Ceremošnja Pecina


Useful Information

Location: Ceremošnja.
At the foot of the Homolje Mountain (Homoyske Mountains), in the Homoyske Planine. Vicinity of the town of Kucevo, Eastern Serbia. 15 km from Kucevo, 75 km from the Belgrade-Nis motorway and 150 km from Belgrade.
A1/E75 exit Oraška, turn right on 147 towards Kučevo, before you reach Kučevo turn right towards Ravnište, then through Plavčevo to the cave.
(44.3827163, 21.6372149)
Open: APR to OCT daily 9-18.
[2024]
Fee:  
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light:  
Dimension: L=775 m, A=533 m asl.
Guided tours: D=40 min., L=431 m.
Photography:  
Accessibility:  
Bibliography: Dr Radenko Lazaravic (1980): Ceremosnja Cave, (Serbian)
Aleksandar Antić, Nemanja Tomic, Slobodan Markovic (2019): Karst Geoheritage and Geotourism Potential in the Pek River Lower Basin (Eastern Serbia) Geographica Pannonica. 23. 32-46. 10.5937/gp23-20463. researchgate
Address: Ceremošnja Pecina, Tel: +381-63-238090.
Tourist Organization Kučevo "Kučevo", Ul. St. Sava 114 Kučevo, 12240 Kučevo. tokucevo@gmail.com
Tourist Info Center Kučevo, Trg Veljka Dugoševića 14, 12240 Kučevo, Tel: +381-12-850-850. kucevo.tic@gmail.com
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

1952 discovered by C. Milic.
1953 explored by B. Arspovic.
1962 First School of Speleology held here.
1965-69 studied by the Institution for Nature Protection and J. Petrovic.
1976 explored by S. Stajic, Z. Radovanic, and B. Basiljevic.
1978 explored by Dr. Dr. Radenko Lazaravic and the Valjevo Speleogical Group.
1980 developed as a show cave and opened to the public.
2007 declared a natural monument.

Description

Пећина Церемошња or Ceremošnja Pecina (Ceremosnja Cave) is located on the northwestern slopes of Veliki Štubej (940 m asl), the highest peak of the Homolje Mountains. It was named after Ceremošnja village, where it is located. It is known for its spacious halls adorned with numerous cave formations. Of course, not only the chambers but also each and every speleothem have a firstname and a surname with a long story behind. But the cave is actually quite spectacular and the formations extraordinary. The 430 m long trail follows the main passage, the visitors exit the cave on the other end through a second entrance.

The cave is located at the foot of Veliki štubej (940 m asl), which is the highest peak of the Homolje mountains. Next to the cave is a restaurant named Ceremošnja Pecina after the cave, with traditional Homolja cuisine. The area has numerous interesting sites, the nearby show cave Pećina Ravništarka, Bigar Pećina, Golubanjska Pećina, Siga waterfall, Veliki štubej with its view. Водопад Сига or Vodopad Siga is a tufa formation which forms small waterfalls. Životina vodenica

It is a pothole and contains the Strugarski Potok (Little River). It was the second cave to open as a show cave in Serbia.

From the Motel the visitor descends into the Strugarski Potok canyon, following the underground course of the river to the largest chamber in the cave, The Arena, the most beautiful chamber in the whole of Serbia. The chamber is shaped like an amphitheatre, with a diametre of 40-50 m. It is more than 20 m high and has a surface area of 1,293 cum. The Cupola is covered with white calcite, and hung with numerous long stalactites and draperies which are transparent. In the floor of the chamber is the 5 m high stalagmite called Lepa Vlajna, looking like a woman in the local national dress. Nearby are Mladozen and Drugovi, two joined columns. Some meters further on is group called Babuna, and nearby is the Waterfall. Large blocks which have fallen from the roof are named after the Veliki Krs, Mali Krs and Stol mountains. High in the chamber is a stalagmite called Na Vennoj Strazi (the Perpetual Guad), a column 75 m high representing two men, a medieval knight and a Serbian soldier from World War 1, symbolising the destiny and continuity of the battle for freedom.

From the Arena Chamber the visitors pass through the magnificent Dveri Chamber and come to the Ponorska Dvorana, the underground siphon of the Strugarski River. A high level passage leads back into Arena Chamber and then to the Andezitska Hall, with a well decorated ceiling. From here one retraces one's steps to Arena Chamber and then into Juzni Kanal or the Southern Channel, which is more recent and not so well decorated. A new exit has been made here, coming out about 100 meters from the cave entrance, tourists are thus able to make a round trip.

Other attractions include an Ethnographical Park, a Botanical Garden and a Gift Shop.


Text by Tony Oldham (2002). With kind permission.