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Maybe you’ve seen a cave. Possibly a fort. In all probability cliffs. However have you ever ever seen them entwined in such a method that it’s onerous to know the place one stops and the subsequent begins?
My husband Dean and I spent 3 days in Slovenia’s capital metropolis of Ljubljana as a part of the VBT pre-trip extension for our biking trip in Slovenia, Austria, and Italy. It appeared smart to get to Slovenia early so we may regulate to the time zone change earlier than the precise biking started.
Little did I do know that this could give us free time to tour the spectacular Predjama Fortress, the biggest cave fort on this planet. It has been perched in the midst of rocky Slovenian cliffs for greater than 800 years. So as to add to the intrigue, someplace beneath all that stone lies an intricate community of caves and tunnels.
Come together with me to be taught extra about this wonderful place.
Historical past Of Predjama Fortress
Greater than 400 toes excessive, the Gothic-style Predjama Fortress is embedded into rock. Historic data of the fort date again to the 12th century, however archeological finds close to the fort present human inhabitation as early because the Stone Age.
In 1570, the fort was rebuilt by Baron Phillip von Cobenzl with a Renaissance appear and feel. Finally, a rich household, the Luegers, acquired and developed plans for the enlargement of this architectural surprise.
The Legend Of Erazem
What’s a fort with out a foolhardy knight? Half historical past, half legend, half warrior fabrication… who can say? (If we seemed onerous sufficient, I’m positive we may discover a damsel in misery!)
Because the legend goes, the Imperial Governor of Trieste owned the fort within the 15th century, and his household, together with his son, the not-so-honorable Knight Erazem Lueger, lived there. By way of a collection of occasions, Erazem made enemies with the Habsburgs of Austria and Austrian emperor Fredrick III. The emperor rallied his military to seize and kill Erazem, who fled to Predjama Fortress.
The military’s plan was to starve out the fort dwellers by chopping off their meals provide. To their amazement, Erazem and firm held their floor for greater than a 12 months. How did they do it? By way of an elaborate, hidden community of caves and tunnels to convey meals and provides into the fort!
Not solely have been they not ravenous, however in addition they apparently beloved to flaunt their abundance of meals by bombarding the enemy military with recent cherries. One other time, it’s mentioned Erazem delivered a whole roasted pig to them. A lot for ravenous them out!
How then did Erazem meet his demise? The poor fellow was occupied within the fort’s restroom (on an outdoor wall for simpler waste disposal) and a disloyal servant ratted him out to the enemy, who launched a strategically positioned cannonball at a exact, inopportune time for Erazem.
Erazem was historical past, and the remainder is historical past. The military invaded and assumed the strategic place of Predjama Fortress. Or so the story goes…
Highlights Of Predjama Fortress
It was exceptional to stroll by this merging of chateau and cave and cliff. We noticed this mixture in all places. For instance, we walked on flooring that have been clearly a part of the fort, however an adjoining wall was the pure cliff.
We took a 60–90 minute self-guided audio tour by the fort. The fort has fascinating options, and the audio tour was fairly entertaining and stuffed with element.
Professional Tip: Predjama Fortress is a well-liked attraction that caters to guests from everywhere in the world; make sure you get the audio in the suitable language. Choices that I noticed included Slovenian, Italian, German, and Chinese language.
The Chute
As we moved by the fort, we obtained to a better ground towards the entrance of the fort, and the audio tour inspired us to see down a chute. I seemed all the way down to see the fort’s drawbridge and moat. Why this view?
The audio crammed within the gaps. Apparently, one defensive tactic was to dump scalding water, scorching tar, or giant boulders down the chute onto enemies who tried to penetrate the fort. That may gradual them down!
The Numerous Rooms
We toured a number of bedrooms, which have been moderately elegant and stately. The eating room was a big room, good for medieval feasting. Different rooms included a modest chapel and a big weaponry room with fits of armor, battleaxes, crossbows, and the like. We even noticed a medieval torture chamber (yikes) situated in a dungeon (the place else wouldn’t it be?) with a stretching rack and different “gear” we received’t talk about.
Hidden Cave
We climbed a collection of lengthy and winding stairs to get to Hidden Cave, which seemed to be a touchdown with excessive, rocky ceilings. (Maybe Erazem hid right here?) From this vantage, we may see by a big opening into the Slovenian countryside.
We noticed a big horizontal container close to the ceiling that was used to gather rainwater. Pipes within the partitions additionally funneled rainwater to different central assortment factors.
After we completed touring the fort, we rode within the shuttle about 6 miles to the subsequent cease: Postojna Cave.
Beneath The Fortress: Postojna Cave Park
As if the world’s largest cave fort weren’t fascinating sufficient, a community of tunnels and caves exists underneath the fort and into the world (maybe there’s some reality to the Erazem legend?).
Postojna Cave, nicknamed “Queen of the Underground World,” is a system of 11 interconnected chambers. The entire space is named Postojna Cave Park. Found in 1818, it options about 15 miles of underground passages, galleries, and halls.
Professional Tip: The official entrance to the cave is about quarter-hour from the fort. You’ll both want your individual transportation, to e-book a shuttle as a part of a bundle (like we did, by our lodge), or take a shuttle between the 2 sights, if it’s out there.
The tour of Postojna Cave marked a primary for me. I’ve toured caves earlier than, however I’ve by no means taken an underground train to get deeper into one. We rode this distinctive railway for about 10 minutes by a collection of corridors and chambers. At instances, the monitor wound into areas the place the ceiling appeared so low or the partitions appeared so shut that I instinctively ducked, though there was at all times sufficient clearance.
One other “first” on the practice: We noticed a chandelier in a big chamber of the cave!
When the practice stopped, a information took us by the cave for about 90 minutes, and we noticed quite a lot of options, together with the Stables, Foremost Passage, White Corridor, and even Live performance Corridor with unimaginable acoustics.
The strolling was excellent (for a cave) — it was paved, the cave was lit, and a few of the rocks have been backlit. The cave can be apparently house to a colony of bats, however we didn’t see them.
We crossed over a walkway referred to as the Russian Bridge that was in-built 1916 (and sure renovated since). Later within the tour, we additionally walked beneath it.
Professional Tip: We weren’t right here over the vacations, however the conventional Living Nativity within the cave options greater than 100 actors and musicians who convey 16 biblical scenes to life alongside a 3-mile route illuminated by 2,100 lights.
Planning A Go to
Predjama Fortress is a 45-minute drive from Ljubljana, and Postojna Cave is one other quarter-hour from there. Tickets are required at these sights.
We booked this tour by our lodge in Ljubljana, and it included transportation, the audio tour of the fort, and a guided tour of the caves (the place we joined a a lot bigger tour group). The drive and excursions simply took us the whole morning; timing varies primarily based on how shortly or slowly you progress by the fort’s self-tour.
Professional Tip: Evaluate information about shuttles, tickets, tour times, opening times, and parking earlier than you go to. To avoid wasting time, buy tickets on-line, no less than a day earlier than you go to.
A Image-Good Mixture
The phrase predjama means “in entrance of the cave,” however within the case of Predjama Fortress, the cave is behind it, beneath it, and throughout it! I hope you loved this peek inside this wonderful place. It’s a picture-perfect mixture of cave, fort, and cliff. Half lore, half truth, half legend: simply what a medieval fort needs to be!
Professional Tip: There are stone steps and a few uneven pavement within the fort, so watch your footing. Once you tour the cave, gown in layers as a result of the cave and practice journey can really feel cool.
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