Lepenitsa cave

The cave of Lepenitsa (in municipality Rakitovo) is situated on the left bank of Lepenitsa River in Rhodopes mountain, about 13 km away of town of Velingrad and 10 km away of town of Rakitovo (there is another cave "Lepenishki pech", called also Lepenitsa that is located near village of Borovitsa, Belogradchik municipality).

The cave is 1525 m long (explored and mapped - 1356 m) and has three floors. The first (lowest) floor is 273 m long and is passed by an underground river. The second floor is occupied by the lakes - two when the weather is dry weather and four when it is raining. The third floor is entirely dry.

The cave`s entrance is narrow entrance and high about a meter. It is made by a Rakitvo Cave Association as a second entrance to the cave because the natural immersed in water. After entering, the cave is quite inclined and several halls can be seen. The floor of the first one is covered by flakes that look like shells. When the cave is lightened they refract the light in a variety of colors. Besides, there is a crater hall, a pearl hall, a small and a big temple in the cave.

In the cave were found seven pearls - some of the rarest natural formations that are now exposed in the National Museum of Natural History in Sofia. The number of species inhabiting the cave is about 20, among them are eight species of bats.

October 1962 the cave was declared Natural Landmark.