Journey to Devetashka or the Green Cave, Bulgaria

During our trip to Bulgaria, one of the other key points we visited was the Devetashka Cave. The cave is protected and requires an entrance fee. However, the fee is symbolic: 3 leva for adults and 2 leva for children. Our main concern was not the cost, but reaching the cave before closing time. In summer, it stays open until 8:00 PM, but in winter, it closes at 4:00 PM.

However, this information was not available on Google Maps, so we hurried to get to the cave. We arrived at the parking lot at 3:45 PM, preparing to argue with the guards, but to our surprise, there was no one there. No souvenir vendors, no tourists. Just us and the beautiful cave.

The Devetashka Cave is a former military facility, a movie star, an archaeological site and a natural attraction. As a result, we entered without paying an entrance fee, saving a small fortune. To enter Devetashka, you initially had to cross a river that separated the cave from the mainland. The name of this river is Osam, which means Eight. The cave itself is named after the nearest settlement, Devetaki, which means nine. It seems that in the old days, there wasn't much imagination in naming places. It's like missing seven rocks and ten lakes.

Crossing the river wasn't difficult for us because a large bridge was built there ten years ago. The bridge looks like any other bridge, but it has a unique feature. Guess who was on the other side of the bridge to greet us? Sylvester Stallone! The question arises: What was he doing there? As it turns out, scenes from The Expendables were filmed in this cave—not the whole movie, but some scenes.

The cave, used as a set for many films, became famous in Bulgaria with The Expendables 2, leaving a mark on the cave's history. According to the movie's script, the cave represented a secret Albanian plutonium mine. The script required large decorations inside the cave, so a significant bridge had to be built. Stallone's team quickly took care of that. It cost 1.5 million euros from the film budget and the bridge was ready. However, here's the downside of the story: construction and filming are quite noisy. There were lights, construction equipment, cars, gunfire sounds and pyrotechnic explosions in the cave. Although it all seemed fine, the cave is a protected area where dozens of mammal and bird species live. Moreover, Devetashka is one of Europe's three most important underground bat habitats, home to colonies containing dozens of bats from 15 different species. To ensure these sensitive mammals breed successfully, the cave is partially closed to visitors during the hibernation season, which runs from November to April. Any disturbance or flight during this period could lead to the deaths of these animals. And it was during this hibernation season in 2011 that active film shooting took place.

Devetashka had to rest because of this. During the filming, the bat population dropped to 10,000, leading to numerous scandals and lawsuits. Although the bat population recovered a few years later, the scars remained and now the bridge stands there, part of a major PR campaign, attracting groups of tourists flocking to the cave.

According to the informational signs at the entrance, the arches of Devetashki Cave are 60 meters high, the area is approximately 20,000 square meters and the length is more than two and a half kilometers. These measurements make it one of the largest caves in Bulgaria. It's truly impressive. Although photos can't fully capture these scales, you can believe it's massive. When we first entered Devetashka, we found ourselves in a large, bright hall with a huge arch, open to visitors all year round. Along the left side of the cave, a small underground stream flows and benches have been set up around it for convenience. The stream doesn’t end in the main gallery; it continues flowing into the depths of Devetashki. Unfortunately, we couldn't see this part of the cave. All paths leading from the main hall are closed to the public. There’s a formal display indicating which months these galleries are open to visitors, but according to Google Maps reviews, you always encounter barricades no matter what time of year you visit. It seems that the local bats have grown so tired of tourists that they've taken every precaution to keep visitors from entering the dark parts of the cave. Thus, only the first 250 meters of the two and a half kilometer-long cave are open to visitors. But the good news is, even in this area, there's plenty to admire.

On the right side of the Great Hall, there was an elevated area we could climb. There, we passed through a brick archway and reached a separate dark room called the Altar. During archaeological excavations, some of the most interesting Neolithic finds in Bulgarian territory were discovered here. Studies suggest the cave was used by humans throughout nearly all periods, with the first settlements dating back to the Middle Paleolithic era. Can you imagine? Around 70,000 BC! This is supported by numerous flint scrapers, arrowheads, jewelry, idols, ceramics and bones from prehistoric animals found in the cave. One of the most important discoveries is the first Neolithic tomb found in this region and a fragment of a clay vase painted with white swastikas. Yes, you read that right—8,000 years ago, the people here were using swastikas.

Based on other objects found here, it's believed the cave was likely used as a sacred site during Roman times and in later periods, it was often used as a shelter. Another notable feature in the Altar room is the mysterious circles on the ground. Travelers have built a forest of stone pyramids on these circles. There's even a legend that the cave is an alien base, hidden from human eyes and the prying looks of their flying saucers. But of course, the truth is simpler. In the past, the cave was used as a secret military facility. A railway was laid here and 15 massive fuel tanks were placed in these circles. From the air, the storage was invisible and the thick stone arches safely protected the depot. After the end of the totalitarian era, all the equipment was dismantled and removed within five years. Now, only these mysterious circles and perhaps the arched tunnel we entered through are left as reminders of that era. But let's return to the main hall. It’s wide and filled with light on a sunny spring day. This is because of the seven massive round openings in the ceiling, the cave's main attraction. These openings were formed millions of years ago by partial collapses of the ceiling. Because of these windows, the locals named the cave Oknata, which means windows. Devetashka is often called the Green Cave too. The light entry and clear water create a unique microclimate here, providing a comfortable temperature even in winter, allowing plants to grow year-round. Of course, Devetashka reaches its full charm in late spring when nature is in full bloom and trees are covered in green leaves. Several bird species have nested in the bright part of the cave; especially swallows, which love to circle around Devetashki's wide corridors during the warm season. This cave is also known for having the largest domed cave hall. You could fit the famous Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia into this hall—I'll tell you about it in another post. This great hall and massive windows have also inspired another amusing story. Reportedly, years ago, a Bulgarian pilot flew a light sports plane through the largest window into the cave, took a tour inside and then flew out through the entrance. I don't believe in this airplane story, but I think it could be possible with a drone.

The cave is truly beautiful and really does resemble a movie set. As I walked through the cave alone, I felt as if I were in a lost world. It seemed like a dinosaur might step around the corner, or that glowing eyes might flash in the cave's dark part, followed by a massive dragon illuminating the tunnel's walls. I don't visit caves often, but I never expected Devetashka to be this stunning. The large arches, the underground river and the massive windows all add an extraordinary charm to this cave.

When we think of caves, we usually envision narrow, dark passages, stalactites and flashlights. However, this cave is completely different from anything I've seen before. Instead of adrenaline, the visit inspires peace and tranquility. Panic attacks or claustrophobia are not anticipated here. Thus, you can safely embark on this journey with your children and they will definitely enjoy it.