Page 264 - Panjek, Aleksander, Jesper Larsson and Luca Mocarelli, eds. 2017. Integrated Peasant Economy in a Comparative Perspective: Alps, Scandinavia and Beyond. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 264
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
need for additional income of the cave owners Petazzi. They were in debt
with the Church of Lokev and the income from the fee was used to pay this
debt. Puc (2000, 22) suggests that the fee was partly donated to the church
by the count also due to a (possible) accident that occurred during a visit.
The church’s money was actually given for the mass in purpose of greater
security to people in the cave, as suggested more than a century later by Gi-
rolamo Agapito, a Triestine publicist, in 1823.
Not much is known about the prices for guides. They were probably
payed directly by the visitor who also described their guiding capabilities.
Alberto Fortis, a Venetian writer, naturalist and cartographer, wrote about
the favourable location of Vilenica during his visit in 1777: “The first impor-
tant advantage of this Cornial [Lokev] 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, 82). It was common to have
more guides, since lighting had to be provided as well. Joseph von Ham-
mer-Purgstall, an Austrian orientalist, was also very enthusiastic about the
cave: “What magnificence! What splendour! What majesty!” In his opinion
it was more beautiful than the one in Postojna (Shaw 2008, 90).
A good connection of Vilenica with Trieste town, as well as the vicini-
ty of the Lipica royal stud farm, established by the Habsburg archduke Karl
in 1580, increased the popularity of the cave. Its accessibility was a crucial
advantage, since it was the easiest to access and located on the main road
from Trieste to Vienna (post carriage from Trieste to Bazovica and Lokev,
distance of two post stations; Agapito 1823, 20). In fact, other caves became
more frequently visited in the 19th century, the Škocjan and Postojna Caves
in particular. Their tourism-related development was emphasised at the be-
ginning of the 19th century, when new discoveries took place in the Postoj-
na Cave and its cave system (Otoška and Črna Caves) and when an access
stairway was arranged to the Škocjan Caves. It was the construction of the
railway from Vienna to Trieste (1857) that also significantly influenced the
development of cave tourism especially in Postojna, where a railway station
was located, which opened new income opportunities for the local popula-
tion (Kavrečič 2015a).
Another cave, known and visited already in the pre-industrial pe-
riod, was the one at Socerb, not far from Trieste, on which some travel-
lers left records of their visit. It was mostly considered as being small, but
easy to access and with lots of “petrification” (Shaw 2008, 78). Travelogues
262
need for additional income of the cave owners Petazzi. They were in debt
with the Church of Lokev and the income from the fee was used to pay this
debt. Puc (2000, 22) suggests that the fee was partly donated to the church
by the count also due to a (possible) accident that occurred during a visit.
The church’s money was actually given for the mass in purpose of greater
security to people in the cave, as suggested more than a century later by Gi-
rolamo Agapito, a Triestine publicist, in 1823.
Not much is known about the prices for guides. They were probably
payed directly by the visitor who also described their guiding capabilities.
Alberto Fortis, a Venetian writer, naturalist and cartographer, wrote about
the favourable location of Vilenica during his visit in 1777: “The first impor-
tant advantage of this Cornial [Lokev] 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, 82). It was common to have
more guides, since lighting had to be provided as well. Joseph von Ham-
mer-Purgstall, an Austrian orientalist, was also very enthusiastic about the
cave: “What magnificence! What splendour! What majesty!” In his opinion
it was more beautiful than the one in Postojna (Shaw 2008, 90).
A good connection of Vilenica with Trieste town, as well as the vicini-
ty of the Lipica royal stud farm, established by the Habsburg archduke Karl
in 1580, increased the popularity of the cave. Its accessibility was a crucial
advantage, since it was the easiest to access and located on the main road
from Trieste to Vienna (post carriage from Trieste to Bazovica and Lokev,
distance of two post stations; Agapito 1823, 20). In fact, other caves became
more frequently visited in the 19th century, the Škocjan and Postojna Caves
in particular. Their tourism-related development was emphasised at the be-
ginning of the 19th century, when new discoveries took place in the Postoj-
na Cave and its cave system (Otoška and Črna Caves) and when an access
stairway was arranged to the Škocjan Caves. It was the construction of the
railway from Vienna to Trieste (1857) that also significantly influenced the
development of cave tourism especially in Postojna, where a railway station
was located, which opened new income opportunities for the local popula-
tion (Kavrečič 2015a).
Another cave, known and visited already in the pre-industrial pe-
riod, was the one at Socerb, not far from Trieste, on which some travel-
lers left records of their visit. It was mostly considered as being small, but
easy to access and with lots of “petrification” (Shaw 2008, 78). Travelogues
262
