Potencjał geoturystyczny wybranych obiektów Ojcowskiego Parku Narodowego i jego otuliny

Abstract

Geotouristic potential of selected objects in the Ojców National Park and its protected zone area (S Poland).A b s t r a c t. In this paper, two scenic caves, five selected karst rock forms, and five rock outcrops situated in the Ojców National Park and its protected zone area are the subject of comparative research, considered as very essential examples of geotouristic potential. Most of their karst forms differ between each other. These include Łokietek and Ciemna (Dark) cave, Kraków Gate, Rękawica and Igła Deotymy rock-cliff at Ojców, Duży Pochylec rock-cliff in Skała, and Maczuga Herkulesa rocky tower at Pieskowa Skała. Apart from them, outcrops of Quaternary calcareous tufa and rock falls at Ojców, an abrasion surface cutting Upper Jurassic limestones and covered with Cretaceous limestones and marls, Pleistocene loess at Januszowice, and the Duże Skałki (Big Rocks) former quarry of Upper Jurassic limestone at Czajowice were also studied. All of them are situated in the Silesian-Kraków Monocline. The caves, rock-cliffs and Maczuga Herkulesa rocky tower developed in the Upper Jurassic Oxfordian massive limestone. Their karst forms arediverse and picturesque. The other objects selected for research are also very interesting and important examples, displaying products of very complex geological processes. The comparative geotouristic potential evaluation of all 12 objects was made to meet tourists', educators' and investors' expectations and needs to increase their geotouristic development level. The statistical data of the annual number of visitors at the described two caves is also discussed. In general, interest in them as geotouristic abiotic nature objects hasbeen growing regularly until today. They have become very widely known in Poland. Moreover, the Łokietek Cave, Kraków Gate rock-cliff and Maczuga Herkulesa rocky tower have become very popular worldwide.