Category: News

Promotional period at Speleon and Barać Caves/

The Upper Barać Cave is reopening its doors to visitors. Along with promotional prices at Plitvice Lakes National Park, the spring campaign also includes Speleon – Center for Underground Heritage and Barać Caves!

📅 The promotional period at SPELEON lasts from March 28th to April 8th!
📅 The promotional period at BARAĆ CAVES (opening) is from April 1st to April 8th!

The individual ticket price for the Upper Barać Cave and the Speleon Visitor Center (for each location) will be as follows: Adults – promotional ticket price €12.00
Children (4-18) – promotional ticket price €6.00
Special visitor groups – promotional ticket price €8.00

• If you visit the Upper Barać Cave and/or the Speleon Visitor Center individually (without a tour operator, less than 15 people), no prior reservation is needed.
• The Upper Barać Cave is open for visits from April 1st, every day of the week from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, including weekends, holidays, and public holidays.
• Speleon – Center for Underground Heritage is open every day of the week from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, including weekends, holidays, and public holidays.

Along with the mysterious underground world, get to know the inhabitants of Speleon – fossil remains of Ice Age animals found in the Upper Barać Cave, and their hyper-realistic specimens will take you tens of thousands of years back in time, to when lions, hyenas, woolly rhinoceroses, and other large beasts roamed this area!

For all information:
Phone: +385 47 639 387
Email: info@baraceve-spilje.hr

Spring flowers/

Today, March 20, 2025, we mark the first day of spring. What most strongly associates with spring is the greenery, but also the spring flowers that emerge even before the greenery. As their name suggests, these are plants that bloom in spring, at the very beginning of the growing season. This characteristic is probably the main reason for the public’s great interest in these species. Although the interest comes from admiration and attention, it has always been accompanied by collecting. Excessive collecting remains the biggest threat to spring flowers today. Another threat is habitat destruction (expansion of construction areas, turning meadows into arable land, deforestation, drainage, and land reclamation, etc.).

National and international regulations now help protect and ensure the survival of these species. The Environmental Protection and Nature Institute launched the “Have You Seen Them? – Spring Flowers” campaign in 2024. In the first year of implementation (during just two months), 544 plant species were reported, with 136 participants involved. By collecting data on observations of spring flowers, valuable information was gathered about many rare and endangered species, more was learned about the distribution of common spring-flowering species, and new observation locations were discovered.

In order to obtain new data and detect changes in species distribution, the campaign continues, which is why we invite you to report spring flowers in your area this year as well! To this end, the “Have You Seen Them? – Spring Flowers” project was created in the iNaturalist app. To start, you need to install iNaturalist on your mobile phone and register. The next step is to photograph and record your first spring flower through the app. If you wish to follow updates related to the “Have You Seen Them? – Spring Flowers” project, you can become a member of the project, although this step is not necessary for your spring flower to be recorded in the system. Once the app is installed, you can use it not only for spring flowers but also to report and view observations of other species, and it can also assist in identifying unknown species.

Expert Lecture at Speleon/

Today, February 17, 2025, at 11:00 AM, expert lectures on recent research conducted by the Public Institution Baraćeve Špilje in collaboration with external associates were held in the conference hall of Speleon – Centre of subterranean heritage

We had the opportunity to listen to Nikolina Kuharić (HBSD – Croatian Biospeleological Society), who presented speleological and biospeleological research in caves and pits closed to the public, as well as studies on monitoring key and indicator species in underground habitats managed by the Public Institution Baraćeve Špilje.

Vida Zrnčić (HBSD) provided a detailed overview of research on the distribution and establishment of regular monitoring of bat fauna in the Significant Landscape of Baraćeve Špilje and other sites managed by the institution.

Leopoldina Dakić highlighted the positive research results on the freshwater crayfish population in the Rakovica municipality, once again confirming that the crayfish is rightfully the symbol of our region.

📸 Check out our photo gallery to see how it all went: Patricia Rubčić, Ivana Hodak, Irena Tomičić

 

Public institution Barać caves is a member in good standing of the International Show Caves Association/

Public institution Barać caves is a member in good standing of the International Show Caves Association and is committed to:

• Upholding the aims and objectives of the International Show Caves Association.
• Promoting proper management to ensure the conservation and preservation of show caves.
• Promoting a concern in show cave management for the safety of visitors and guests in the use and enjoyment of show caves.

