SPELEOLOGICAL SITES
Speleological sites, in terms of their narrow definition, refer to caves and pits as underground forms of relief created by the karst process.
Caves are defined as horizontal and subhorizontal underground channels.
Pits are defined as vertical and subvertical channels.
Worldwide (in the English speaking countries) the unique term "caves" has long been accepted both for pits and caves.
Besides the morphology of underground channels, these sites are especially interesting, attractive, intriguing and, certainly, scientifically significant also due to the presence of water, accumulation forms - cave speleothems and various life forms.
The karst process is a specific exogenous geomorphological process which, besides the effects on the surface, due to the impact of dissolving process descends below the surface of the earth thus creating specific and attractive underground forms of relief. Karst as a multidisciplinary phenomenon provides a high diversity, both of phenomena and processes in which underground forms of relief are formed and developed.
About 10% of the territory of Serbia consists of karst terrains, that is, terrains built of carbonate rocks which are a good basis for the development of karstification process and for the formation of a karst relief, both surface and underground. On these terrains a large number of underground relief forms - speleological sites were formed and developed.
The Inventory of Serbian Geoheritage Sites (2005), within the group titled Speleological sites lists 80 sites, of which 56 are caves, 10 pits and 14 swallow holes.
37 sites have been protected so far, and recently the act on protection of a new speleological site, a pit Tupižnička ledenica on the Tupižnica Mt, Knjažavac municipality, has been adopted.
All specially protected speleological sites are considered to be monuments of nature. Many speleological sites are located within the larger protected natural areas, thus having the protection status of the area in which they are located.
The Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia has implemented the project topic "Biospeleological Research of Serbia" in two cycles, in the period from 1999-2004 and 2005-2010. These research activities covered over a hundred speleological sites, and as a result, a large number of species of troglofauna were found, including a large number of relict species, endemics, stenoendemics, new species both for the fauna of Serbia and the world science.
In addition, Monument of nature "Cerjanska cave" was the subject of research in the five-year period (2011-2015), when the expert associates of the Institute conducted complex and multidisciplinary research on a large scale, and as a result, a book titled "Natural Monument Cerjanska Pećina: surroundings, natural history and protection" was published.
Among the speleological sites belonging to Serbian geoheritage, there are nine beautiful caves that are available for tourist visits, namely Resavska, Rajkova, Mermerna, Lazareva, Ceremošnja, Ravništarka, Potpeć, Risovača and Stopića cave.
Currently, the restoration of three caves is in progress, of which Hadži-Prodanova is expected to open for tourist visits this season.
Caves are defined as horizontal and subhorizontal underground channels.
Pits are defined as vertical and subvertical channels.
Worldwide (in the English speaking countries) the unique term "caves" has long been accepted both for pits and caves.
Besides the morphology of underground channels, these sites are especially interesting, attractive, intriguing and, certainly, scientifically significant also due to the presence of water, accumulation forms - cave speleothems and various life forms.
The karst process is a specific exogenous geomorphological process which, besides the effects on the surface, due to the impact of dissolving process descends below the surface of the earth thus creating specific and attractive underground forms of relief. Karst as a multidisciplinary phenomenon provides a high diversity, both of phenomena and processes in which underground forms of relief are formed and developed.
About 10% of the territory of Serbia consists of karst terrains, that is, terrains built of carbonate rocks which are a good basis for the development of karstification process and for the formation of a karst relief, both surface and underground. On these terrains a large number of underground relief forms - speleological sites were formed and developed.
The Inventory of Serbian Geoheritage Sites (2005), within the group titled Speleological sites lists 80 sites, of which 56 are caves, 10 pits and 14 swallow holes.
37 sites have been protected so far, and recently the act on protection of a new speleological site, a pit Tupižnička ledenica on the Tupižnica Mt, Knjažavac municipality, has been adopted.
All specially protected speleological sites are considered to be monuments of nature. Many speleological sites are located within the larger protected natural areas, thus having the protection status of the area in which they are located.
The Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia has implemented the project topic "Biospeleological Research of Serbia" in two cycles, in the period from 1999-2004 and 2005-2010. These research activities covered over a hundred speleological sites, and as a result, a large number of species of troglofauna were found, including a large number of relict species, endemics, stenoendemics, new species both for the fauna of Serbia and the world science.
In addition, Monument of nature "Cerjanska cave" was the subject of research in the five-year period (2011-2015), when the expert associates of the Institute conducted complex and multidisciplinary research on a large scale, and as a result, a book titled "Natural Monument Cerjanska Pećina: surroundings, natural history and protection" was published.
Among the speleological sites belonging to Serbian geoheritage, there are nine beautiful caves that are available for tourist visits, namely Resavska, Rajkova, Mermerna, Lazareva, Ceremošnja, Ravništarka, Potpeć, Risovača and Stopića cave.
Currently, the restoration of three caves is in progress, of which Hadži-Prodanova is expected to open for tourist visits this season.

Acts on designation
Decision on the designation of Hadži – Prodanova caveDecision on the designation of Bogovinska cave
Decision on the designation of Popšički pešter cave
Decision on the designation of Ravna peć cave
Decision on the designation of Ceremošnja cave
Decision on the designation of Ravništarka cave
Decision on the designation of the Cave system Jezava
Decision on the designation of Potpeć cave
Decision on the designation of Prekonoška cave
Decision on the designation of Rćanska cave
Decision on the designation of Ribnica cave
Decision on the designation of Godovska cave
Decision on the designation of Ravanica cave
Decision on the designation of Kovačevića cave
Decision on the designation of Lazareva cave
Decision on the designation of Mala bezdan cave
Decision on the designation of Petnica cave
Decision on the designation of Petrlaška cave
Decision on the designation of the Swallow hole Propast
Decision on the designation of Dubočka cave – Gaura Mare
Decree on the designation of Cerjanka cave
Decree on the designation of Mermerna cave
Decree on the designation of Resava cave
Decree on the designation of Risovača cave
Decree on the designation of the Cave system Samar
Decree on the designation of Stopića cave
Decree on the designation of Tupižnica ice cave
Excerpts from studies
Hadži – Prodanova caveBogovinska cave
Popšički pešter cave r
Ravna peć cave
Ceremošnja cave
Ravništarka cave
Cave system Jezava
Potpeć cave
Prekonoška cave
Rćanska cave
Ribnica cave
Godovska cave
Ravanica cave
Kovačevića cave
Lazareva cave
Mala bezdan cave
Petnica cave
Petrlaška cave
Swallow hole Propast
Dubočka cave – Gaura Mare
Cerjanka cave
Mermerna cave
Resava cave
Risovača cave
Cave system Samar
Stopića cave
Tupižnica ice cave
Cerjanka cave
- foto: D. Nešić
- foto: D. Nešić
- foto: D. Nešić
- foto: D. Nešić
Hadži Prodanova cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
Lazareva cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
Ceremošnja cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
Potpeć cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
Ravništarka cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
Risovača cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
Bogovina cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
Petnica cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
Rajkova cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
Rćanska cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
Resava cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
Stopića cave
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković
- foto: M.Kličković