Location
It is located in the south of Herzegovina in the area of south Dinara rock mass, in Popovo polje, near the city of Ravno, 12 km air distance to the Adriatic Sea. The main direction of the cave channels is in the direction of the sea, south-southeast, length of 7 kilometres.
History
Vjetrenica was developed for tourism purposes even before 1940. It was illuminated in 1964 in the length of 1050 m, with the trail landscaped on 1800 m. From 1952 it is a protected natural monument, from 1965 it is in the category of special geological reserves. It was nominated for the preliminary list of UNESCO world heritage.
Nature
Vjetrenica is a hydrological active, speleological and drifty object with even four water streams, as well as more than ten further, smaller periodical water streams with subterranean lakes.
Habitats of Vjetrenica consist of cave channels, cracks, ground water and other living spaces in the underground. The temperature is constant, around 11 degrees Celsius, as well as humidity which is usually the maximum. Underground habitats are quite dark due to the lack of plants there is a constant relative scarcity of food. In Vjetrenica lives rich “cave” world, in which it is recorded almost 200 different animal species, of which 37 was first found and described at this place. The fauna of Vjetrenica consists of a large number of narrow endemics so-called habitat endemics.
Sights
Vjetrenica is both the natural and archaeological site. Among the many archaeological finds there are also the remains of cave bears and leopards, cave drawings whose age is estimated at 10 000 years. The emergence of a strong “wind” at the entrance is a fascinating feature of Vjetrenica. In fact, it’s not the wind but the air flow, which equals a constant interior and variable outside air temperature. On the topographic surface above Vjetrenica there are deep cracks through which during summer enters the warm air, it cools and goes out through the main entrance of the cave. Wind speed in summer is up to 13 m/s. In winter, when the outside temperature significantly drops below the inside temperature, the wind reverses direction.
Tourism
Visit to Vjetrenica provides a unique pleasure in cave landscape consisting of: wide corridors and halls, many clusters of icicles, and a rich hydrographic world with many lakes, several waterfalls, more permanent streams and dozens of smaller periodic streams which flow in different directions. Tourist visits are realized in the period from 1 April to 1 October, every day from 10 to 18 hours. The cave is arranged for the visitors in the length of 1800 meters. The duration of the Vjetrenica tour is 40-60 minutes.
Connection
The road to Vjetrenica is well marked with the tourist signalization, weather from the directions of Stolac 40 km, Trebinje 50 km or coastal city Neum 44 km. The distance from the capital of B&H, Sarajevo, is 200 km.
Contact
Address:
JP Vjetrenica
Trg don Ivana Musića 1
88370 Ravno , Bosna i Hercegovina
Telephone:
+387 36 891 034
+387 36 891 034
Web: www.vjetrenica.ba
Mail: info@vjetrenica.ba
