Dechenhöhle Cave Lights & Guided Tours

One of Germany's most beautiful show caves

The Dechenhöhle was discovered on July 4, 1868, by two railway workers and has since been one of Germany's most visited show caves. Nearly 13 million visitors in 150 years have experienced its stalactites, sinter terraces, cave lakes, and rare sinter fans. Today, the cave is complemented by the attached German Cave Museum, which makes the geology, exploration history, and wildlife of the Central European cave world tangible.

Summer Holidays 2026 — Twelve Adventure Tours

For the NRW summer holidays 2026 (July 21–Aug 27), the Dechenhöhle offers twelve special adventure tours — on Tuesdays and Thursdays, in addition to the classic tour program. Specially designed for children and teenagers, they combine age-appropriate explanations with interactive elements about cave animals, stalactite formation, and the cave's exploration history. Dates: July 21, July 23, July 28, July 30, Aug 4, Aug 6, Aug 11, Aug 13, Aug 18, Aug 20, Aug 25, and Aug 27, 2026.

Cave Lights — Concert with Laser Art

On November 21, 2026, the Dechenhöhle will become a unique concert venue: Axess & KelMen will bring electronic soundscapes, and the cavelaser-project will provide a spectacular light show of the dripstone world. These concerts, with limited visitor numbers, are considered one of the most extraordinary concert experiences in the Sauerland and regularly sell out quickly.

Whisky Tastings Underground

Two dates in autumn — October 2 and November 20, 2026 — invite you to one of Westphalia's most unusual whisky tastings: Moderated tastings in the dripstone cave will feature single malts and bourbons, accompanied by stories about the respective distillery and region.

Iserlohn — Gateway to the Sauerland

The Dechenhöhle is located in the Letmathe district of the town of Iserlohn in the Märkischer Kreis (North Rhine-Westphalia). The Märkischer Kreis is characterized by the landscape of the northern Sauerland and its karst formations — the Dechenhöhle is one of the region's central tourist attractions and is easily accessible by car and train (Iserlohn-Letmathe station).