This spacious cave in the valley of the Rašćanska river is named after the famous Serbian military commander Hadži Prodan. Together with the revolutionary leader Karađorđe, Hadži Prodan led the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman rule in the early 19th Century and later spearheaded a rebellion of his own.
This spacious cave in the valley of the Rašćanska river is named after the famous Serbian military commander Hadži Prodan. Together with the revolutionary leader Karađorđe, Hadži Prodan led the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman rule in the early 19th Century and later spearheaded a rebellion of his own.It is believed this was where Hadži Prodan hid those who sought refuge from the wrath of the Ottoman rulers, which gave the cave its present-day name. Among the locals it is also known as Rašćanska cave, while some still refer to it by its old name of Šljepaja.
The 400-metre long cave has two floors. The lower floor of Hadži Prodan’s cave widens into a spacious hall, covered on the right-hand side with a large tufa flowstone and with shallow pools on the floor where water from the ceiling accumulates, while the central area of the hall features breath-taking stalactites and stalagmites.
Apart from its speleological importance, Hadži Prodan’s cave is also an archaeological treasure trove, as it is one of the few multilayer Palaeolithic sites in the Central Balkans. Fragments of pottery found at the entrance to the cave date back to the early Iron Age, while excavations of the geological strata in the cave revealed artefacts that have been dated to the period between the 20th and the 10th millennium BCE as well as items from the Middle Palaeolithic period. In the past, Hadži Prodan’s cave was a habitat for numerous animal species: researchers have unearthed the remains of more 25 species of insects, skull fragments of the now-extinct cave bear and even a 12-centimetre long tooth!
Do not miss an opportunity to find out more about the history and speleological significance of Hadži Prodan’s cave and explore other landmarks of this region. Visit the reconstructed church built in the early 20th Century at the entrance to the cave and definitely include trips to the nearby town of Ivanjica, Golija mountain and the traditional music festival which takes place every summer in the town of Guča.
Info: Hadži Prodan’s Cave