Orlova Chuka Cave

Orlova Chuka Cave is located approximately 40 kilometers from the city of Ruse, near the village of Pepelina. It was discovered in 1941 by a local shepherd who had brought his flock to graze nearby. The cave’s name comes from the rocky arch above its entrance. The current entrance was built in 1959, when a tunnel was carved and 124 steps were added.

Remains of cave bears that once inhabited the cave have been found inside. It has also been established that the cave was inhabited by humans during the Copper-Stone Age and the Paleolithic. In 1962, Orlova Chuka was declared an official natural landmark.

Today, three kilometers of the cave are accessible and illuminated for visitors. Several bat species can be found here – including the Geoffroy’s bat, greater and lesser horseshoe bats, and the Mediterranean horseshoe bat, unique to Europe, which lives in the cave galleries.

The enormous labyrinth of cave tunnels is the subject of ongoing research by cavers from Ruse. In 1976, a concert was held in one of the chambers, previously known as the Great Vestibule. Due to its excellent acoustics and the concert’s great success, it was renamed the Concert Hall.

Visitors can admire the Great Stalactite, which is 3.5 meters tall and 50 centimeters in diameter. Among the cave’s most famous natural formations are the Owl, the Dinosaur, the Pyramids, the Turtle, and others.

In the western part of the Concert Hall lies the Great Gallery, which leads to the Small and Large Springs. There, visitors can also see small, beautiful calcite sinter lakes. The Large Screes is the name of the biggest chamber in the cave. Its floor is covered with clay and sand, and in some places with rock fragments, most likely collapsed during ancient earthquakes. In some areas, there are piles of bat guano, as the chamber serves as a habitat for numerous bats.