About organisation

The International Show Caves Association (I.S.C.A.) was founded in November 1990 and set up its central office in Genga, Italy.

After the first Consitutent Assembly held in Frasassi (Genga Ancona, Italy) in November 1989, important events have contributed to the development and consolidation of the association.

Definition of show cave

A show cave is defined as a natural occurring void beneath the surface of the earth that has been made accessible to the public for tours.

Objectives and purpose

The purpose of the Association is to guarantee, on the one hand, the respect and the safeguard of the subterranean environment and its natural wonders while on the other hand it aims at promoting the economic development of the caves by supplying to all its members (i.e. the show caves) the experiences and solutions gained on the subject of research and management activities carried out by the most advanced caves which can afford a larger expenses.

The main objectives of ISCA are

1. To promote and maintain an international organization of persons, associations, corporations and government agencies who own, manage or operate recognized show caves or caverns.
2. To promote proper management to ensure the conservation and preservation of show caves.
3. To promote and increase public awareness and interest in show caves.
4. To promote a concern in show cave management for the safety of visitors and guests in the use and enjoyment of show caves.
5. To compile, preserve, publish and share cooperative data, both technical and promotional, for members.
6. To promote and encourage the development of a spirit of cooperation and courtesy among show cave operators.

4th DINARIC SYMPOSIUM ON SUBTERRANEAN BIOLOGY – Event announcement/

With great pleasure, we are excited to announce that the 4th DINARIC SYMPOSIUM ON SUBTERRANEAN BIOLOGY will be held at the Speleon Visitor Center, Nova Kršlja 47a, Rakovica, from October 11 to 12, 2025.

In light of questions that intrigue researchers of subterranean biology and with the aim of exchanging knowledge, data, and experiences, the HBSD organized the First Dinaric Symposium on Subterranean Biology of the Dinaric Karst in Zagreb in 2016. The Second Dinaric Symposium on Subterranean Biology was held in Postojna, Slovenia, from October 18-19, 2019, and the journey continued in 2022 with the Third Symposium on Subterranean Biology held in Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, from April 9-10, 2022.

For more information about the 4th Symposium, follow the Public Institution’s website, social media channels, and the following link: https://www.facebook.com/dinaric.symposium.

GROUNDWATER, GUARDIANS OF LIFE

Today, the final conference of the project “Groundwater, Guardians of Life,” implemented by Studenac d.o.o., was held at Speleon.

The project was launched to educate and raise public awareness about the need to preserve groundwater, a vital resource for human life and ecosystems. To achieve this goal, Studenac systematically promoted discussions about the importance of groundwater conservation, informed the wider community about ways to protect these resources, and encouraged positive ecological changes in the daily lives of individuals and communities.

As part of the project, a new series of Studena water bottles was introduced. Studenac allocated a portion of the proceeds from the sale of these bottles to support the preservation of Croatia’s groundwater and drinking water.

A panel discussion titled “A DROP FOR THE FUTURE” was held, moderated by Tatjana Spajić. Panel participants included Mr. Damir Basara (OSMICA), Jasmin Sadiković (Zeleni Osijek), and Ivan Gluščević (Kolektiv).

Numerous guests from various institutions and organizations participated in the event and spoke on this topic:

• J. J. Strossmayer Institute for Water – Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mario Šiljeg
• Mayor of Rakovica Municipality – Mihovil Bićanić
• Aquatika Freshwater Aquarium Karlovac – Director Margarita Maruškić-Kulaš
• Public Institution Barać Caves – Managing Director Tihana Oštrina, responsible for managing protected natural values in the Rakovica municipality
• OSMICA – Society for Mountaineering, Exploration, and Preservation of Natural Values (including a speleology section) – Secretary Damir Basara
• Zeleni Osijek Association – President Jasmin Sadiković
• Youth Association Kolektiv – President Ivan Gluščević
• Students of the Undergraduate Program in Hunting and Nature Conservation from Karlovac University of Applied Sciences
• Studenac Representatives:
  • Tatjana Spajić (moderator)
  • Anja Škulje Makjanić
  • Ivana Nakić
  • Petra Vuka

We are particularly pleased that Speleon – the Center for Underground Heritage – was chosen as the venue for this exceptional event, which contributes to groundwater conservation and the protection of natural values.

