grottos
Small scenic caves
Grottos is the plural of grotto, a cave or cavern, especially one that is picturesque or has been artificially constructed as a decorative feature.
Natural grottos often have religious or mythological associations—shrines to the Virgin Mary, homes of nymphs in classical literature.
Artificial grottos appear in gardens and parks as romantic retreats: The estate's grottos were lined with shells and colored stones.
Also spelled grottoes.
Hanging cave mineral deposit
- stalagmiteUpward-growing cave deposit
- cavernLarge natural underground chamber
- undergroundBelow ground or countercultural
- subterraneanBeneath earth's surface
limestone · karst · speleology · spelunker · chamber · exploration · bat · calcite
Kept out of sight
- retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
- shelteredKept safe from harm
- refugePlace of safety
- havenShelter from danger
nook · private · secret · concealed · tucked · remote · quiet · solitude
Cave mineral deposit
- flowstoneCalcite sheet from seepage
- travertineLimestone from thermal springs
- tufaPorous calcium carbonate deposit
- calciteCrystalline calcium carbonate
limestone · karst · formation · mineral · deposit · crystalline · sedimentary · erosion
Sacred devotional place
- altarSacred ritual table
- sanctuaryProtected sacred space
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
sacred · chapel · Madonna · Lourdes · votive · candle · prayer · meditation
stalactite
Hanging cave mineral deposit
- stalagmiteUpward-growing cave deposit
- cavernLarge natural underground chamber
- undergroundBelow ground or countercultural
subterranean · limestone · karst · speleology · spelunker · chamber · exploration · bat · calcite · sinter
hidden
Kept out of sight
haven · nook · private · secret · concealed · tucked · remote · quiet · solitude · intimate
dripstone
Cave mineral deposit
- flowstoneCalcite sheet from seepage
- travertineLimestone from thermal springs
- tufaPorous calcium carbonate deposit
calcite · limestone · karst · formation · mineral · deposit · crystalline · sedimentary · erosion · bedrock
shrine
Sacred devotional place
- altarSacred ritual table
- sanctuaryProtected sacred space
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
devotion · sacred · chapel · Madonna · Lourdes · votive · candle · prayer · meditation · saint
artificial
Made, not natural
- ornamentalFor beauty, not function
- rockworkConstructed stone arrangements
- follyAbsence of good judgment
fountain · estate · landscape · romantic · picturesque · fern · moss · ivy · cascade · pond
sea cave
Wave-eroded coastal cavity
- tidepoolCoastal rock hollow holding seawater
- coralMarine skeletal formation
- anemoneTentacled polyp or bloom
starfish · urchin · octopus · kelp · barnacle · mollusk · crustacean · crevice · coastal · cenote
- parksplayground, Hyde Park, Yellowstone, Grant Park, picnic table
- cavescave, cavern, caves, caverns, ancient caves
- coastal featuresshore, coast, beach, bay, cliff
- natural wondersnorthern lights, aurora borealis, auroras, rainbows, Great Barrier Reef
- public artstatues, sculptures, murals, monuments, fountains
- undergroundunderground, subterranean, cave systems, tunnels, tunnel
grottoscaverns
Large underground hollows
cave systems · chasms · abysses · great halls · underground chambers
grottosopen plains
Broad, flat, treeless terrain
plateaus · clearings · open fields · prairies · savannas
- Santa's grottoFestive display where children visit
- Blue GrottoIlluminated coastal cavern