LURAY, Virginia, United States — The Great Stalacpipe Organ, located in Luray Caverns, is the world’s largest musical instrument, using natural stalactites to produce sound. Designed and built by Leland W. Sprinkle in 1956, this unique organ covers over three acres of the caverns, producing music by striking stalactites with rubber-tipped mallets.
Photograph by David Coleman. The Great Stalacpipe Organ, housed within Luray Caverns in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, is an extraordinary musical instrument that spans over three acres of underground space. Built in 1956 by Leland W. Sprinkle, the organ operates by striking stalactites of varying sizes with rubber-tipped mallets, producing musical tones. This natural organ creates an ethereal sound, with the cavern walls amplifying the notes. Known as the world’s largest musical instrument, the organ is a significant attraction in Luray Caverns, drawing visitors who come to experience its unique acoustic properties and the impressive natural formations of the caverns. The Great Stalacpipe Organ offers a rare combination of natural geology and human ingenuity, using the natural stalactites of the cavern as the instrument’s pipes. Tours of Luray Caverns provide visitors with the opportunity to witness the organ in action while exploring the stunning underground environment of limestone formations, stalactites, and stalagmites.
Size: 8256px × 5504px
Location: Luray Caverns, Luray, Virginia, United States
Photo credit: © David Coleman | Have Camera Will Travel / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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