Prohodna Cave
Eyes of God (Prohodna)
“Eyes of God” is the name given to the passage cave of Prohodna, which is also a prehistoric site located about 500 meters from the banks of the Iskar River. It is a cave with two openings at both ends—a kind of natural hallway—the longest of its kind in Bulgaria (262 meters). In the middle of the ceiling are two symmetrical eye-shaped openings (karst windows), known as “the Eyes of God.” The sensation inside this archway-like passage is extraordinary, especially when the sun or moon appears through the holes above.
Near the cave, along the banks of the Iskar River, there are rock-hewn churches, a cave hotel (the Petar Tranteev National Caving House), ecological trails (such as Panegia), and whimsical stone houses often referred to as the “Stone Gnomes’ Houses.”
In connection with the caves, it’s worth noting that not far from Prohodna, near the beautiful city of Lovech, lies Devetashka Cave—one of the most impressive natural wonders in Bulgaria. It consists of enormous rock arches that form vast halls with massive openings in the ceiling that allow daylight to stream in. A river flows through these vast chambers, and there is vegetation and walking paths within—a kind of real-life “Jurassic World.” This site also served as a prehistoric human settlement, and important archaeological finds were uncovered there.
Another nearby cave is Saeva Dupka, located on the main road to Veliko Tarnovo. Its special feature is its exceptional acoustics and rich stalactite formations, which make it suitable for musical concerts.
Near Prohodna Cave, in the lower course of the Iskar River and not far from the town of Lukovit, stands a prominent rock column—a kind of towering stone spire. Like in The Lord of the Rings, there is an “eye” at the top—a large round opening. This place is known as Provertenika Tower. It is an ancient solar observatory, though it is unknown whether it is natural or man-made, or who used it. What is certain is that the sun shines directly through the eye-shaped opening on the longest day of the year, and at its base, signs of an ancient place of worship have been found. The cliff rises dramatically above its surroundings, its top is flat, around 20 meters long and several meters wide. The base broadens out and emerges from the rock cliffs near the river. The height of this conical column exceeds 50 meters. To reach the “eye” at the top, one must climb the rock itself—the opening is about one meter in diameter. The column is visible from anywhere in the surrounding landscape.
The feature of an opening in a prominent rock in a high place, through which sunlight passes on the longest day of the year, is found in several sacred sites across Bulgaria. For example, a rock wall with an eye-shaped opening aligned with the summer solstice sun can be seen in the Thracian sacred complex of Tsarevi Porti, near the village of Kovachevitsa. There, the solstice sun connects the “eye” with a prominent mountain called Popova Kapa. In the Valley of the Roses, above the town of Buzovgrad, there is a gateway made of massive stones—it is unclear whether natural or artificial—through which the sun sets on the longest day of the year. Similarly, in the Rila Mountains, there is a comparable “sun gate” at the Markov Kamak site, which we described earlier.
