Page 74 - Hrobat Virloget, Katja, et al., eds. (2015). Stone narratives: heritage, mobility, performance. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 74
stone narratives
the Austrian Emperor Leopold I. in 1660 (Puc, 2000, pp. 24–28). Vilenica is known as the
first tourist cave in Slovenia, since the introduction of the entrance fee in 1633, although the
reason for such a measure was not the sole commercialization of its visits, but the need for
an additional income of the cave owners, who were in debt with the Church of Lokev.11 Due
to its fairly accessible entrance, as described, for example, by Fortis, and due to its favoura-
ble location, Vilenica used to be one of the most frequented caves in the modern period, al-
though during the 19th century it was slowly losing its importance. The secretary of the cave
commission of the Italian Alpine Society (Società Alpina delle Giulie – Commissione delle
grotte), E. Boegan, wrote in his report about its glorious past and its magnificent stony fea-
tures, describing it as one of the most beautiful, most visited, described and widely acclaimed
caves in the past, that due to the new discoveries that took place in Postojna, the ease of ac-
cess to Škocjan Caves and the discovery of the Divača Cave fell into oblivion (Boegan, 1897,
pp. 10–16; Janša, 1968, p. 30). Another negative factor was also associated with road connec-
tions, since at the end of the 18th century the state road from Trieste to Vienna was redirect-
ed through Opčine and Sežana (Puc, 2005, p. 27), and also since the railway from the port
to the capital, constructed in 1857, did not pass through Lokev. The Alpine Society acquired
the lease of the cave from the community of Lokev in 1886 and soon after began to regulate
the way for easier access and cave lighting. Boegan (1897, pp. 10–16) presents a detailed and
fascinating description of the cave, which he describes as a real underground world of won-
ders, with various sparkling crystal formations, big stalagmites various shapes and colours,
gleaming walls etc. The Società Alpina delle Giulie managed the cave until WW2. Long for-
lorn, the cave was then passed over in favour of larger caves in the region.
In contrast to the »glorious« past of Vilenica, the area of the Škocjan Caves was not
frequently visited by foreigners (or at least there are no official records of such visits), at least
not until the 18th century.12 The specific history of visiting the caves goes from a »shy« ad-
miration of the great dolines from the surface to an admiration of the entrance and the fi-
nal descend into the river caves (Shaw, 1998, p. 237). The problem was the demanding access
to the caves that left most of the visitors on the surface (Kelsall, Hooper, Hornschuch, Lau-
rent) admiring mostly the disappearing of the river. The scene was even interpreted as both
appalling and wonderful:
»This river runs between rocks of a considerable height, whose ruggedness is insurmountable,
even by the most adventurous herdsman… delight in the phenomena of nature, a spectacle the
like of which is seldom to be found in the world« (Lavalée, 1805, 122).
According to Agapito’s guidebook, the territory represented a beautiful natural feature, but
was relatively unknown until the 19th century (Shaw, 1998, p. 242; Agapito, 1823, p. 170).13
However, due to other more significant factors, its favourable location (not far from Trieste)
could not positively influence visits to the place. When explorations started to take place and
the paths in the caves were made more accessible, visits became more frequent and a greater
tourism-related development could be traced. The first important step was the construction
11 In 1809 the entrance was closed with a door under the instruction of the owner Adelmo Petač. All the income
from the fee was transferred to the Church of Lokev (Agapito, 1823, p. 22).
12 It was Kircher who besides Valvasor mentioned and described the area in 1665.
13 Originally: »Le grotte di S. Caziano, quantunque degne di maggiore attenzione di quante altre n’esistono in Carniola, è
tuttavia assai poco conosciuta.«
72
the Austrian Emperor Leopold I. in 1660 (Puc, 2000, pp. 24–28). Vilenica is known as the
first tourist cave in Slovenia, since the introduction of the entrance fee in 1633, although the
reason for such a measure was not the sole commercialization of its visits, but the need for
an additional income of the cave owners, who were in debt with the Church of Lokev.11 Due
to its fairly accessible entrance, as described, for example, by Fortis, and due to its favoura-
ble location, Vilenica used to be one of the most frequented caves in the modern period, al-
though during the 19th century it was slowly losing its importance. The secretary of the cave
commission of the Italian Alpine Society (Società Alpina delle Giulie – Commissione delle
grotte), E. Boegan, wrote in his report about its glorious past and its magnificent stony fea-
tures, describing it as one of the most beautiful, most visited, described and widely acclaimed
caves in the past, that due to the new discoveries that took place in Postojna, the ease of ac-
cess to Škocjan Caves and the discovery of the Divača Cave fell into oblivion (Boegan, 1897,
pp. 10–16; Janša, 1968, p. 30). Another negative factor was also associated with road connec-
tions, since at the end of the 18th century the state road from Trieste to Vienna was redirect-
ed through Opčine and Sežana (Puc, 2005, p. 27), and also since the railway from the port
to the capital, constructed in 1857, did not pass through Lokev. The Alpine Society acquired
the lease of the cave from the community of Lokev in 1886 and soon after began to regulate
the way for easier access and cave lighting. Boegan (1897, pp. 10–16) presents a detailed and
fascinating description of the cave, which he describes as a real underground world of won-
ders, with various sparkling crystal formations, big stalagmites various shapes and colours,
gleaming walls etc. The Società Alpina delle Giulie managed the cave until WW2. Long for-
lorn, the cave was then passed over in favour of larger caves in the region.
In contrast to the »glorious« past of Vilenica, the area of the Škocjan Caves was not
frequently visited by foreigners (or at least there are no official records of such visits), at least
not until the 18th century.12 The specific history of visiting the caves goes from a »shy« ad-
miration of the great dolines from the surface to an admiration of the entrance and the fi-
nal descend into the river caves (Shaw, 1998, p. 237). The problem was the demanding access
to the caves that left most of the visitors on the surface (Kelsall, Hooper, Hornschuch, Lau-
rent) admiring mostly the disappearing of the river. The scene was even interpreted as both
appalling and wonderful:
»This river runs between rocks of a considerable height, whose ruggedness is insurmountable,
even by the most adventurous herdsman… delight in the phenomena of nature, a spectacle the
like of which is seldom to be found in the world« (Lavalée, 1805, 122).
According to Agapito’s guidebook, the territory represented a beautiful natural feature, but
was relatively unknown until the 19th century (Shaw, 1998, p. 242; Agapito, 1823, p. 170).13
However, due to other more significant factors, its favourable location (not far from Trieste)
could not positively influence visits to the place. When explorations started to take place and
the paths in the caves were made more accessible, visits became more frequent and a greater
tourism-related development could be traced. The first important step was the construction
11 In 1809 the entrance was closed with a door under the instruction of the owner Adelmo Petač. All the income
from the fee was transferred to the Church of Lokev (Agapito, 1823, p. 22).
12 It was Kircher who besides Valvasor mentioned and described the area in 1665.
13 Originally: »Le grotte di S. Caziano, quantunque degne di maggiore attenzione di quante altre n’esistono in Carniola, è
tuttavia assai poco conosciuta.«
72
