Discovered and used long before by Wayne's ancestors as a storehouse as well as a means of transporting escaped slaves during the Civil War era, Wayne himself rediscovered them when he fell through a dilapidated well on his estate.<br/>The Batcave serves as a place of privacy and tranquility where Batman can be himself.<br/>Upon his initial foray into crime-fighting, Wayne used the caves as a sanctum and to store his then-minimal equipment. As time went on, Wayne found the place ideal to create a stronghold for his war against crime, and has incorporated a plethora of equipment as well as expanding the cave for specific uses. Bruce Wayne having discovered the cave as a child, falling into it during youthful exploration of the grounds.<br/><br/>The cave is accessible in several ways. It can be reached through a secret door in Wayne Manor itself, which is located in the main study, behind a grandfather clock. The panel unlocks when the hands of the clock are set to the time that Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered: 10:47. Alternately, the study entrance has been shown to be behind a bookcase which slides to the side when a secret button is pushed, revealing the "Bat-Poles".<br/><br/>The cave's centerpiece is a supercomputer whose specs are on par with any of those used by leading national security agencies; it permits global surveillance and also connects to a massive information network as well as storing vast amounts of information, both on Batman's foes and his allies. A series of satellite link-ups allows easy access to Batman's information network anywhere in the globe. The systems are protected against unauthorized access, and any attempt to breach this security immediately sends an alert to Batman.<br/><br/>The Bat Computer is powerful beyond the realm of realistic computer systems, as Alfred Pennyworth is able to program a replication (his "brain algorithms") of himself that can be conversed with.<br/><br/>Additionally, the cave contains state of the art facilities such as: crime lab, various specialized laboratories, mechanized workshops, personal gymnasium, a vast library, parking, docking and hangar space (as appropriate) for his various vehicles as well as separate exits for the various types, trophies of past cases, a large bat colony.<br/><br/>The cave houses Batman's vast array of specialized vehicles, foremost being the famous Batmobile.<br/><br/>Batman keeps a fleet of regular cars of various models and utility vehicles such as an ambulance as well when the Batmobile would be too conspicuous for a mission. Other vehicles within the complex include various motorcycles, and various air and watercraft such as the Batplane, a single-occupant supersonic jet. Another vehicle found in the Batcave is the subway rocket.<br/><br/>The cave is sometimes powered by a nuclear reactor, but most often by a hydro-electric generator made possible by an underground river. Batman later incorporated safeguards against earthquakes and even a potential nuclear catastrophe, outfitting the cave as a virtual bomb shelter or an enhanced panic room.<br/><br/>(http://cdn.batman-news.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/bbnew18.jpg)<br/>(http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/245/b/2/batcave_by_nobackstreetboys-d2xvib3.jpg)