Dupnitsa cave

It is located in the Stagata area. The entrance is at the base of a rock ridge at 525m above sea level. The entrance to the cave is a large semicircular opening with an eastern exposure. The left part of the entrance is closed with rock blocks. In fact the cave consists of only one large bell-shaped hall. The floor is slightly sloping, covered with stones and earth, there are traces of the presence of domestic animals. In plan, the hall is almost round with a diameter of about 20m. The vault rises to 16-17m and is pierced by a large opening. The hall has a small number of weathered formations on the walls. The cave is dry, bright, unbranched.

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  Dupnitsa is a vivid example of how caves “die”. This cave is in the last stage of its evolution. After the mechanical and chemical force of water has expanded a given underground cavity, at some point the water has found its way down and the cavity has dried up. When this cavity is close to the surface the vault thined under the action of erosion and frost weathering, the mechanical action of tree roots, etc.,. Then a time has come when the rock cannot bear the load and as a result of gravitational forces the ceiling of the hall collapsed and it is no longer underground. Chudnite Mostove (The Wonderful Bridges) in Rhodope Mountains and the ‘God’s Bridge’ near Liliache village are phenomena formed in a similar way.