Velingrad - Cave

LepenitsaLepenitsa

Cave Cave

Is it your passion to go

Is it your passion to go inside dark, wet and

inside dark, wet and rocky places? Is climbing

rocky places? Is climbing

one of your favorite

one of your favorite hobbies? Have you ever

hobbies? Have you ever

dreamed of seeing a real

dreamed of seeing a real

bat? If the answer to

bat? If the answer to these questions is yes

these questions is yes then the best place for

then the best place for you is the Lepenitsa

you is the Lepenitsa Cave – near Velingrad.

Cave – near Velingrad.

The cave is The cave is situated situated right right underneath underneath the peak the peak Syutka.Syutka.The cave is The cave is surrounded surrounded by woods. by woods. The cave is The cave is around 8 km around 8 km away from away from the town of the town of Velingrad Velingrad and it’s on and it’s on the way to the way to Surnitsa.Surnitsa.

The cave was The cave was declared a declared a monument on monument on thethe 10 10thth of of October October 1962 .1962 .

The symbol of The symbol of the cave is the cave is the stalactone the stalactone Tsepkata Tsepkata. . Some pearls Some pearls were found in were found in Lepenitsa and Lepenitsa and currently they currently they are kept in are kept in the Natural the Natural Museum in Museum in Sofia.Sofia.

The cave has 3 The cave has 3 floors. On the floors. On the first floor you first floor you cancan see an see an awesome awesome underground underground river. The river. The second floor is a second floor is a dry one and is dry one and is opened for opened for tourists but you tourists but you can visit it only can visit it only in the summer in the summer and you must and you must be be accompanied by accompanied by a guide.a guide.

On the third On the third floor there are floor there are some really some really beautiful small beautiful small cave lakes.cave lakes.While you are While you are inside the cave inside the cave you must wear a you must wear a helmet and it’s helmet and it’s recommended to recommended to wear warm wear warm clothes and a clothes and a torch. torch.

For now most of For now most of the cave is the cave is examined but examined but there are still there are still some chambers some chambers which are not. which are not. The unique nature The unique nature is preserved. You is preserved. You can see can see magnificent forms magnificent forms made by nature made by nature throughout the throughout the years. Those are years. Those are the stalactitesthe stalactites, , stalagmitesstalagmites, , stalactonesstalactones, , cave cave lakes and pearlslakes and pearls..

In Lepenitsa there is a In Lepenitsa there is a rich wildlife. There are 24 rich wildlife. There are 24 species of animals, 6 of species of animals, 6 of which are categorized as which are categorized as animals that can only be animals that can only be found in cavesfound in caves. . Lepenitsa Lepenitsa is the only place in the is the only place in the world where the insect world where the insect Duvalius bureschiDuvalius bureschi lives. lives.

There are 6 There are 6 kinds of batskinds of bats.. They use the They use the cave for cave for hibernationhibernation. . The The temperature temperature inside the inside the cave is around cave is around 10 degrees 10 degrees CC°°..

Scientists Scientists say that say that the cave is the cave is at the age at the age of 230 of 230 million million years. years. Many Many fragments fragments and bones and bones were found were found here. here.

As you can As you can see from see from the photos, the photos, visiting this visiting this beautiful beautiful cave is one cave is one extreme extreme and unique and unique experienceexperience! !