Vrelo Špilja

Spring Cave - Cave Spring

Useful Information

Location:	3 km north of Fužinama/Fuzine in the Gorski Kotar. ()
Open:	FEB to APR Fri 14, 15, Sat-Sun 11, 12, 14, 15. MAY to JUN Fri 14, 15, Sat-Sun, Hol 10-17. JUL to SEP Mon-Thu 10, 11, 12, Fri 10-15, Sat-Sun 10-18. OCT Fri 14, 15, Sat-Sun 11, 12, 14, 15. NOV to JAN Sat-Sun 11, 12, 14, 15. [2024]
Fee:	Adults EUR 6.50, Children (4-17) EUR 5, Children (0-3) free, Family (2+3) EUR 19. Groups (15+): Adults EUR 5.50, Children (4-17) EUR 4. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	L=300 m, T=8 °C.
Guided tours:	L=180 m, D=30 min. V=25,000/a [2023]
Photography:
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:
Address:	Vrelo Špilja, , 51322 Fužine, Tel: +385-91-183-5000, Tel: +385-91-183-5010, Tel: +385-91-183-5769. E-mail: KTD Fužine d.o.o., Ured za turizam, Pirovište 16 A, 51323 Lič, Croatia, Tel: +385-51-620-950. 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

1950	during channel works for the Bajer reservoir discovered and gated.
1951	opened as a show cave.
1968	electric light.
1991	closed because of the war.
1995	cave completely renovated.
1998	opened to the public.

Description

The Croatian word Vrelo means spring, and so Vrelo Špilja means cave spring or spring cave. This cave contains a spring which is said to have healing powers. The cave river is intermittent, which means it does not flow all year. But the cave river damaged the paths and installations various times during floods. Most of the year the water level is normal and the cave river is very calm. If the water rises, it becomes more interesting, so actually its luck to visit after snow-melt or heavy rains. Sometimes when the flood is too high and reaches the trails, the cave must be closed, but that's quite rare.

The cave river flows to a cave lake at the end, which is actually a sump. It was dived some years ago, but after 14 m at a depth of 7 m the passage becomes too narrow. The cave has fine speleothems which are nicely displayed by the new cave light.

This cave is rather small and almost horizontal. The paths and electric light have been restored after the war, and today it is the only cave in Croatia which has no steps and is thus wheelchair-accessible. The Wikipedia page even states, "It is the only cave in Europe that does not have stairs and is therefore accessible to the disabled" [2024]. But that's obviously nonsense. Nevertheless, caves without a single step are really rare.

Fuzine is a small town at 730 m asl in the southwest of the Gorski Kotar region, surrounded by mountains, forests and lakes. The cave was discovered during canal works, when the artificial lake Bajer was constructed.