Drach Caves

Although there is no explicit reference to the cave in the Middle Ages, some historians place the first evidence of the grotto in a letter written by the governor of the island, Roger de Rovenach, to the mayor of Manacor in 1338. The name "Drach" first appears in 1632 in the work "Historia del Reino de Mallorca" by Dameto. During the 18th and 19th centuries, most geographers included the caves in their works, including Cardinal Depuig, Berard y Solà, and Joaquín María Bover.

In 1880, the German entomologist M. Friedrich Will, invited by Archduke Luis Salvador of Austria, created the first map of the caves, including the White Cave and the Black Cave. Julio Verne mentioned the caves in his work "Les Voyages de Clovis Dardentor" (1895), possibly influenced by the works of his contemporaries, where he listed their wonders: "Considered the most beautiful in the world, with their legendary lakes, stalactite chapels, baths of clean and fresh water, their theater, their hell, fantastic denominations if you will, but deserving of the marvels of those underground immensities!"

In September 1896, the Frenchman Édouard-Alfred Martel, considered the father of modern speleology, was invited by his friend Gaston Vuillier, who had visited the caves a few years earlier, and by the patron Luis Salvador of Austria. Martel, accompanied by Louis Armand, discovered the other two caves, the Luis Salvador Cave and the French Cave, as well as an underground lake that would henceforth bear his name, Lake Martel (Llac Martel), approximately 115 m long and 30 m wide. This lake is considered one of the largest underground lakes in the world, and daily live classical music concerts are held there. At the end of the concert, visitors can cross the lake by boat.

In 1929, a new entrance was opened in front of Cala Murta, which has since become the main entrance for visitors. In 1935, engineer Carles Buïgas completed his project for electric lighting inside the cave, which included the famous "Dawn on the Lake" spectacle.