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Magura Cave, The

The Magura cave is in the Northwest of Bulgaria, some 180km from the capital of Sofia. It is 17km away from the town of Belogradchik 1,5km from the village of Rabisha, and 35km southwest of the town of Vidin on the Danube.It is hollowed out in the Rabisha hill limestone, 461m above sea level. The Magura is one of the largest caves in Bulgaria. The total length of the galleries, discovered till now, exceeds 2000 m. .
It consists of one main gallery, pointing southeast - northwest and three side branches.The cave-halls are enormous in size. Each one of them is over 200m long, more than 50m wide and over 20m high.
Next to the cave is the Rabisha Lake - the largest inland lake in Bulgaria. It is up to 35-40m deep. The Rabisha lake is of tectonic origin.
It offers perfect conditions for surfing and swimming. The lake is also an attractive place hunting and fishing - lake birds, carp and sheet-fish can be found in it.

1.Administrative office 1.Administrative office
1.Administrative office
1.Administrative officeThe building of the administrative office is right at the very entrance.
2.Rabishka Mogila (hill) 2.Rabishka Mogila (hill)
2.Rabishka Mogila (hill)
2.Rabishka Mogila (hill)The Magura Cave is located inside the Rabishka Mogila (hill) – the process of formation of the cave had started 15 million years ago.
3.Main entrance 3.Main entrance
3.Main entrance
3.Main entranceThe main entrance to the cave resembles a pot-hole, 2.80 m high and 6 m broad.
4.Hall of Triumph 4.Hall of Triumph
4.Hall of Triumph
4.Hall of TriumphThe largest hall in the cave – the Hall of Triumph, is 128m long, 58m broad, and 58m high.The size of the hall is 5700 sq.m. It had been inhabitted by men during the Early Bronze and Early Iron age.
5.Hall of Triumph 5.Hall of Triumph
5.Hall of Triumph
5.Hall of TriumphPart of the Hall of Triumph
6.Ancient residences 6.Ancient residences
6.Ancient residences
6.Ancient residencesRemains of ancient residences that could be seen in the six resident layers, the first one being dated 3000 A.D.
7.Ancient residents 7.Ancient residents
7.Ancient residents
7.Ancient residentsResearches point that the cave was inhabited by men 12 000 years ago by the cave bear, cave hyena, deer, doe, wild horse. Today it is inhabitted by five kinds of bats.
8.The throne 8.The throne
8.The throne
8.The throneThe throne hall is rich in weird limestone figures, most famous of which are the Throne, Medusa, the Fossilized Waterfall.
9.Dancing with animals 9.Dancing with animals
9.Dancing with animals
9.Dancing with animalsThe ancient people left us a priceless treasure of rock drawings, the earliest of which are dated from 10 000 years ago.
10.Domestic scenes 10.Domestic scenes
10.Domestic scenes
10.Domestic scenesBat guano (i.e. excrements) was used for drawing on the rock.
11.Cult and hunting scene 11.Cult and hunting scene
11.Cult and hunting scene
11.Cult and hunting scenesThe variety of rock drawings is large – there are about 700 cult and hunting scenes drawn on the walls of the cave.
12.Large stalactone 12.Large stalactone
12.Large stalactone
12.Large stalactoneThe large stalactone is 20 m high, with a diameter at its base, of 4 m. It is located in the Hall of the Fallen Pine, which is a stalagmite, 11 m high and 6 m in diameter.
13Fairy underground world 13Fairy underground world
13Fairy underground world
13.Fairy underground worldThe elegant figures inside the cave halls.
14.Fairy-tale figures 14.Fairy-tale figures
14.Fairy-tale figures
14.Fairy-tale figuresThe fairy-tale decoration of the cave.
15.The dragon 15.The dragon
15.The dragon
15.The dragonNature has been creating for million of years a large variety of stalactites, stalagmites, stalactones, cave pearls, cave milk.
16.Rabishko Lake 16.Rabishko Lake
16.Rabishko Lake
16.Rabishko LakeThe Rabishko Lake, the largest inside lake in Bulgaria, with size of 7.8 sq.km., is in close proxility to the exit of the cave.