Veterani Cave
About Veterani Cave
In the wall of Ciucaru Mare, close to the water, a wide limestone vault opens that the Danube now washes from below: Veterani Cave, also called the Veterani Grotto. At the entrance you can still see the walls that once closed it off. The place served as shelter and fortification across several eras: archaeologists discuss the ruins of a small Late Roman fort of the quadriburgium type, with a small harbour in front, while local legends speak of offerings made here in Dacian times.
The name comes from the Austrian general Friedrich Veterani, who re-fortified the grotto in 1692, during the war against the Turks, and withdrew here with a few hundred soldiers to halt the Ottoman advance along the Danube. Shortly before, the Italian cartographer Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli had described it under the name "Piscabara". The rise in the water level after the Iron Gates I dam was built has brought the entrance to only a few metres above the Danube.
What you can see
From the boat you first see the wide mouth of the cave, with smooth, vaulted rock walls above the water; at the entrance you can make out the stone walls of the fortification. Inside it is dark, and light falls through an opening in the vault. The cave has no stalactites or developed sections: its interest is historical and scenic, in one of the narrowest places of the Great Cauldrons.
Good to know
It can be reached only by water, by boat from Dubova or Eșelnița; Ponicova Cave lies in the same part of Ciucaru Mare, but it is a separate attraction. When boarding you should confirm whether the stop at the cave is included in the tour.
Information verified on 30 October 2026.
- The wide, vaulted mouth of the cave, a few metres above the Danube, seen from the water.
- The remains of the stone fortification walls at the entrance, used from the Romans to the Austrians.
- The opening in the vault through which light enters the dark chamber.
- The view of the Ciucaru Mare cliff and the Serbian bank, in the Great Cauldrons.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the cave cannot be reached overland, only from the Danube. The pontoons where the boats leave are in Dubova, on the DN 57 (the Danube Gorge road), ~26 km from Orșova (~45 minutes), and in Eșelnița. From Orșova the road passes Mraconia Monastery and the face of Decebalus, through the Small Cauldrons.
By boat: trips from Dubova and Eșelnița pass through the Great Cauldrons, by the mouth of Ponicova Cave, and may include a stop at the Veterani Grotto. Check at the pontoon whether the stop is included in the tour.
- Where to park
Park along the DN 57 and in the widened spots in Dubova, by the pontoons. On summer weekends the spaces fill up quickly.
- Rules
The site is part of Iron Gates Natural Park: leave no litter, light no fires and do not disturb the bats. On the boat you wear the life jacket the operator gives you. It is dark inside: bring a torch and shoes with good grip, as the rock by the water can be damp.
- Facilities
No facilities in the cave · boarding pontoons in Dubova and Eșelnița · weak mobile signal in the gorge
Frequently asked questions about Veterani Cave
How long does a visit to Veterani Cave take?
A visit to Veterani Cave takes about 20 min (a stop during the boat trip).
Where can I park at Veterani Cave?
There is free parking at Veterani Cave (at Dubova, by the pontoons). More under “Where to park”
How do I get to Veterani Cave?
Veterani Cave is located at On the Danube bank, in the Great Cauldrons, beneath Ciucaru Mare; reached only by boat from Dubova (DN 57), Dubova, Mehedinți County. More under “Getting there”
When is the best time to visit Veterani Cave?
The best season for Veterani Cave: May – October (boat trips in summer).
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