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Ranking among the most important caves in the world, the Škocjan Caves represent the most significant underground phenomena in both the Karst region and Slovenia. Due to their exceptional significance, the Škocjan Caves were entered on UNESCO’s list of natural and cultural world heritage sites in 1986. International scientific circles have thus acknowledged the importance of the Caves as one of the natural treasures of planet Earth. From time immemorial, people have been attracted to the gorge where the Reka River disappears underground as well as the mysterious cave entrances. The Reka River sinks under a rocky wall; on the top of it lies the village of Škocjan after which the Caves are named. Archaeological research has shown that people lived in the caves and the surrounding area in prehistoric times – from the Mesolithic, the Neolithic, the Bronze and Iron Ages through Antiquity and the Middle Ages to the present; altogether for more than 5,000 years. The Škocjan Caves have a highly multi-branched system of cave passages totalling 6.2 kilometres. The Caves have 11 speleological structures that are interconnected by means of the Reka River or collapse dolines. The shifting of the sinkholes in contact with the underground caves caused the formation of numerous collapsed dolines. The sinkhole fascinate every visitor with their depth of 163 meters as well as great floral and faunal diversity. The best view of both sinkholes, with their natural bridge and the cave that separate them, is from Miklov skedenj, named after the local explorer Franc Cerkvenik.
In Slovenia we visit the amazing Škocjan Caves. The river Reka flows down three large stairs here, making three waterfalls, each one taller than the previous. At the bottom of the Velika dolina is a small lake and its last waterfall from where the Reka River plunging in the amazing deep underground canyon of the Skocjan Caves. It will emerge again after 38km in italian grounds with the name of Timavo river flowing after 2km into the Adriatic sea. Rare cave fauna are preserved in the underground system of the Reka River. The cave was formed by the disappearing Reka River that gathers most of its waters on the impermeable flysch rock. Following heavy rains, the Reka River floods in the cave, usually reaching levels up to 30 metres; the highest recorded rise in the water level was 132 metres. Falling water in the Karst sinks and drains underground through fissures. The caves are formed in this way; on the surface this occurs in different karst depressions of various sizes. The most frequent karst depressions are sinkholes. Photo taken at 1/6s, F2.8 and ISO400. No tripod used used, I use a rock to keep my camera steady.
De Grotten van Skocjan, Skocjanske jame, liggen in het zuidwesten van Slovenië niet ver van Postojna. Het druipsteengrottenstelsel van Skocjan is ca. 6 km lang en ligt langs rivier de Reka, die hier op een diepte van 200 m door de Grotten van Skocjan stroomt. Rivier de Reka stroomt over een lengte van 38 km ondergronds door meerdere grotten in het Sloveens karstgebied. De Grotten van Skocjan vormen de grootste ondergrondse canyon ter wereld. Vanaf het bezoekerscentrum maakt men onder leiding van een gids een wandeling naar de ingang van de Grotten van Skocjan. Warme kleding en wandelschoenen zijn nodig voor de ondergrondse tocht van zo'n 2 tot 3 uur langs o.a. de Stille Grot en de Grote Zaal. In de Müllerzaal stort de Reka zich van verschillende hoogtes met woest geraas naar beneden, men loopt over een in de wand van de grot uitgehakt smal pad, over een 50 m boven de woest stromende Reka gelegen bruggetje, langs donderende watervallen en door de Martel's Chamber, de grootste grot ter wereld. De bezoeker wordt gefascineerd door de diepte van een zinkgat van maar liefst 163 meter. De Rimstone Pools' Hall is een grot met druipsteenformaties in de vorm van elfenbankjes. Men kan niet anders dan deze meesterstukken van de natuur bewonderen. Eenmaal buiten ziet men de Reka met donderend geraas de Grotten van Skocjan uitstromen. In de Grotten van Skocjan is fotograferen niet toegestaan. Maar ja dat heb ik maling aan natuurlijk. De Grotten van Skocjan werden in 1986 Werelderfgoed en staan ingeschreven op de Werelderfgoedlijst van UNESCO als: Skocjan Caves.
Talliebally - on & off, Mascinka, and 151 other people added this photo to their favorites.
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calynlanuza 22 months ago | reply
Such breathtaking scene!
You've framed this perfectly!
I love the depth!
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andiwolfe 22 months ago | reply
Seen in:
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Andrew's Images 2011 [deleted] 22 months ago | reply
Fine Image of Rock Erosion - Great Colours & Textures!
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agedsenator 22 months ago | reply
You are a master among masters !
Seen this sublime image at :
Jesús Gabán 22 months ago | reply
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Samantha Nicol Art Photography 22 months ago | reply
Wonderful..
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philipleemiller 22 months ago | reply
This superb image was seen at:
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ticinoinfoto 22 months ago | reply
Your beautiful and artistic work was seen in:
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ef@ 22 months ago | reply
WoW!
amazing pleace:-)
hugss Ben!
Gala Timchenko 22 months ago | reply
Wonderful place! Beautiful shot! And as always It is very interesting to read info!
Francisco Aragão 22 months ago | reply
Wonderful place !!
Mega-Magpie 22 months ago | reply
Very excellent capture, well done!
Jan Herremans 22 months ago | reply
mooi licht en compositie
interessant verhaal Ben
Leo Patrizi 22 months ago | reply
Wow, what a beautiful place!!
1D110 22 months ago | reply
époustouflent
Fereshte Faustini 22 months ago | reply
very lovely photo.
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kissoflif3 21 months ago | reply
This is absolutely beautiful!
John de Grooth 21 months ago | reply
Top!
freemysoul 21 months ago | reply
wat een gaaf doorkijkje hier!
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Epidemiac 21 months ago | reply
unbelievably beautiful.