Špilja Vrlovka

Useful Information

Location:	Kamanj (Karlovac County). In Kamanje, north west Karlovac, at the river Kupa. Take the road Ozalj-Metlika, turn off at Kamanje center. 5 min walk. 65 km from Karlovac, 128 km from Rijeka. (45.636916, 15.390412)
Open:	All year daily 13-16, after appointment. [2022]
Fee:	Adults HRK 40. [2022]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=380 m, T=10-13 °C.
Guided tours:	L=270 m, D=30 min.
Photography:	allowed, no flash
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Špilja Vrlovka, 47282 Kamanje. E-mail: Ana, Tel: +385-99-475-8819. Josip, Tel: +385-91-787-5976. Turistička zajednica opcine Žakanje (Tourist office Žakanje), 47282 Kamanje, Tel: +385-47-757-836. Municipality of Kamanje, Kamanje 106, 47282 Kamanje, Tel: +385-47-642-288.
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	first explored by Vladimir Horvat.
1928	opened to the public.
1978	renovated, new rails and electric light installed.
02-MAY-2018	cave reopened.

Description

Špilja Vrlovka (Vrlovka Cave) is a cave with a small cave river and numerous dripstone formations. A specialty are the yellow formations. Excavations revealed remains of animals and humans which took shelter in the cave. Famous are finds of the Lasinje Culture around 2500 BC. The completely preserved cult vessel in the form of a bi-conical flask, 9 cm high with white incrustations as decoration, is on display in the Gradski muzej Karlovac (Karlovac City Museum). The cave is preserved as Geomorphological Nature Monument and a Natura 2000 area.

The cave was open as a show cave for a very long time, however, during the last years it was closed for longer periods. One of the reasons are numerous species of bats which use the cave most of the year. They are hibernating in winter and roosting in summer. And due to bat protection laws in the EU the cave is thus closed much of the year. A recent research on bats in the Vrlovka Cave confirmed the presence of bats throughout the year, but there were periods when a significantly smaller number of individuals lived in the cave. This gives the possibility of occasional visits without a negative impact on the bat fauna.