Resava Cave, estimated to be 80 million years old, is situated in the limestone hill of Babina glava in Eastern Serbia. That makes it one of the oldest caves in Serbia!
Set off on a tour of the cave on the maintained path which passes through all 8 halls on both upper and lower levels. The tour begins with the “Hall of Conjoined Columns”, so named because of the many yellowish columns created by conjoined stalagmites and stalactites which spread across the entire cave.
The route continues towards the “Apiary Hall”, which owes its name to a group of three stalagmites reminiscent of old apiaries, which used to be made of wattle and mud. The second and third halls are connected by a canal made of red breccias, consisting of fragments of different stones cemented by calcareous material.
As you walk along the “Canyon Canal”, you will reach the third hall of the Resava Cave, known as the “Vestibule of History”.
It also features petrified cave curtains dubbed the “Cave Organ” because of the curious sounds they make, which echo like music.
After heading down a long man-made tunnel, you will reach the “Crystal Hall”, rich in white, yellow and red crystal cave formations. The “Concert Hall” can be reached through a hallway full of partition cave walls known as the “Cave Studios”. As its name suggests, the “Concert Hall” has excellent acoustics and the quantity and beauty of its cave formations are unrivaled by any other hall in Resava Cave.
“Boban’s Hall” is named after the young speleologist who first entered it. It’s known for its wall formations the “Skull Tower” because of the resemblance to a tower of human skulls, much like the famous tower in the Serbian city of Niš. From here, a small gallery will take you to the seventh hall of Resava Cave known as the “Coral Canal”.
At the end of your tour you will also pass through the “Mud Hall”, so named because of its clay-covered walls where cave formations are scarce.
Nature lovers can continue their exploration of this area on the slopes of the nearby mountain Beljanica. In addition to the powerful karst spring of Veliko vrelo and the high Karst plateaus, you can also see the Veliki buk waterfall, which cascades down the cliffs for more than 20 meters, creating a spectacular sight.
The monastery of Manasija, built by the Serbian ruler Despot Stefan Lazarević in the 15th Century, is also near the cave. The monastery compound with its large church, dining hall, and 11 towers is one of the most important monuments of medieval Serbian culture.