 The ancient valley of the Ahja River is 32 metres deep at the Suur Taevaskoda (Large Heaven’s Hall) Cliff. The curved cliff situated in the river bend is 150 metres long and 24 metres high. This is the highest sandstone outcrop in the ancient valley of the Ahja River. The curved cliff wall amplifies the sound of the swirling water coming from the rapids, the singing of the birds and the voices of visitors. The Suur Taevaskoda caves are mentioned in records dating back several centuries. Old chronicles tell us that in the 17th and 18th centuries the Suur Taevaskoda Cliff had a gap at several feet from ground level, barely wide enough for a person to squeeze through. This gap was said to lead into a large space with three separate chambers behind it. There are no earlier written records, but folk legends exist, passed on from generation to generation.
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