Markova Pećina

Useful Information

Location:	Knjaževac (43.6293990, 21.9942426)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Markova Pećina, Tel: +381-.
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

Description

Маркова пећина or Markova Pećina (Mark's Cave) has an entrance which is oval and about 4 m high. The cave is only 5 m long and easy to visit. It was named after a legend, which tells that it was the home of Marko Mrnjavčević, better known as Marko Kraljević (*1335-✝1396). He was de jure Serbian King from 1371 to 1395, but he actually ruled only western Macedonia. Nevertheless, he is an important chapter in the Serbian folk tales. According to the legend, he often stayed in the cave, and a when he once woke up he bumped the ceiling and made a dent which is still visible. Also, the prints of his feet are visible on the floor. And finally on the inner wall there is a dent in the shape of a horseshoe which was "made" by Mark's horse Šarac. Beneath the cave there is directly above a rock in the shape of a bed, which is called Marko's bed, it seems he also slept outside when the weather was dry. Nearby is the Čavčji vir, a depression in the rock which fills with rainwater and which, according to popular belief, Marko used for bathing.

The cave is located at the spring of the Moravica river, Врело Моравице/Vrelo Moravice or Izvor Moravice (Moravica spring). The site with the spring and the blue lake is a popular picnic area. The cave, which is located above the spring, seems to be the upper, dry level of cave system, while the water cave, from where the water emerges through a great number of small springs, is the lower level and not accessible. The springs form a blue pond which is artificially dammed. The cave seems to have a lot of different names, among them Citlucka pecina and Врелска пећина/Vrelska pećina (Spring Cave) due to its location at the spring.