highlights

Resava cave is situated in the area of Gornja Resava, about 20km away from Despotovac. It’s on the limestone hill known as Babina Glava (grandmother’s head), on the skirts of the lime field of Divljakovac. About 800m of the cave are prepared for visitors. There is the concret path leading through many of the two-leveled halls, connected by steep metal stairs. Amaizingly shaped cave ornaments carry fantastic names: “The Elephant Foot”, “Hanged Sheep”, “Crystal Palace”, “History Forecourt”, “Thirst for Love” etc.

history

The Resava cave is one of the oldest caves in Serbia. It is almost 80 million years old, and the older cave ornaments are standing here for about 45 million years. The cave appeared before the ice age, and its creation is caused by chemical and mechanical erosion of the limestone by a sinking river. The cave was well known among the shepherds, who used it as a shelter during the storms, both for the sheep and themselves. One of the shepherds reveals the cave to the Svilajnac mountaineers in 1962 and, in the same year it was examined to the details by speleologists from Novi Sad, led by Dr. Jovan Petrovic. Resava was being prepared for visitors for 10 years. It was opened on 22 April 1972, and ever since it represented one of the main tourist attractions of this region.

getting there

You can come by foot or zou can hitch-hike from Despotovac to the village of Strmosten, 15km away from Despotovac. It is 3km away from the motel “Lisine” from where it takes 10 minutes of walk to get to the mountain lodge. In about 20 minutes from the lodge you will be at the waterfall Buk, the biggest waterfall in Serbia and from where you need one more hour to get to the Resava cave.

Bus Station Despotovac: phone: 035 / 611 - 162
Railway Station Despotovac: phone: 035 / 611 – 164

things to see

From the very entrance the cave is rich in ornaments which appeares in one of three colours, depending on the minerals the water runs over. Mostely, the colours are yellow (clay), white (calcium crystal) or red (iron oxyde).

Only organized visits with a tour guide are allowed, and two of the galleries can be seen. The upper gallery consists of four chambers. The first one is the Pillar Chamber, named after yelowish limestone pillars connecting the ground with the ceiling. Than the Beehive Chamber comes, where, on the left, three hive-shaped stalagmites stand.

The Canyon Canal connects the second and third chamber which carries the name The History Forecourt, because some tools of the prehistorical men, together with the hearth, stone axe, spear tips and a scull of the silver fox were found here.

Through the short tunnels you will reach the path to the Fossilised Waterfalls, where two sculptures of white crystal, called Grandmother and Grandfather are. In the fourth, Crystal Hall, the ornaments under the names Hanged Sheep, Elephant’s Foot etc. can be seen, as well as the indention closed by stalactites and stalagmites, known as The Prison or The Cage.

From here a cockle stairs will lead you to the fifth chamber- a Concert or Sculpture Hall with a 20m high and 13m wide pillar in the center which is the most attractive part od the cave. There is also a 12m high pillar called the Mother with a Child made of red crystal, except for the faces which are made of white crystal.

The sixth, Boban’s Chamber is separated from the fifth by the wall called the Scull Tower, with the figures resembling the human sculls. Between the sixth and the seventh chamber is a gallery called the Cafeteria with a waterfall of white crystal. From here you enter the seventh chamber known as the Coral Canal, and the eight, Muddy, chamber. There are a stalactite and a stalagmite leaning one to another called the Thirst for Love or a Date in a thousand years, because it is assumed that that much time is needed for this two figures to touch.

A lot of the moss and lichen can be found in the cave, and the bats will welcome you in the entrance.

Source: http://www.resavska-pecina.co.yu/