Jama Pekel

Pekel Cave - Hell Cave

Useful Information

extraordinary speleothems in the Jama Pekel.

Location:	5 km north of Šempeter. FromLjubljana follow highway 10 to the northeast, at Locica follow A10 east, exit Polzela/Šempeter.
Open:	MAR Sat, Sun, Hol 9-17. APR to SEP daily 9-18. OCT Sat, Sun, Hol 9-16. Tours every hour on the hour. [2008]
Fee:	Adults SIT 1,200, Children SIT 600, Students SIT 600. Groups (15+): Adults SIT 850, Children SIT 500, Students SIT 500. [2003]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=1,159 m, VR=40 m, A=314 m asl., T=10 °C.
Guided tours:	D=60 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Turistično Društvo Antični Park Jama Pekel, Tourist Office Šempeter, Ob Rimski metropoli 2, 3311 Šempeter v Savinski dolini, Tel: +386-3-7002-056, Tel: +386-31-645-937. Jama Pekel, Šempeter 52, 3311 Šempeter, Tel: +386-3-5702-138.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Ponikva Karst protected as a national park.

Description

Jama Pekel is the biggest cave in this part of Slovenia. It is east of Ljubljana, far from the classic karst areas. It is located at Šempeter in the Ponikovski kras (Ponikva karst area), Polzela, which is a protected national park. This part of Slovenia is called Stajerska (Styria=Steiermark) which gives an impression of the cultural and historic closeness to the northern neighbour Austria.

The word Pekel means hell in Slovenian. According to legend the cave was named such because of a rock above the entrance shaped like a devil. Another says warm water vapour drifting from the cave in the winter had an eerie effect. However, the name was used widely for chasms, as hell is underground, and they go underground.

The cave is located in a doline, a valley which was formed by the collapse of a cave. At the floor of this doline runs the Peklenščica brook. When following the path along the brook upstream the visitor arrives the gated cave entrance. The brook comes out of the cave and the tour follows the underground Peklenščica brook. Some side chambers filled with nice speleothems are seen on the way to a 4 m high waterfall.

Now the tour ascends on a stair to the dry upper level of the cave. This part is even richer in speleothems. The exit of the cave is an artificial tunnel, which ends 42 m higher than the entrance. A nice walk brings the visitor back to the cave hut.