Škocjan caves: Underground canyon of miracles

In the heart of the Karst, near the town of Divača, lies one of the world’s greatest natural phenomena – Škocjan Caves. This system of karst caves is one of the largest underground canyons in the world, of exceptional beauty with a unique ecosystem.

Skocjan caves, entrance, Photo: Dennis Tang, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Škocjan caves have been inhabited since prehistoric times, which gives them great historical value. For this reason, in 1986 they were inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in Europe. After gaining independence, the Slovenian authorities established the Škocjan Caves Park.

Skocjan caves, Waterfall, Photo: Cpandmd, CC BY-ND 2.0 DEED

What makes the Škocjan Caves unique among all the world’s caves is the huge river canyon, which is about 3.5 km long, 10 to 60 meters wide, with a maximum height of 140 meters.

In some places, it expands into huge rooms, the largest of which is the Martel room, which has a volume of 2.2 million m³, the largest in Europe and one of the largest in the world.

This area is home to many rare and endangered species of birds and bats, as well as rare cave animals (eg. Olm).

Due to unusual geomorphological and micro-climatic conditions, a unique ecosystem has developed here, in which we see a mixture of Mediterranean, near-Mediterranean, Central European, and Alpine geographical systems.

Skocjan caves, Cerkvenikov bridge, Photo: Borut Lozej, public forward archive Park Škocjanske jame, www.slovenia.info

The Škocjan Caves are a real miracle of nature that takes your breath away with their beauty and size. Regardless of whether you are a lover of nature or history, this spectacular underground world will surely enchant you.

Visitors can visit the Škocjan caves every day between 10:00 and 15:00. It is advised that visitors buy tickets at least a few days before the planned visit. Tickets can be purchased on the park’s website.