THE 10 WONDERS

9 - The Caves of Postojna

The Postojna caves represent the most visited hypogean complex in Europe and the Slovenian tourist attraction with the highest number of visitors per year. The cave system, made up of twenty-four kilometres of passages, tunnels and halls, is one of the most varied in the world. The cave was created by the underground course of the River Pivka, which found its subterranean route to the sea, gradually excavating its course over a period of two million years. Drop by drop over the millennia, the water that penetrated the overlying Karst limestone has deposited calcite sediments in the form of calcareous concretions, thus creating stalactites, stalagmites, pearls, curtains, tubes and other shapes.

The most beautiful formation of the Postojna Cave is the so-called Brilliant, a stalagmitic column 5 metres high and symbol of the Slovenian Karst. Visiting the cave you can see with your own eyes that the Olm, the largest cave-dwelling animal in the world, once known as “the little dragon”, really does exist. The visit along the 5 km long route within the Postojna Cave, which also offers avant-garde tourist services, is also interesting for the train journey, which covers about three quarters of the length of the entire route. Further information on the formation of this “Underground Queen” and of the Karst more generally can be had by visiting the prize-winning Karst Cave EXPO. Just 9 km from the Postojna Caves you can visit another Slovenian attraction in the form of the impregnable medieval “miracle” – the Predjama Castle, a jewel set on a wall 123 metres high, where it has reigned for more than 800 years. This mighty manor house appears in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest cave castle in the world.

Info: http://www.visit-postojna.si - https://www.postojnska-jama.eu