Vindija Cave, Paleolithic cave in Donja Voća, Croatia.
Vindija Cave is a limestone cave in the Croatian region with multiple internal chambers. The sediment layers within it record environmental shifts spanning many thousands of years.
Excavations in the 1970s uncovered Neanderthal remains roughly 40,000 years old. This discovery established the site as a key location for understanding early human development across Europe.
The cave holds stone tools and objects left by both Neanderthals and early modern humans, showing how prehistoric people's techniques changed over time. Visitors can see how different groups used similar spaces across thousands of years.
The site lies west of Varaždin and is not open for regular tourist visits. Viewing requires arrangements with local authorities or scientific institutions.
Three Neanderthal individuals from this cave provided genetic material for the first complete sequencing of the Neanderthal genome in 2010. This genetic project transformed our understanding of how early humans were connected.
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