Page 72 - Hrobat Virloget, Katja, et al., eds. (2015). Stone narratives: heritage, mobility, performance. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 72
stone narratives
mentioned one in the quantity of Petrifications…« (Shaw, 2008, p. 78). Until 1818 (1819) when
new discoveries took place, Postojna Cave was considered an interesting location, but not in
the same sense as after 1819.
The physician and naturalist of the late 18th century, Alberto Fortis, member of the
British Royal Society, travelled across the Adriatic between the years 1765 and 1791. In 1777
he visited the cave in Vilenica and mentions its favourable location:
The first important advantage of this Cornial cave is that it is not far from the post road which
allows easy access for a good bit of the way…The entrance is very easy, the great entrance hall is
light enough not to require torches to see the first two great columns… (Shaw, 2008, p. 82).
Fortis emphasized the favourable location of the cave and its easy access, which was an im-
portant factor facilitating its visits. A good connection with Trieste as well as the vicinity
of the Lipica stud farm increased the popularity of the cave also compared to the later much
more famous and visited Postojna Cave or Škocjan Caves. Its accessibility was a crucial ad-
vantage to the Vilenica Cave, which was later, due to various reasons (road, administration
of the cave), no longer popular amongst visitors.
Less frequent were records about the Škocjan Caves. The first reports focus more on
the sinking of the river Reka beneath the village of Škocjan and its reappearing in the do-
lines before descending again. French painter L.F. Cassas, who visited the area in 1782 and
depicted it in a drawing, describes his impressions of the wildness of this natural phenom-
enon,
It would be necessary also to examine those profound grottoes and caverns, into which the rays of
the sun never penetrate; to cast the glare of flambeaux over the limpid brilliancy of the innumer-
able stalactities, with which their paths and vaults are embellished; to hear the formidable roar
of those torrents and rivers, which fall from the tops of the mountains; and, rolling like thun-
der over the broken precipices, rebound, collect, and precipitate themselves into the abuses and
gulphs, in which they are lost; and above all to behold the precipice , whence the Ruecca darts its
foaming waves, in a perpendicular direction, to the depth of 600 feet, before they descend into the
cavities of the globe (Lavallée, 1805, p. 36)
Mostly only the surface part of the location was visited and described. Until the construc-
tion of stairs that enabled the descent into the cave, this part was left only to the visitors’
imagination.
One of the most famous travellers of the early 19th century, Sir Humpry Davy, Pres-
ident of the Royal Society, first visited the Slovene lands in 1818, then in 1827 and also in
1828. He visited the Vilenica Cave and the Black Cave. His next travel in 1828 was with J.J.
Tobin, who left records of their visit.9 In his diary, Tobin wrote an account of his visit to
the Postojna Cave (Magdalena) where he was guided by three guides. Contrary to what had
been written by Keyssler almost a hundred years before, Tobin noticed that the knowledge
of German was not that common, at least when mentioning his guides in the cave (only one
of the three spoke German). Tobin also described an interesting event that occurred in the
cave, »On With-Monday the whole of the grotto illuminated, and hundreds flocks to behold
this curious scene, the »Tournier-platz« being arranged as a ball-room, and in which the vis-
itors dance till a very late hour« (Tobin, 1832, pp. 159, 161–62). Apart from the celebration
9 Davy left some records as well (Šumrada, 1984).
70
mentioned one in the quantity of Petrifications…« (Shaw, 2008, p. 78). Until 1818 (1819) when
new discoveries took place, Postojna Cave was considered an interesting location, but not in
the same sense as after 1819.
The physician and naturalist of the late 18th century, Alberto Fortis, member of the
British Royal Society, travelled across the Adriatic between the years 1765 and 1791. In 1777
he visited the cave in Vilenica and mentions its favourable location:
The first important advantage of this Cornial cave is that it is not far from the post road which
allows easy access for a good bit of the way…The entrance is very easy, the great entrance hall is
light enough not to require torches to see the first two great columns… (Shaw, 2008, p. 82).
Fortis emphasized the favourable location of the cave and its easy access, which was an im-
portant factor facilitating its visits. A good connection with Trieste as well as the vicinity
of the Lipica stud farm increased the popularity of the cave also compared to the later much
more famous and visited Postojna Cave or Škocjan Caves. Its accessibility was a crucial ad-
vantage to the Vilenica Cave, which was later, due to various reasons (road, administration
of the cave), no longer popular amongst visitors.
Less frequent were records about the Škocjan Caves. The first reports focus more on
the sinking of the river Reka beneath the village of Škocjan and its reappearing in the do-
lines before descending again. French painter L.F. Cassas, who visited the area in 1782 and
depicted it in a drawing, describes his impressions of the wildness of this natural phenom-
enon,
It would be necessary also to examine those profound grottoes and caverns, into which the rays of
the sun never penetrate; to cast the glare of flambeaux over the limpid brilliancy of the innumer-
able stalactities, with which their paths and vaults are embellished; to hear the formidable roar
of those torrents and rivers, which fall from the tops of the mountains; and, rolling like thun-
der over the broken precipices, rebound, collect, and precipitate themselves into the abuses and
gulphs, in which they are lost; and above all to behold the precipice , whence the Ruecca darts its
foaming waves, in a perpendicular direction, to the depth of 600 feet, before they descend into the
cavities of the globe (Lavallée, 1805, p. 36)
Mostly only the surface part of the location was visited and described. Until the construc-
tion of stairs that enabled the descent into the cave, this part was left only to the visitors’
imagination.
One of the most famous travellers of the early 19th century, Sir Humpry Davy, Pres-
ident of the Royal Society, first visited the Slovene lands in 1818, then in 1827 and also in
1828. He visited the Vilenica Cave and the Black Cave. His next travel in 1828 was with J.J.
Tobin, who left records of their visit.9 In his diary, Tobin wrote an account of his visit to
the Postojna Cave (Magdalena) where he was guided by three guides. Contrary to what had
been written by Keyssler almost a hundred years before, Tobin noticed that the knowledge
of German was not that common, at least when mentioning his guides in the cave (only one
of the three spoke German). Tobin also described an interesting event that occurred in the
cave, »On With-Monday the whole of the grotto illuminated, and hundreds flocks to behold
this curious scene, the »Tournier-platz« being arranged as a ball-room, and in which the vis-
itors dance till a very late hour« (Tobin, 1832, pp. 159, 161–62). Apart from the celebration
9 Davy left some records as well (Šumrada, 1984).
70
