Špilja Vranjača

Useful Information

Location:	Near Kotlenica. 25 km from Split. From Split take road through Dugopolje and Kotlenice to the hamlet Punde. The parking is at the road, 300 m easy walk to the cave entrance. (43.562247, 16.648348)
Open:	15-MAR to APR daily 10-17. MAY to SEP daily 9-19. OCT daily 10-17. NOV to 15-MAR Sat, Sun 10-15. [2022]
Fee:
Classification:	Karst Cave marble
Light:
Dimension:	L=360 m, VR=65 m, T=15 °C.
Guided tours:	L=300 m.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:	Dr. Fritz Kerner (1904): Die Grotte von Kotlenice am Nordfuße der Mosor planina, T. Rada, G. Nonveiller (2000): The Survey of Speleological, Archaeological and Biospeleological Researches in the Vranjača Cave near Kotlenice Village, Alcadi 2000, Zadar
Address:	Obitelj Punda, selo Kotlenice, zaselak Punda, 21204 Dugopolje, Tel: +385-21-812-649, Tel/Fax: +385-21-812-616, Cell: +385-98-947-4149 and +385-98-749-000. Špilja Vranjača, Tel: +385-21-812-616, Cell: +385-98-749-000. E-mail:
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

1900	exploration by speleologists from the PTD Liburnija in Zadar.
1903	surveyed by the miner Luigi Miotto.
1904	the geologist Dr. Fritz Kerner from Vienna explored the cave.
1927	beginning of development, construction of trails and road to the cave entrance.
1929	electric light installed.
15-DEC-1929	opened to the public.
1934-1935	archaeological excavations by Professor Umberto Girometta.
1963	declared a Geomorphologic Natural Monument.
1970	electric lighs renovated.

Description

Špilja Vranjača (Vranjaca Cave) is said to be the most beautiful cave in Central Dalmatia. There are two big chambers, connected by a corridor. Vranjaca is located at the northern slopes of mount Mosor, about 25 km from Split.

This cave was known for a very long time, at least the entrance called Atrium. Exploration of the cave behind stared in 1900, when speleologists from the PTD Liburnija in Zadar first explored the cave. The miner Luigi Miotto made the first survey in 1903. Then the mining engineer Rade Mikacic, the Head of the Section for Research of Karst Phenomena, started to develop the cave. A 450 m long paved road, a parking lot with turning place, and a path to the cave entrance were built. Pine trees were planted around the cave. The cave was equipped with electric light, concrete paths, and iron handrail. The passage from the atrium had to be artificially extended. Finally in 1929 the cave was opened to the public.

In the entrance area Professor Umberto Girometta discovered remains from the early Neolithic. In the years 1934 and 1935 he made archaeological excavations and found earthenware and bone fragments. He published various articles in scientific journals and newspapers, promoting the cave.

After World War II the cave fell into a sleep, only visited by a few mountaineers and some tourists. But after it was declared a Natural Monument and was put under the care of Šumsko gospodarstvo (Forest Economy) the installations were renovated and the cave reopened.