Cerovac Caves – Mysterious Underworld

The Cerovac Caves represent the largest cave complex in Croatia and are located four kilometers southeast of Gračac, on the northeastern slope of the Velebit Crnopac hill (1403 m), in the southern part of the Velebit Nature Park.

This enigmatic natural wonder was discovered by accident during the construction of the Lika railway in 1913, and the railway builder Nikola Turkalj was responsible for their discovery. The caves were named after the Cerovac railway station, which is located nearby.

Cerovac Caves, Photo: Anil Öztas

One of the most interesting facts about the Cerovac caves is that they represent an extremely important site for cave bears in Croatia. In addition to the traces of those ancient inhabitants of the caves, fossil human bones and even a bronze ax were found in the Cerovac caves, testifying to the ancient history of this area.

The Cerovac complex consists of three caves: Lower, Middle, and Upper, with a total of about 9 kilometers of channels. The Lower Cave was explored for a length of 4058 meters, the Upper Cave for 4035 meters, and the Middle Cave for 390 meters. The ticket price is 15 euros for adults and 11 euros for children from 7 to 18 years old.

Cerovac caves are not only an archaeological wonder, they are also a real natural magic, so we advise you to visit them and dive into the world that is hidden under the surface of Velebit.