The Devil’s Throat (Dyavolskoto garlo) Cave opens up its mysterious hollows in the Western Rhodope, near the village of Trigrad and along the course of the Trigradska River. Is it named after its own shape or because of the belief that whatever comes in never gets out? Both options are plausible. And indeed, it impresses us not with typical cave formations but with its peculiar elemental force and mysteriousness. Its entrance resembles a devil’s head and the stairs going inside lead the visitor to a huge 42-metre waterfall – the biggest underground waterfall on the Balkan Peninsula. The thunder of the falling water combined with the darkness contributes to the feeling of being close to the underground kingdom, the Devil’s Domain. This is the huge Roaring Hall (Buchashta zala). Nearby, the river has 18 waterfalls in total. In the rocks one can see the carved shapes of a devil’s head, of a man and of the Mother of God’s face which can be noticed in a little stream.

 

After filling the cave with its sinister roar, the waters of the Trigradska River lose themselves into underground rock labyrinths only to come out on the surface again through another cave. All the numerous attempts of tracing the exact way of the water have failed. Various kinds of objects have been thrown here but none of them has ever come out on the ground again. Only a water colouring experiment managed to proof that the water zigzags for a long time before showing up again – it took the coloured water an hour and a half to cover the short underground distance.

 

 The Devil’s Throat Cave is home to many legends. It is part of the 100 National Tourist Sites. Visitors can also explore the cave by boat.