Български
English
The Magura Cave is located in northeastern Bulgaria, 17 km from Belogradchik, in the limestone Rabisha burial mound (altitude 461 meters). It is one of the largest and most beautiful caves in Bulgaria. It consists of the main gallery and three side branches. The overall length of the cave is approximately 2500 meters.
The temperature in the cave is a constant 12 degrees Centigrade, year-round. It is most visited during the summer months.
According to geological studies, The Magura Cave began to take shape about 15 million years ago. In one of the caverns prehistoric paintings have been discovered, carved into the walls and decorated with bat guano (droppings). The paintings depict the silhouettes of women, men dancing and hunting, people wearing masks, animals, stars, tools, and plants. The paintings date from different eras – the early Paleolithic, the Neolithic, the later Neolithic, and the beginning of the Bronze Age. A solar calendar from the late Neolithic found there is the earliest solar calendar discovered in Europe.
The cave offers one of the richest collections of geological formations, of all shapes and sizes – stalactites, stalagmites, columns, Geodesic formations, cave pearls, and flows of “cave milk”.
The remarkable Giant Column is over 20 meters high on a 4-meter base. The Fallen Pine is another of the largest stalagmites discovered in Bulgaria’s caves, with a length of over 11 meters and a base that has a diameter of 6 meters.
The cave is used to make sparkling wine, since the conditions in the cave are similar to those required to produce French champagne.
Availability for visits: Paid, all year round, available guide. Guided tours of the Magura Cave are only available in Bulgarian. Informational materials are available in Bulgarian, English and German.
The temperature in the cave is 12 degrees Centigrade, so visitors should dress warmly. Appropriate footwear is required, since the paths are damp and slippery. Do not leave the marked trails or touch the wall paintings. There is no preferred time to visit, since the cave temperature is constant throughout the year.
Transport accessibility: Road, 17 km away from Belogradchik. The parking area for the cave is some 200-300 meters beyond the sign.
Tourist infrastructure: There are fast food restaurants at the entrance and exit of the cave; souvenirs and promotional materials at the entrance to the cave. At the exit of the cave there is a Magura winery shop. There is Tourist Information Center.
