Postojna Cave, the natural monument of Slovenia

Postojna is a town in the Inner Carniola region in southwestern Slovenia. This place is known for its archaeological site. Indeed, many caves are still intact and show that this area has been populated since the Palaeolithic era.

The most famous cave is called Postojna Cave, which was created naturally by the Pivka River. It is made up of four caves which are interconnected with the river. The cave is 24 kilometres long and is known as the longest cave in the country.

Since its discovery, the cave has been used for numerous things.It first functioned as a shelter for the Neanderthals, then in 1818 as a field study for speleologists and archaeologists, then as a fuel storage for the German army during the World War II and finally as a tourist attraction. Furthermore, this place is also known for its exceptional acoustics and has been a place where many symphony orchestras performed.

The cave is open to visitors thanks to the EXPO Postojna Cave Karst also known as the largest permanent exhibition of cave and karst phenomena around the world. This site continues to interest many scientists because of its history.

 

Photo credit: Postojnska Jama