eTourist

Dupkite (The Holes)

village of Svirachi in Haskovo, Bulgaria

One of the smallest protected areas in the municipality (6.5 hectares), which was given a special protected status for the purpose of preserving a habitat of rare and protected species of orchids and a habitat of bats in the Dupkata Cave. Here one can encounter 13 species of orchids, among them the protected species of the Ophrys mammosa, the woodcock bee-orchid, Himantoglossum caprinum, and the pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis). Of special interest are also four bat species on the World Red Data List found in the Dupkata Cave - the greater horseshoe bat, the lesser horseshoe bat, the Mediterranean horseshoe bat and Schreibers' long-fingered bat. It is not uncommon to find also fossils.

The protected site constitutes a large plateau-shaped rock whose base from the east is riddled with a number of cavernous corridors of varying depth. There are about 15 holes, as the shallowest ones have a depth of about half a metre and the two deepest holes go more than 10 metres inside. One of the holes has been turned into a bunker, its entrance has been covered by a stone wall as a place for putting a machine gun was left. The rock is covered holes and its foundation is surrounded by a fortification wall, from which only some remains have survived to this day. However, one can clearly see the perfect masonry work that surrounded the sanctuary. Obviously the place was a cult religious complex from which the ancient priests directed their prayers and spells to the deities.

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