There are places on our planet that we could define as surprising or invisible. Nature is such a receptacle of wonders that we often don’t even realize how endless they can be.
In the case of the caves we are going to tell you about, the wonder is concentrated … under our feet. Yes, because in Slovenia there are incredible underground formations which have been defined as some of the most monumental in the world. These are the Škocjan caves, veritable ” great underground canyons “, perfect settings for a fantasy-style film.
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image credit: Ramón / Wikimedia
One only has to look at the photos of these UNESCO-listed underground wonders to realize that Mother Nature truly went above and beyond in Škocjan. This system of limestone caves, located in the Karst, about 15 km from the Italian border, is monumental, to say the least.
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image credit: Lander/Wikimedia
The enormous fault which constitutes their shelters, in its bottom, the underground course of the river Reka , which is in turn responsible for the incredible canyon. And if, with that word, you visualize the immense and deep gorges of the United States, know that here the concept is similar, of course, but shot under the ground.
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image credit: Jabbi / Wikimedia
It is truly incredible to observe these formations, both fascinating and disturbing, considering the depths they reach and the wonders they contain. Small chasm, great chasm, the cave of silence, prehistoric cave, Michelangelo cave: just their name makes you want to go down and explore, don’t you? Limestone pools, travertine terraces, and, of course, giant stalagmites form the backdrop to this enchanted environment, which is also home to a remarkable variety of organisms that have never seen the light of day.
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image credit: Lander/Wikimedia
We are talking about creatures that live “buried” in the depths of these splendid caves, such as fish, bats, and the Proteus anguinus, an amphibian also called “human fish” by the locals, because of the pink color of its color. skin and its resemblance to an embryo. But these caves, over the years, have not only hosted animals.
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image credit: Ramón / Wikimedia
From what archaeologists have found, there was already a human presence here in 3000 BC. In one of the caves, a burial place was found, with a lot of remains and burial material.
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image credit: Škocjan Cave Park
Discovered in 1823 and opened to the public twenty years later, the caves of Skocjan have been known since the 2nd century AD, between reality and legends, which even tell that the lair of a dragon was there. Who knows if, suspended on the vertiginous bridge built on the side of a canyon at a height of more than 140 meters, someone looking down will one day be able to see it. What is certain is that the exploration of these geological wonders, to this day, does not stop, and could still hold many wonders for us.
Do you want to visit them?
source used: Atlas Obscura