Conference of Croatian Speleologists/

This weekend, from November 29 to December 1, the Gathering of Croatian Speleologists was held in Drežnik Grad, organized by the Speleological Society Veles and the Croatian Speleological Association.

The event marked the 70th anniversary of the Croatian Speleological Association, 15 years of the Speleological Society Veles, and 20 years since the re-opening of Barać Caves for visitors.

Approximately 200 participants attended the conference. On Saturday, 25 presentations were held, during which over 50 speakers showcased their research, technologies, and their applications in speleology. Publications were introduced, along with ways to popularize speleology through the promotion of STEM.

At exhibitor booths, participants also had the opportunity to purchase various publications, T-shirts with society logos, and other souvenirs.

In addition to lectures, the event featured entertaining activities such as the traditional speleo-obstacle course, which required participants’ agility and speed. A fun program with socializing among participants followed.

1st Speleoarchaeological Congress, Nova Kršlja, October 25-27, 2024

The Public Institution Barać Caves, in collaboration with the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the University of Zadar’s Department of Archaeology, the Institute of Anthropology in Zagreb, the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb, the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, and the Croatian Speleological Federation, is organizing the 1st Speleoarchaeological Congress. This event will be held from October 25-27, 2024, at Speleon – the Center for Underground Heritage, located at Nova Kršlja 47, Rakovica.

The Congress was officially opened by the director of Barać Caves Public Institution, Tihana Oštrina, who emphasized that the motivation behind organizing Croatia’s first Speleoarchaeological Congress is to present the new findings and insights gained through archaeological explorations of speleological sites in Croatia and neighboring countries. She noted that the scope of archaeological research on speleological sites in Croatia has significantly expanded and intensified in recent years.

“…Over the past ten years, the Barać Caves have been systematically explored, yielding remarkably valuable finds that testify to this area’s rich history. This has empowered and motivated us to complete the project in 2023 and open Croatia’s first Center for Underground Heritage – Speleon.

Among the project’s key objectives, in addition to promoting tourism, is fostering collaborative work and experience sharing among institutions, not only within Croatia but also at an international level. We proudly highlight that by organizing such events, we are making substantial strides forward, benefiting both the institution and the local community. We are dedicated to advancing the speleological and archaeological professions and sciences.

I believe the results of our work and knowledge-sharing will have a lasting impact on the future of speleoarchaeology. I thank you for coming, and I look forward to fruitful discussions and collaborations over the coming days. May this congress inspire new ideas and projects that will enrich all of us together…” stated Director Tihana Oštrina.

The congress has gathered numerous participants and speakers from the fields of archaeology and science, including representatives from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences – Department of Archaeology; the University of Zadar – Department of Archaeology; the Institute of Anthropology in Zagreb; the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb; SK Ursus spelaeus; the Archaeological Museum of Istria; Kaštela City Museum; the University of Juraj Dobrila in Pula, Faculty of Humanities – Department of Archaeology; the University of Wyoming, Department of Anthropology; Dubrovnik Museums – Archaeological Museum; the City of Šibenik, Ozalj Heritage Museum, as well as students.

Alongside the Institution’s director, Associate Professor Dr. Nikola Vukosavljević addressed the attendees, expressing gratitude to the Institution for organizing this congress and appreciation to colleague and friend Hrvoje Cvitanović for initiating this gathering. He also voiced a hope to continue this initiative by holding an annual congress. He wished all presenters success and also spoke in English to colleagues from other countries.

In addition to presentations, the program includes a panel discussion and poster presentations. A Book of Abstracts has also been published for the congress, provided to each participant.

Congress participants are invited to visit and tour the Upper Barać Cave and the Speleon – Center for Underground Heritage, with an optional excursion to Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Photos and the event program are provided below.

Photo credits: Hrvoje Cvitanović, Marina Magdić, Irena Tomičić

Promotional Autumn Week – Visit one of the most famous tourist caves in Croatia, located near Plitvice Lakes National Park!

