Places of Interest - Slovenia

"postojna" and "pivka"

introduction

The city "Postojna" has a very central located place in the southwest of Slovenia. Even though there are few or no tourist attractions in the center of the city, the sights outside the city are a must for a trip to the country. It is also an important transitroute from or to, for example, the capital to the Adriatic coast.

Just outside the city are the world-famous caves of "Postojna", the second largest drip cave in the world. By means of an hour-long tour that will take you to a dizzying journey in an underground country with corridors, tunnels and halls filled with beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. At about 10 kilometers from the city you can take a look at a castle that "hangs" more than 100 meters above the ground and is built in the entrance of a cave - perhaps the most beautiful castle you have ever seen. Finally, 10 km southwest of "Postojna" there is an interesting war museum and an old Alpine wall fortress built in the 1930s on behalf of the old fascist dictator of Italy "Benito Mussolini". You can take a tour and take a look in the 500 meters of damp corridors of this very strategically located fort that lead to the various casemates in the hill.

highlights

"Postojna" caves:

The karst-cave system in the "Postojna" caves is more than 20 km long, more than 2 million years old and is the longest cave in Slovenia and the second largest drip cave in the world. These are formed by the river "Pivka" which flows through the cave at the entrance and has, in addition to corridors, large deep rooms and halls. Inside, thousands of large and small stalagmites and stalactites can be seen in different shapes. One of the other remarkable things (or animals) that you can see is the very special "grotto salamander" also called the “human fish”. It is a rare cave-solm and looks something like a 20 to 30 cm large flesh-colored wurm that is blind but is able to swim and walk. In one of the aquariums in the cave you can see the creature from up close.

You can only go inside the cave-complex by a booked tour where you are first taken in a small train to the "big mountain" - a large open space. There you will receive a guide who will take you on a walking route to the highest and lowest space in the cave (which is accessible to the public for about 5.5 km), beautiful halls, pillars, waterways and the Russian bridge, that was built by Russian prisoners of war during WWI. It is about 9 degrees in the caves with a humidity of 95% - so take something hot and dry with you.

"Predjama" castle (9 km from "Postojna")

The white castle of “Predjama”, beautifully decorated with many small windows with black and white wooden shutters, was built in the 16th century. Four centuries earlier, another castle was built here in this place that probably has the most beautiful "setting" of the country and beyond. It is built in the entrance of a cave at a height of 125 meters in a mountain wall. It consists of four floors and it is also possible to visit the cave that is situated underneath the castle. The last private owner of the castle was the "Windsch-Graetz" family (19th century) - after WWII the castle was nationalized and became a museum. Nice detail is that the setting was used in the movie "Armor of God" from 1986 with Jackie Chan. In the morning there will be demonstrations with costume parties, parades and battles dating from the Middle Ages. In the lawn in front of the cave there is a wooden stand and a trail.

"Pivka": museum and the "Primoz" fort (12 km from Postojna)

From the museum of militairy history (see below) you can take a nice walk of about 45 minutes (2.2 kilometers) through the Slovenian hilly landscape to the "Primoz" fort. This fort was part of the Alpine wall ("Vallo Alpino") built by Italians, which ran along all the land borders of northern Italy. This line was intended as a defense line throughout the Alps and was built in the 1930s under the fascist dictator "Benito Mussolini" of Italy. The underground fortress which gave a great view over the valley (which in turn provided the best passage to the important ports of Trieste and in "Istria") was one of the largest fortified locations on the Italian- and former Yugoslav border. The fort consists of several casemates that are connected to a 500-meter tunnel system. They even worked with a kind of megaphone to communicate with other fortifications that are and were present everywhere in these hills.

During a tour in the humid tunnels (minced from the limestone) under the hill you will find different spaces - one for electricity and extraction, others for sleeping areas, water reservoir, ammunition and storage rooms and of course the latrines. In the fort 50 soldiers including 2 officers were permanently housed - in the case of alarm (emergency) this number grew to 100 to 120 men. All the bunkers could be closed with steel doors - if there was a loss to the enemy, it could be closed and the fight could continue. Unfortunately, all the stuff that was only of some use was taken away by the local population, so unfortunately there is nothing left. In November 1943, when the Italians get out of "Ax" alliance with Germany, the fort was largely blown up by the German army. If you want to make a tour in the tunnels of the fort (there are some information panels) you must contact the museum in advance (see below).

Other attractions:

In the vicinity of "Postojna" there are many other caves with stalactites that you can also visit; "Pivka Jama", "Otoska Jama" and for example "Planinska Jama".

tips & advice (2013)

The bus station is excellent central located in the city; I have seen it but I have not actually been there. You can also take the train from here but also here - I have not been there myself. I lifted to the different places which was no problem at all.

Good places for hitchhiking: to "Predjama" - stand at the entrance and exit of the buses of the parking lot of the "Postojna" caves; if you want to hitch to "Pivka" you can best walk past the big Spar and then a little further after the junction (you see Pivka on the road-signs) is a great hitchike place. To Cerkno it is wise (if you want to hitchhike) to walk to the end of the village and show you’re board there. I have stood longer than ever before in Slovenia (1.5 hours) before I got a lift. First via "Kalce" to "Idrija" and then to "Cerkno" - it is still about a very "quiet" road about 5 km to the site of the hospital.

Name: "Park of Militairy History" (caves)

Address: Kolodvorska cesta 5 (Pivka) - about 12 km from "Postojna"

Price: 7, 50 euros

Website: www.parkvojaskezgodovine.si

Content:

I myself have not been to the museum itself as there was a manifestation and many vehicles outside were on display. There was an amphibian car and a jet (not from the museum), a bridge builder, T34, T72, Stuart tank and a submarine

(all of which came from the museum). The complex consists of 5 buildings where the two in the rear (number 4 and 5) are taken by the tank-artillery collection. The path behind these buildings is leading to the fort ("Primoz") and the other fortifications.

Right in the center of the city "Postojna" is the restaurant "Bar Bor" - it looks like a very luxurious restaurant from the outside and normally I would never go inside. If you order the fixed lunch meal (for me steak, potatoes and a salad, preceded by a soup) you pay 5 euros only. In addition, you have the Chinese restaurant "Macau" (also in the center) - a great Asian bite for a reasonable price (about 6 to 7 euros). Finally there are plenty of terraces in and around the center where you can have a drink - no super locations but simply good.

Name: youth hostel "Proteus Postojna"

Address: Trzaska 36

Price: 13 euros (dormitory with 3 beds) excluding shower, toilet

Phone nr. : 386 (0) 51 630 781, 05 726 52 91

Website: www.proteus.sgls.si

Content:

New old hostel (old building, new hostel) in the center of a city that is centrally located for visiting two major attractions in the country (Postojna cave, Predjama castle). The building is completely redesigned (it is half (agricultural) school and half hostel and is used for many purposes is quiet but central and is a great place to stay a night or two. There is no atmosphere but there is 24 hours reception, WIFI, computers and toilets, showers and rooms are clean. There are several options for sleeping - a single costs for example 22 euros while you get a discount if you have a hostel card. If

students are in the rooms above your head it’s possible you’ve got some noise coming from mainly music.

The village (or small town) "Postojna" is a great central place to visit the sight mentioned. There are large supermarkets (including the "Spar") and other stores, while there are also some nice eateries and a good and cheap youth hostel.