Exactly 50 years ago, one of the most significant speleological sites – the Orlovaca Cave – was discovered. With its impressive cave ornaments, rich archaeological heritage, and natural beauty, it has represented a symbol of the spirit of exploration in the Pale area for half a century. The Orlovaca Cave was declared a natural monument in 2011 and belongs to the third category according to international categorization, with a secondary level of protection.
Orlovaca is one of our most beautiful caves. The stalagmites, stalactites, and helictites of the Orlovaca Cave are its ornaments, formed through the chemical and mechanical action of water.
“We were focused on this for 10 years, everything was here for us, all of us speleologists who were in Sarajevo at that time were based on this cave, and thank God we managed to present it to the world to see everything that is here,” says the discoverer of Orlovaca, Muhamed Hadziabdic.
The cave has been explored to a depth of 2.500 meters. Developed forms and details of cave ornaments have been observed, placing it among the most beautiful cave systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina(BiH). The complete landscape is enriched by magnificent petrified waterfalls, giving Orlovaca a perfect ambient design.
“The cave is extremely rich in ornaments. There is no shape or form, in the speleological sense, that cannot be found here, and not in small amounts, but in abundance,” emphasizes academician Prof. Dr. Milovan Pecelj.
Orlovaca is one of the must-see places for nature lovers and speleologists. While the authorities express their gratitude to all who have worked tirelessly on shaping such a jewel, they hope that support from relevant institutions will not be lacking in the future either.
“Over the past 50 years, the Orlovaca Cave has become an unavoidable tourist destination for nature lovers and speleologists, and I take this opportunity to thank all the generations that over the past 50 years have given their contribution to preserving this natural jewel, this beauty,” said the director of the Cultural and Sports Center Pale, Slavka Brezo.
The story of Orlovaca is unique and deserves to be spoken about as much as possible. There are many reasons to visit such a rarely beautiful jewel in our immediate surroundings.
“There is no doubt that in the future more and more people will come closer to this jewel, especially when it comes to the tourist organization of the City of Istocno Sarajevo, that is, the proximity of Jahorina, Trebevic, Romanija, Ferata, all that can complete a tourist offer for a day visit, but also for a longer period,” stated Bosko Vukovic, president of the Assembly of the City of Istocno Sarajevo.
With its beauty and uniqueness, Orlovaca reminds us that the tourist potential of our country has no limits. As such, it was declared a natural monument in 2011 and is in the third category according to international categorization, with a secondary level of protection.
