Krupajsko Vrelo

Useful Information

Location:	Put do Krupajskog vrela, Krupajsko vrelo, Milanovac. Off the 186/216 between Krepoljin and Despotovac. (44.1839, 21.6089)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Spring
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	A=220 m asl, T=9-11 °C.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:
Address:	Krupajsko Vrelo, ut do Krupajskog vrela, Krupajsko vrelo, Milanovac, Tel: +381-.
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

1995	declared a Natural Monument by the Government of the Republic of Serbia.
1998	speleological exploration.

Description

Крупајско врело or Krupajsko Vrelo (Krupaj Spring) is a karst spring, where the river Крупаја (Krupaj) emerges from a cave. It is one of the largest karst spring in Serbia. Only 435 m downstream it merges with the Црвена река/Crvena reka (Red River), which is actually much longer, but it seems the karst spring is more productive and thus considered the main source of the river. The area around the spring and the first 500 m of the river are today a 9 ha large nature reserve.

Over the centuries the Homolje Mountains have swallowed a large amount of gold and hidden it in the Golden Cave deep under the Krupaj Spring. The treasure is guarded by the water spirit Tartor. Each year, on the devils day, the spirit beats the drums and calls other spirits to a feast. The entrance to the mystical cave is only open on this day. Vlach women who aspire to great power climb into the river at night to meet the spirit. In return, the spirit demands a prize, usually a beautiful young woman.

The site is quite spectacular, well developed and popular among tourists. A huge lake with turquoise colour emerges from the underwater cave, the lake is 40 m long and 17 m wide. At the far end is the cave where the water emerges, a huge portal in a vertical limestone cliff. It's hard to say how the spring looked before it was modified, but most likely the water simply flowed out of the cave portal. There is no air-filled cave passage though, the cave goes down and is water-filled. The lake in front is artificial, there is a 3 m high dam which once dammed the water for a nearby watermill. Today this building is used as a restaurant, the Restoran Krupajsko vrelo. The river flows over the dam and forms a spectacular waterfall, which is one of the touristic highlights of the site.

The cave forms a syphon which was explored in 1998 by cave divers to a depth of 70 m. Later a depth of 123 m was reached, which is the current end of the exploration. It is the deepest water cave in Serbia.

Another strange feature of the site are two thermal springs. One spring, with a temperature of 26 °C and a yield of 6–10 l/s, was covered by a spring box, and it is possible to collect the 26 °C warm water from a fountain with five metal pipes. The other one forms a small waterfall.