Lepenitsa Cave is located in the territory of Rakitovo - 130 km from Sofia and 80 km from Plovdiv. The entrance to the cave itself can be reached by car from Rakitovo by traveling 17 km, of which 14 km is good asphalt and 3 km macadam road. The entrance to the cave can also be reached by car from Velingrad, starting from Kleptuza and traveling 9 km, 7 of which are asphalt and 2 km macadam road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lepenica is located in a marble massif under Mount Syutka. Around is a karst area and there are more caves. Local people visited the cave as early as the beginning of the 20th century. The first documented visits with a scientific purpose were from 1925 and 1927, when Academician Ivan Buresh and Dr. Pencho Drenski came here. Thanks to this interest of prominent scientists in Lepenitsa in Rakitovo, in 1930, the first branch of the speleological society founded in Sofia in 1929 was established, the successor of which is now the Bulgarian Speleology Federation. Most of the first cavemen in Rakitovo were teachers. Enthusiasts and romantics, until 1935 they entered the cave through the first water floor, waded through the cold and then full-water underground river. When many tourists began to come, cavers dug a new entrance on the second dry floor, which is still accessible today. They guided the visitors using 4 specially purchased acetylene lamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since 1962, Lepenitsa has been declared a natural landmark and entry into it is prohibited. But since there is no security, often the padlock at the entrance is broken and random people enter. In order to better protect the cave, the Association "SUTKYA" - Rakitovo - the successor of the Rakitovo cave society - proposed a project for controlled access in the first 600 meters, without the first water floor, in which only the security of a certain route is foreseen. Since 2010, the access mode has been changed and the project has been implemented. Now Lepenica is a unique cave. It remains a natural landmark. The visitor in it feels like a real caveman. That's how the first visitors felt 80 years ago. The cave is not illuminated so as not to change the microclimate in it. The visitor receives equipment: helmet and helmet, boots and gloves and moves only along a certain route, guided by a caver. The route is secured only with wooden grates, stairs, bridges and railings or with rope railings and restraints. What is unique about this case is that the cave is accessible, and nothing in it has been changed. Any change can have an impact on the 24 species of organisms living in Lepenica, 6 of which are troglobiotes \u2013 organisms that live only in the dark. The cave is also inhabited by 6 species of bats. Of the troglobionts for the Duvalius bureshi beetle (Duvalius bureshi), the only locality in the world is in Lepenica, and the spider Troglohyfantes drenskii (Troglohyfantes drenskii) and the complex Anamastigona Lepenicae (Anamastigona Lepenicae) were found only in Lepenica and a small cave next to it. By studying the cave fauna and troglobiotes in particular, biologists learn a lot about life on Earth in previous eras. Only in caves can species that have long since disappeared from the surface of the Earth be found and studied. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Entering Lepenica, you enter a new world. It's a world of hell. The permanent living organisms here have no eyes because they don't need them. They have no pigmentation because no sunlight penetrates here. High humidity and constant temperature - 8-9 degrees Celsius. The route is extreme in places, so it is necessary for the people in the group to do what the guide does and help each other. You walk up to 600 meters, and you have the feeling that you have walked for kilometers. A real cave gym. In such a situation, they have to trust the person next to you. Visits are suitable for people working in a team. At this high humidity, cameras and cameras with sensitive electronics become blocked. Subtly, you return to the primal, restore your sense of connection with nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The unique thing about Lepenica is that you simultaneously fall into a new world and learn, seeing incredibly beautiful formations and paintings, but also experience, overcoming obstacles along the route. This has nothing to do with the virtual world of our offices and homes. Here mud is mud, you rely on your own hands and feet and most of all on the help of the person next to you. The cave is alive and continues to change every moment. You hear the sound of the underground river, you can hear the crash of the stalactite drop falling from the ceiling. You enjoy the incredible sintra lakes or the draperies on the walls. You can see where the underground river used to flow in the Hall of Collapse, you can feel the ribs and enjoy the upside-down Buddhist monk's house, you can get absolution by walking through the gorge under the fallen rock, or stay sinful by walking up the side ladder . You can sing a song and feel the cathedral-like acoustics in the Chamber Hall and make a secret wish in the cave chapel next to it. You can name entities. What is cypress for adults is ice cream for children. But whatever you do, you understand that visiting Lepenitsa is unique and has nothing to do with visiting any other cave in Bulgaria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Until 1962, the cave was called Izvora, because a large underground river flowed out of it. In 1962, the river was included in the water supply network and the cave was named Lepenitsa. According to some, the name is related to the sticky mud inside the cave after six hundred meters. Others say that it is Lepenica because it is "pretty" - pretty. I think the name shows how beautiful she is, but you, the visitor, can decide for yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Source: www.rakitovo-bg.com<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lepenitsa Cave is located in the territory of Rakitovo - 130 km from Sofia and 80 km from Plovdiv. The entrance to the cave itself can be reached by car from Rakitovo by traveling 17 km, of which 14 km is good asphalt and 3 km macadam road. By car to the entrance of the cave [\u2026]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":75459,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[57],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n