Welcome to the official website of Public Institution Barać Caves – Protected Areas Management In the Municipality of Rakovica! This public institution manages a protected natural habitat – the Protected Landscape of Barać Caves and the Ecological Network Natura 2000, which is located within the bounds of the Municipality of Rakovica.

Out of the entire area protected under the category of ˝Protected Landscape˝ with a total area of 5.19 km2, Barać Caves are definitely the most famous attraction. These caves, after which the entire protected area was named, were first opened for visitors way back in 1892. Valuation of the area determined that the area of the Protected Landscape of Barać Caves featured various types and forms of relief, with karst relief being predominant.   Under ground, there are cave structures with stalagmites and stalactites, Pleistocene fossilised remains and endemic cave fauna and archaeological finds. The entire area also includes rare and endangered habitat types and the endangered and strictly protected species that are related to them. The wider area of Barać Caves was preventively protected up to 2011. Permanent protection of the area was declared on 29 March 2016.

The area of Barać Caves is also of great archaeological importance, thus it was also preventively protected as an archaeological zone by virtue of the Decision of the Conservation Department of Karlovac in 2003. The objective of protection is to preserve the geomorphological and geospeleological values of the karst area, the mosaic-like landscape of natural and semi-natural habitat and the biodiversity that accompanies it.