One of the highlights of our camper trip through Bosnia & Herzegovina was a visit to the Ravne Tunnels, an allegedly prehistorical network of tunnels and chambers located in the Valley of the Bosnian Pyramids near Visoko.
We had gathered much information about the Bosnian Pyramids and, although we were skeptical, we wanted to see and feel this place by ourselves. Well, believe it or not: exploring the labyrinth was a fascinating and enigmatic experience. And we will certainly be back for a more comprehensive visit of the whole complex!
Brief description
The Underground Labyrinth “Ravne” spreads beneath the entire Valley of Pyramids and is part of the Bosnian Pyramid Complex, which is, according to many scientists, a pseudo-archaeological notion to explain the formation of a cluster of natural hills in Central Bosnia.
The whole story was initiated by Dr. Semir Osmanagić, a Bosnian businessman based in Houston, Texas, who claims to have discovered the tunnel network in 2006.
Are the pyramids and the tunnels natural or man-made? Discussions are continuing… but in the meantime, the complex has been attracting numerous tourists to Visoko, which certainly has a positive effect on the economy of this poor region.
Today, the labyrinth is open to the public. All passages (around 1000m) are illuminated; the average height is two meters. Believers assert that mono- and megaliths found here give healthy vibrations, that the water inside is unusually pure and that the high concentration of negative ions clean the blood and body of viruses and bacteria.
How to get there?
The Ravne Labyrinth is located in the Bosnian Valley of Pyramids, near Visoko, around 30 km northwest of Sarajevo. A campsite with restaurant, supermarket and hostel – with view of the Pyramid of the Sun – can be found in the nearby village of Mulići.
Guided tour
We booked a guided tour (60 minutes), put on a jacket and a hard hat, and followed the young guide through the low entrance gate. The first thing we discovered when we entered the tunnel network was the clean air.
Although the labyrinth is located 25m underground, the temperature is stable (12.5°C) and the oxygen level is 20.4%. The air was really fresh, clear and pleasant, as if we were somewhere in the mountains. Especially Paul, who is a heart patient, was quite surprised about this “extra shot of oxygen”. For laypersons as we are, this appeared to be the first enigma.
The guide gave us a lot of information. Some people argue that these tunnels are old mines from the Middle Ages, other ones believe that they were used by the Yugoslav People’s Army (by the way, those who are against the Bosnian Pyramid Project claim that the Bosnian Pyramid Foundation is digging them by themselves). But what were the tunnels really used for? And were they natural or man-made?
Before the excavations in 2006, the entrance to the Ravne tunnels was almost filled to the top; it looked like a hole in a hill and people were calling it “cave”.
However, during the excavations, it could clearly be seen that the tunnels were man-made: the walls were made of conglomerate, but they were filled with another sand-like material. Who filled them, why and when? Do the dry walls that block the side tunnels have a special function? And is there a direct connection with the Pyramid of the Sun? There are still a lot of questions that need an answer.
In 2012, volunteers made a strange discovery in a new section of the Ravne labyrinth. They discovered an oil lamp in a side tunnel, obviously from the 17th century. Who put it there? Nobody knows…
The guide emphasized that several megaliths were found in the tunnels. How did they come into the labyrinth? Some people argue that there were built and shaped by some culture before a big flood that covered them with the conglomerate. Anyway, they need more research.
A short stay in the healing chambers – which are also used for meditation – was fascinating, even for us, down-to-earth Dutchmen. We kept our hands above the megalith and we both felt a strange tingling in a way that was beyond comparison. Although we do not believe in “energy vibrations”, we could not ignore this sensation of energy streaming through our body. Was it really just auto-suggestion? I don’t know, but one thing is for sure: we felt good, healthy and full of energy, when we left the labyrinth!
Conclusion
Controversy surrounds this place in the media and the scientific world. You can be full of skepsis, but rather than relying on hearsay, you should see, feel and experience the place for yourself. Not the historical hypotheses of some local enthusiasts are important. Rely on your own real feelings, sensations of some external energy or just SOMETHING that has touched you during the visit.
Detailed information
Name: Info Center Prehistoric Underground Labyrinth “Ravne”
Phone: +387 33 259-935, +387 61 836 842
Email: incoming@piramidasunca.ba
Website: piramidasunca.ba
Opening hours: each day 9-20 h (June-September); 9-17 h (October-May)
Entrance fee: Guided tour €10, meditation (2nd visit, 1 hour) €2.50; daily ticket €20
Daily tour Bosnian pyramids: €25
GPS coordinates: N 43.996881 E18.160178
Excellent work friends
Man made for sure
Who?
Either communist or royalist
Need more research through the archives of past regimes