THE LONGEST CAVE IN BIH HIDES SECRETS THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD

ROGATICA, JULY 21 /SRNA/ - The longest cave in Republika Srpska and BiH, Govještica, is among the numerous natural treasures of the protected "Prača" Nature Park in the territory of the Rogatica municipality, which also encompasses the canyon of the river by the same name.

According to research conducted by Italian speleologists, the established length of this cave so far is 9,682 meters, and it is assumed that this is not final, which should be determined in future explorations, the municipality of Rogatica announced. Due to the complex access to its interior, the dimensions of Govještica only became known to modern humans after 2010. The explored underground passages, which include a 15-meter-long lake and several large halls, are not only significant because of their dimensions but also hold natural, scientific, and aesthetic value. A large colony of about a thousand bats was found in the cave, as well as a large deposit of cave bear bones, whose age is estimated to be over 20,000 years. A special secret is presented by still-unidentified fossils on the walls in several passages, which date back to the period when the cave's rocks were formed. Most of the cave is covered with decorations of great aesthetic value, both for their shapes and their dimensions. Certain passages in the cave are filled with calcite crystals and unusual helictites. Besides Govještica, other caves in its vicinity are no less significant. The Banja Stijena cave, with its 1,200 meters, is considered one of the most beautiful caves in Republika Srpska and BiH, while the Golubovićka cave, which is half that length, is also a challenge for explorers. "Entry into these caves is permitted exclusively with the prior consent of the Forestry Management Sjemeć Rogatica, as the manager of the protected area, and with appropriate speleological equipment," the statement said. The "Prača" Nature Park covers an area of more than 4,000 hectares. The Prača River valley is fascinating for its steep cliffs, which in some places exceed a height of 400 meters. The protected park area is home to 13 mammal species and as many as 85 bird species, many of which are protected, the Rogatica municipality emphasizes. The underground world, spectacular viewpoints, the route of the former narrow-gauge railway with about twenty tunnels, and the remains of the medieval town of Borač and stećci are just a few of the reasons to visit this unique nature park.