Blue Grotto (Biševo)
Encyclopedia
The Blue Grotto or Blue Cave (Croatian
: Modra špilja), is a water-logged sea cave located in a small bay called Balun, on the east side of the island of Biševo
and about 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km) from Komiža
, in the Croatia
n Adriatic
. It is situated in the central Dalmatia
n archipelago, 5 kilometers south-west of the island of Vis
. The grotto is one of the best known natural beauty spots on the Adriatic and a popular show cave
because of the glowing blue light that appears at certain times of day.
The natural entrance to the cave, located on its southern side, is said to resemble a vault
on the ceiling of a grotto. It is through this submarine-like opening on the ceiling of the cave that sunlight gets in and creates an iridescent blue glowing effect all around the cave. As well, a stone bar, connecting two walls of the cave, is clearly visible just below the waterline, both in above-water photographs and in underwater photos like this onehttp://www.dodoro-diving.com/hrv/mspilja.htm
Depending on the season, the ideal moment to visit the cave is between 11 a.m. and 12 noon. At this time of day the sunlight reflects through the water coming from the white floor of the cave and bathes the grotto in aquamarine light, while objects in the water appear to be silver. The Blue Grotto (Italian
: Grotta Azzurra) on the island of Capri
in Italy
is also famous for this type of phenomenon.
The cave was formed by the wave action of the sea, as sea water eroded the limestone
rock of which the whole island of Biševo is composed. The cave itself is 24 meters long, 10–12 meters deep and up to 15 meters high, while the entrance to it measures 1.5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide.
The cave receives more than 10,000 tourist visits every year, and tourist boats often include a visit to another similar cave on the island, the Zelena špilja (English: The Green Grotto), which is bigger in size and appears to be of an emerald-green tone due to a similar effect.
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
: Modra špilja), is a water-logged sea cave located in a small bay called Balun, on the east side of the island of Biševo
Biševo
Biševo is an island in the Adriatic Sea in Croatia. It is situated in the middle of the Dalmatian archipelago, five kilometers southwest of the Island of Vis. Its area is 5.8 km and it has a population of 11 . It is composed of limestone; the highest point is Straženica, 239 m high...
and about 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km) from Komiža
Komiža
Komiža is a town, harbour and municipality on the western coast of the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea; population of 1677 residents.Komiža is located at the foot of the Hum hill . An average air temperature in January is . Economy is based on farming, winemaking, fishing and fish processing,...
, in the Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n Adriatic
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
. It is situated in the central Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
n archipelago, 5 kilometers south-west of the island of Vis
Vis (island)
Vis is the most outerly lying larger Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, and is part of the Central Dalmatian group of islands, with an area of 90.26 km² and a population of 3,617 . Of all the inhabited Croatian islands, it is the farthest from the coast...
. The grotto is one of the best known natural beauty spots on the Adriatic and a popular show cave
Show cave
Show caves — also called tourist caves, public caves, and in the United States, commercial caves — are caves that are managed by a government or commercial organization and made accessible to the general public, usually for an entrance fee...
because of the glowing blue light that appears at certain times of day.
The grotto
First described and painted by Baron Eugen von Ransonet, the cave was originally accessible only by diving as it had one natural entrance below the sea level. Based on his suggestion, an artificial entrance large enough for small boats was built in 1884.The natural entrance to the cave, located on its southern side, is said to resemble a vault
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
on the ceiling of a grotto. It is through this submarine-like opening on the ceiling of the cave that sunlight gets in and creates an iridescent blue glowing effect all around the cave. As well, a stone bar, connecting two walls of the cave, is clearly visible just below the waterline, both in above-water photographs and in underwater photos like this onehttp://www.dodoro-diving.com/hrv/mspilja.htm
Depending on the season, the ideal moment to visit the cave is between 11 a.m. and 12 noon. At this time of day the sunlight reflects through the water coming from the white floor of the cave and bathes the grotto in aquamarine light, while objects in the water appear to be silver. The Blue Grotto (Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
: Grotta Azzurra) on the island of Capri
Capri
Capri is an Italian island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples, in the Campania region of Southern Italy...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
is also famous for this type of phenomenon.
The cave was formed by the wave action of the sea, as sea water eroded the limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
rock of which the whole island of Biševo is composed. The cave itself is 24 meters long, 10–12 meters deep and up to 15 meters high, while the entrance to it measures 1.5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide.
The cave receives more than 10,000 tourist visits every year, and tourist boats often include a visit to another similar cave on the island, the Zelena špilja (English: The Green Grotto), which is bigger in size and appears to be of an emerald-green tone due to a similar effect.
External links
- Modra Špilja at Show Caves of the World
- Biševo at Dalmacija.net
- Blue Cave Bisevo Island Croatia HD - 720p on You Tube