This autumn, from October 26th to November 3rd, visit Barać Caves and Speleon – the Center for Underground Heritage with promotional ticket prices!

Individual ticket prices for the Upper Barać Cave and the Speleon Visitor Center (for each location) will be:

Adults – €9.00

Children (ages 3-18) – €6.50

Special visitor groups – €8.00

No prior notice is needed for groups of fewer than 15 people. We are open every day, including weekends and holidays.

Working hours of the Upper Barać Cave: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Working hours of the Speleon Visitor Center: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Along with the mysterious underground world, get to know the inhabitants of Speleon – fossil remains of Ice Age animals found in the Upper Barać Cave. Their hyper-realistic replicas will take you back tens of thousands of years to a time when lions, hyenas, woolly rhinos, and other large beasts roamed our area!

The 5th Edition of the Barać Forest Trail – A Spectacular Natural Adventure in the Barać Caves!

This Saturday, in the stunning surroundings of the Barać Caves, we witnessed yet another spectacular edition of the Barać Forest Trail. Around 200 brave runners, their loyal supporters, recreational enthusiasts, and other visitors came to enjoy this unique natural event. This was already the fifth edition of the Barać Forest Trail, and also the final round of Croatia’s most popular trail league – the Kontinenttrail League.

The race attracted many participants. The ZERCA trail gathered the largest number of runners to date. More experienced runners opted for the ŠIŠMIŠ route, while the bravest chose the longest route, now well-known under the name BUNIKA.

“The Zerca trail was run on a marked pedestrian path of 7.5 km with a 173-meter elevation gain, which equals one lap. The second group of runners opted for the Šišmiš trail of 15 km with a 346-meter elevation gain, while the bravest ran a full 22.5 km, conquering an elevation gain of 528 meters. The course was entirely trail (off-road) – 100% nature,” said Leopold Špehar, President of the Plitvice Athletic Club and co-organizer of the race.

All runners received rich starting packages, while visitors, supporters, families, and friends enjoyed additional amenities at our picnic area. The fastest competitors won generous prizes from our sponsors. Of course, the youngest participants were not forgotten, with boys and girls competing in different age categories, and the top three in each category were awarded medals and valuable gifts.

In the gallery, you can find pictures showing how incredible this weekend in the Barać Caves was, and what beautiful trails lie hidden in the forests of this Significant Landscape. Below this report, we present the runners’ rankings.

The director of the Public Institution Barać Caves, as a co-organizer of the race, stated: “Runners are increasingly recognizing this race as an event that must be included in their annual race calendar. This race is important for the tourist and economic contribution to the municipality of Rakovica, which supported this event, along with Karlovac County and the Plitvice Valleys Tourist Board.”

Among other sponsors, we would like to thank Natural Wealth, Select Box, Cetina Water, Dogma, Veronika Desinić Dairy, Nikola Tesla Experience Center Karlovac, Kino Edison, Pazin Cave – Speleo Adventure, Una Kayak Safari, Cave Park Grabovača, Diva Confectionery, OPG TeaSheena, and others.

We thank everyone for their support and commit to making the race better and better each year, serving to promote the municipality of Rakovica, Karlovac County, and the Public Institution Barać Caves.”

If you missed this year’s race, the organizers invite you to join next year and be part of this magical natural adventure.

Race Results

BUNIKA M- 1. Stjepan Žanić / 2. Antun Patrčević / 3. Tonći Šegarić

BUNIKA F – 1. Maja Krčelić / 2. Andreja Ložnjak /3. Antonija Janči

ŠIŠMIŠ M – 1. Dragan Narančić/ 2. Leonardo Pavina / 3. Mateo Ledinski

ŠIŠMIŠ F – 1. Gabrijela Šalković/2. Matea Maslač /3. Mirjana Kolar

ZERCA M – 1. Amir Muminovic /2. Goran Narančić / 3. Zoran Narančić

ZERCA F – 1. Lara Nimac /2. Dora Sušak / 3. Andreja Lacković

Photo: Patricia Rubčić, Kristina Štefanac, Vedran Božičević