains closed to the public and visitors are only allowed to approach the entrance, which alone offers a monumental view.
World record
Of course, there are caves in the world that are deeper or have larger interior chambers, such as Sơn Đoòng in Vietnam. However, when it comes to the height of the entrance, none surpasses Casa de Pedra.
It’s true that there are some large openings in China and Venezuela, but they are either not considered true caves or lack official measurements and geological agreement. Casa de Pedra, in contrast, has now been scientifically measured and confirmed.
So, the 197.1-meter entrance officially makes it the largest cave entrance on the planet and this gives Brazil a globally recognized natural landmark and strengthens its position in the field of speleology.
Reopening it
It would be amazing to enter Casa de Pedra, wouldn’t it? There are discussions about possibly reopening the cave under controlled conditions. One idea is to allow visits only during the dry season, between April and September, and with stricter safety protocols. This doesn’t sound bad, but, for now, this place remains closed.