Potpećka pećina

Useful Information

Location:	Potpeće, Sevojno 31205, Serbia. 14 km from Titov Užice, 2 km from main Belgrade-Titov Uzice road. 23/E-763/E-761 between Čačak and Sevojno, exit Zlakusa, through the town, follow signs to Potpeće, signposted. (43.7954768, 19.9334224)
Open:	APR Mon-Fr 12-16, Sat, Sun 10-18. MAY to OCT daily 10-18. [2024]
Fee:	Adults RSD 350, Children RSD 250. Groups: Adults RSD 300, Children RSD 200. [2024]
Classification:	Karst cave Middle Triassic limestone
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	T=9-10 °C, H=95%. Portal: H=50 m, W=22.
Guided tours:	L=555 m, D=60 min., St=700 m. V=7,000/a [2016] V=8,000/a [2019]
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Dr Radenko Lazaravic (1981): Potpecka pecina, ()
Address:	Potpećka pećina, Guide, Potpeće, Sevojno 31205, Tel: +381-63-585-304. Turistička Organizacija Užica, Trg partizana 10, 31000 Užice, Tel: +381-31-513-485, Tel: +381-31-514-761.
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

1893	cave mentioned by one of the most prominent Serbian speleologists and explorers, Jovan Žunić.
1913	first explored by Jovan Civjic.
1957-1978	explored by Professor Radenko Lazaravic.
1972-1981	explored by cavers from Valjevo.
1983	explored by J. Zujovic.
1984	opened to the public.

Description

Потпећка пећина/Potpećka pećina (Cave of Potpeće) is named after the nearby village of Potpeće. The most spectacular feature is the huge entrance portal, which the highest cave entrance in Serbia. The portal is 50 m high from the bed of the periodic spring at the floor to the vault, 12 m wide at the bottom and 22 m at the top. The limestone cliff where it is located is 72 m high. Sometimes the numbers are mixed up, and the height of the cliff is given as height of the portal. But even with the real size, this cave made it on our list of the largest cave entrances. The water of the resurgence originates from the Drežnicka valley and flows underground for 5 km to emerge here in an intermittent spring and form the Petnica river, a tributary of Đetinja river. The cave has three levels, the uppermost is fossil, the lowest is the active river cave, and the middle level is normally dry, but reactivated during times of high production. The show cave is located in the upper level.

The largest chamber in the active level is called Cvijić's Hall, named after the Serbian geographer Jovan Cvijić (*1865-✝1927). He was the first who explored the cave in 1913.

The cave lies on the northern part of the 932 m high Mount Dreznicka Gradina (932 m asl) near the village of Potpece, in a cliff which is more than 80 m high. The entrance is shaped like a huge horseshoe, 50 m high, 25 m wide in the arch and 16 m wide at the base. It is the largest cave entrance in Serbia.

The cave is a resurgence which is formed on three levels, all of which are dry which is nice for the visitors. However, it does flood periodically. Two resurgences are to be found in front of the cave, one of which is the river Petnica, and another a tributary of the River Detinja. In the wettest part of the year, the water floods from the cave entrance as a large river.

The tourist route is very attractive. One enters through an old fossil entrance on the left and exits through an entrance on the right, 30 m and 700 steps further up. After the entrance at Siljate Stene, one enters Tavan, a large chamber with a Byzantine style cupola. The chamber is lit by daylight, and has an unforgettable view. The outline of the entrance looks like an Elephant with the Strazar Tower, and these are found on the cave's logo. From Tavan one passes through the tunnel of Glavni Hodnik, to enter Prolaz Nade, a chamber, where during the past 10 years, cavers have discovered more than 2,185 m of passage. Though this chamber one comes to Niska Dvorana, where the remains of ice age fauna have been found. Another passage, Minerski Prolaz leads to Galerija Mladih Istrazivaca or the Hall of the Young Explorers. Next is Cvijiceva Dvorana, named after J Cvijic, the famous Yugoslavian speleologist. Visitors then pass through the Prolaz Slijepih Miseva tunnel to the Dreznick Canal, a part of Potecka Pecina which shows how this large cave system 6-8 km in length links the villages of Dreznik and Potpece. In this Canal there are groups of formations, Snezana, Sedam, Paluljaka, Don Kihot, a column 3.5 m high, Nevestinski Veo, Spemenik etc.

From Dreznicki Put visitors return by the same path till they are nearly back to Tavan, and then descend to the magnificent cave entrance by 150 steps.

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