Sanctuary of the god Mithras

Time: 60 min
Kids: Yes
Dogs: Yes

If Mithrae were in a museum, I probably wouldn't look at it for more than a few seconds, but it's quite another thing to see it in a natural environment, in a small grove next to Ličko Lešće. I know it won't be something special for many, but for me, it was nice to see it there.

Mithraeums are sanctuaries of the Roman god Mithras. They were built in beautiful places, usually next to springs and caves. Only a few of them have been preserved in Croatia, two near Otočac. One is on private land and you can only see it if you walk through someones yard, which neither you nor the owner of the yard wants to do.

Mithras had long hair and a dress, so some mistook him for Our Lady. I'm not kidding! I read about the case of a woman who found out only in her later years that she had been praying to Mitra, not to Our Lady, all her life. All those years of prayer and effort disappeared in an instant. I can imagine her despair.