The Optymistychna (Ukrainian: Оптимістична, lit. 'optimistic', also known as Peshchera Optimistitscheskaya) is a gypsum cave located near the Ukrainian village of Korolivka, Chortkiv Raion, Ternopil Oblast. Approximately 264 km (164 mi) of passageways have been mapped within. As a result, it is the longest cave in Europe and the seventh-longest cave in the world, after Mammoth Cave, Sistema Sac Actun, Jewel Cave, Shuanghedong and Sistema Ox Bel Ha. It is also the longest gypsum cave in the world.
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Optymistychna Cave in the context of Ternopil Oblast
Ternopil Oblast (Ukrainian: Тернопільська область, romanized: Ternópilʹsʹka óblastʹ), also referred to as Ternopilshchyna (Ukrainian: Тернопільщина, romanized: Ternópilʹščyna) or Ternopillia (Ukrainian: Тернопілля, romanized: Ternopíllja), is an oblast (province) of Ukraine. Its administrative center is Ternopil, through which flows the Seret, a tributary of the Dniester. Population: 1,021,713 (2022 estimate).
One of the natural wonders of the region are its cave complexes. Although Ternopil Oblast is among the smallest regions in Ukraine, over 100 caves have been discovered there. Scientists believe these are only 20% of all possible caves in the region. The biggest cave is Optymistychna Cave. Measuring 267 km (166 mi) in total length, it is the longest cave in Eurasia and the fifth-longest in the world. Twenty percent of the land in the region is chernozem soil.
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