Kadzielnia is a widely recognized landmark in Kielce. It is a hill 295 m high located in the south part of the city. On the slopes of the hill there once grew plants used for making incense which gave the hill its name.
Since the 18th century limestone was extracted here for building industry. The excavation was stopped in 1962 and the area was turned into a recreational place with walking lanes and vantage points. In the excavation site there was created an amphitheater with 5000 seats. It was finished and opened to the public in 1971 during the 9th anniversary of the city.
The limestone in Kadzielnia is plentiful in fossils of corals, marine invertebrate, cephalopods and cuirassier fish. Kadzielnia is famous for its mineral Karst and Karst phenomena such as shelters, funnels and caves. There are 26 caves and 16 of them are in the protected Geologists’ Rock.
Since 2004, works have beeb carried out in order to give tourist access to several local caves. As a result of those activities, three caves became connected: Odkrywców, Prochownia and Szczelnina (respectively: Explorers' Cave, Gunpowder Cave and Crevice Cave), creating a system with total lenght of 392 m. Visitors can explore an underground route covering 160 m.
