Пещера „Бисерна“

Biserna Cave

Useful Information

Location:	1 km west of Shumen. (43.267084, 26.885513)
Open:	Only after appointment. APR to 20-MAY Mon-Fri 10, 11:30, 13:00. 15-AUG to OCT Mon-Fri 10, 11:30, 13:00. [2019]
Fee:
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=2,716 m, VR=29 m, A=404 m asl, T=10 °C.
Guided tours:	L=800 m, Min=8, Max=12.
Photography:
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Petar Beron, Boyan Petrov, Pavel Stoev (2004): The Invertebrate cave fauna of the Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece) In: Biodiversity of Bulgaria 2. Biodiversity of Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece) (pp.791-822) Chapter: The Invertebrate cave fauna of the Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece) Publisher: Pensoft & Nat. Mus. Natur. Hist., Sofia Editors: Petar Beron, Alexi Popov researchgate.net
Address:	Biserna Cave, Directorate of Nature Park "Shumen Plateau", Shumen, +359-54-857-773. Шуменско плато (Shumen Plateau Nature Park), ул. „Ильо Войвода“ 37, 9700 Шумен Център, Шумен Reservation: Tel: 054-800765.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1928	description by the French geographer Jean-Denis Barbier du Bocage.
1968	first speleological research by Shumen and Sofia speleologists.
1986	artificial entrance built 5 m above the natural entrance.
2003	additional galleries discovered by the cave club of the Madara Horseman Tourist Association in Shumen.
APR-2019	opened to the public.
MAY-2019	closed for the protection of bat roost.
SEP-2019	reopened.

Description

Пещера „Бисерна“ (Pearl Cave), also known as Зандана (Zandana), is a sort of on-off show cave. It was developed with massive funding by the European Union over decades. When they finally opened it after 40 years, it was open only for six weeks in spring and six weeks in autumn. The reason are the bats living in the cave, which use it for hibernation in winter and as a roost during summer. The cave is home to 14 species of protected bats. It probably should never have been developed because of this and we guess it could be closed again soon, because a show cave which is only three months open during low season every year, might not be very profitable. We guess the massive bat protection laws were not existing when the cave was developed.

The cave was named "Biserna" (Pearl) because of the pearl like drops of water on the stalactites. It is the longest and most beautiful cave on the Shumen plateau. It is located at the rim of the city Schumen, in the suburb Kyoshkove. The Парк-хотел "Кьошкове" (Park Hotel "Kyoshkove"), located in the western part of Shumen at the foot of the Shumen plateau, is only 600 m away. The cave is located in the escarpment above the hotel. It is reached on a small road around Schumen Fortress and through the dense forest. From the parking lots there is a trail to an artificial entrance which was built in 1986. It is located above the natural entrance, which is 50 m below the edge of the plateau and faces northeast. From the entrance the developed route follows the main passage for 8ß0 m. The sections are named the Eastern Gallery, the Main Gallery, the Water Gallery, the Great Hall, the Sinter Hall and the Mud Gallery. There is no exit, so visitors have to return to the entrance on the same route.

The cave system has two different levels, the show cave being in the upper, fossil level. The lower level is 6 m lower, active and the cave river emerges from a karst spring in the valley with an average flow of 8 l/s. The cave passages are developed in a southwest-northeast direction. The cave has stalactites, stalagmite and several curtains,

The cave had been known for centuries by the people of Schumen. It is very close to the city actually. On the other hand it first description is from the French geographer Jean-Denis Barbier du Bocage from the year 1928. And it was first explored by a local caving club in 1968. The locals either never entered the cave or at least there is no documentation about such an visit. The cave is reached on a forest road which is not suitable for cars, so you have to walk a few hundred meters to the cave. The best route is to leave the vehicles on the asphalt road before the turn for the villa of the Municipality of Shoumen. The other route is from the park "Kyoshkove". Signs are placed on all routes.