Bacho Kiro Cave
Bacho Kiro Cave
Bacho Kiro Cave is one of Bulgaria’s most famous karst caves, located near Dryanovo Monastery in the Fore-Balkan region, close to the town of Dryanovo. It is renowned for its impressive galleries and archaeological discoveries, which have made it an important site for the study of early modern humans in Europe.
What Makes It Special?
The cave is a complex four-level labyrinth with a total length of approximately 3.5 km, formed over a period of around 1.8 million years. Tourist routes have been developed for visitors, leading through a variety of chambers, passages, and distinctive karst formations.
Archaeological Significance
Excavations have uncovered stone tools, animal bones, ornaments, and human remains dating from the early Upper Paleolithic. International research has shown that some of the remains belonged to some of the earliest known Homo sapiens in Europe.
Visiting
The cave is located just around 300 metres west of Dryanovo Monastery, making it easy to visit both sites in a single trip. It was the first developed tourist cave in Bulgaria and is part of the country’s “100 National Tourist Sites” initiative.
What You Can See
Visitors can explore spacious chambers featuring impressive stalactites and stalagmites, narrow passages such as the famous “Purgatory”, as well as areas where prehistoric artefacts have been discovered.