Deep in the Vratsa Mountain there is a cave hidden in the woods. Legends tell that this cave is always covered in ice and if one is brave enough to enter the cave’s winding corridors and endless abysses in search of the Seventh Sky, hidden inside, all his dreams and wishes will come true.
The mysterious place in question is the famous Ledenika Cave, situated 16 km west of the town of Vratsa in Bulgaria’s Stara Planina Mountain. It is approximately 300 meters in length and with the altitude of 830 meters the cave retains constant temperatures from -7 C to -15 C and the moisture of the air is about 92% all year round. Ledenika cave was officially opened for tourists in 1961 and a year later was proclaimed for a national landmark of Bulgaria.
The constantly low temperatures and the special kind of rocks forming the cave are the main reasons for its unique atmosphere- piles of stalactites, stalagmites, rock draperies and curtains, underground lakes and waterfalls. Inside Ledenika Cave there are not many animal or plant species as the micro climate of the cave is a very particular one. Bats, cave beetles, wood lice, little spiders, lichen and moss are all you can really see inside the cave. There also lives a special kind of insect seen only in Ledenika Cave and nowhere else in the world-it is called “Ledenikus” or “Lighthater”. In winter the entrance of the cave contains lots of icicles and flowstones of ice which often last till late summer and that is why the cave bares the name of Ledenika, meaning Glacier.
There are many wonders to be seen in the 10 halls of the cave but among the most astonishing findings is the icon of Saint George, carved into the very rock, which is believed to fulfill wishes. The biggest hall is the 23 meters high Concert Hall, called this way as many symphonic concerts were held inside throughout the years. There are lots of rock formations in the Concert Hall, which remind of animals, birds or beautiful, exotic dancers. If you are brave enough to put your right hand into the freezing waters of the Wish Pond, formed over the years by the water drops, right in the middle of the Concert Hall, your dreams may turn into reality, according to the local myths. But if you want to see the real beauty of Ledenika Cave you should not miss the enchanting journey to the deepest, most secret part of that place, known as Seventh Sky. Through the Little Chasm, a two-meter deep hole, and than facing the Big Chasm, a nine meter deep abyss and you will reach the splendid white waterfall and the Draperies-rust-colored formations, dropping from the caves ceiling, waiting for you to discover and admire their unique, unforgettable beauty. Two enormous rock columns mark the entrance for the Sinners Pass, where only those without a sin in their lives can go through safely. And all that leads to the White Hall-every man’s dream-a room full of women, bathing, dancing and singing, they are all there for you to admire their rock still beauty and grace.
