Vrelo Špilja

Spring Cave - Cave Spring

Useful Information

Location:	3 km north of Fužinama/Fuzine in the Gorski Kotar.
Open:	JUL to AUG daily 10-18. SEP to JUN Sat, Sun, Hol 14-17. [2011]
Fee:	Adults HRK 30, Children (6-18) HRK 25, Children (0-5) free. Groups (+): Adults HRK 25, School Pupils HRK 20. [2011]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=310 m, T=8 °C.
Guided tours:	L=180 m, D=30 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Vrelo Špilja, Turistička zajednica Fužine, Sv. Križ 2, 51322 Fužine, Tel: +385-51-835163.
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

1950	during channel works discovered, closed.
1951	opened as a show cave.
1968	electric light.
1991	closed because of the war.
1995	cave completely renovated.
1998	opened to the public.

Description

The Croatian word Vrelo means spring, and so Vrelo Špilja means cave spring or spring cave. This cave contains a spring which is said to have healing powers. The cave river is intermittent, which means it does not flow all year. But the cave river damaged the paths and installations various times during floods. The cave river flows to a cave lake at the end, which is actually a sump. It was dived some years ago, but after 14 m at a depth of 7 m the passage becomes too narrow. The cave has fine speleothems which are nicely displayed by the new cave light.

This cave is rather small and almost horizontal. The paths and electric light have been restored after the war, and today it is the only cave in Croatia which has no steps and is thus wheelchair accessible.

Fuzine is a small town at 730 m asl in the southwest of the Gorski Kotar region, surrounded by mountains, forests and lakes. The cave was discovered during canal works, when the artificial lake Bajer was constructed.