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odditiesoflife:

The Škocjan Caves - A Unique Natural Phenomena

An ancient cave system considered one of the largest discovered underground chambers with the most famous underground features in the world.

Due to their exceptional significance, the Škocjan Caves in Slovenia were entered on UNESCO’s list of natural and cultural world heritage sites in 1986. International scientific circles have acknowledged the importance of the Caves as one of the natural treasures of the planet.

The Škocjan Caves are a unique natural phenomenon ranking among the most important caves in the world. They represent the most significant underground phenomena in both the Karst region and Slovenia. Above the caves lies the village of Škocjan, now famous for its archaeological treasure below.

Research has shown that people have lived in the caves and the surrounding area in prehistoric times up to the present – totaling more than 5,000 years of history. The first written sources on the Škocjan Caves date back as early as the 2nd century B.C. and were marked on the oldest published maps of that part of the world.

Nearly 100 years after the discovery of Dead Lake within the cave system, the last important event took place in 1990 when Slovenian divers discovered over 200 meters of new cave passages. It is still believed there is even more to be discovered in the extraordinary

sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

(via nirdian)