Ravenska Jama

Aragonitna Ravenska Jama - Ravne Cave


Useful Information

Location: In Ravne, 10 km from Cerkno.
Leave Highway Ljubljana-Postojna at Logatec, follow A1 (102) to 408, turn left, then turn right on 102 to Idria. Alternatively leave Highway Ljubljana-Postojna at Unec, follow 212 to Planina, turn right on 409, then turn left on 102 to Idria. From Idria follow 102 north to Zelin, turn right onto 210 to Cerkno, turn left and follow signs to Ravne.
(46.121087, 13.954173)
Open: closed.
[2003]
Fee: closed.
[2003]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst Cave SpeleothemAragonite Mid Triassic Lombardic limestones and dolomitic breccia.
Light: LightIncandescent
Dimension: A=703 m asl
Guided tours: D=20 min, L=352 m, VR=20 m.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography: Jože Čar, Ivana Leskovec (1991): Aragonitna Ravenska jama: Ravne pri Cerknem, Jamarski klub "Srečko Logar", 1991 - 6 pages.
Address: Mestni Muzej Idrija, Prelovceva 9, 65280 Idrija, Tel: +386-65-71135.
Jamarski klub Srecko Logar, Ljubljanska 5, P.P. 1, 65280 Idrija.
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

early 19th century discovered by Martin Celik.
1833 closed with a wall.
17-AUG-1956 rediscovered by Dr. Roman Slavnik et al..

Description

Ravenska Jama was discovered in the early 19th century by the local Martin Celik. But after two storms in 1832 and 1833, the cave entrance was closed by a wall. Because of the cold air from inside the cave, the people thought the cave was responsible for the storms.

Italian Speleologists and memberes of the Cerkno section of the mountaineering club tried to find this cave between the two World Wars, but did not succeed. It was finally rediscovered by a group lead by Dr. Roman Slavnik in 1956. Subsequently the cave was developed and opened to the public.

The geological situation of the cave is really special. A small area of limestone is surrounded by various volcanic rocks like porfirs, porfirits, keratofirs, and volcanic tuffs. The cave formations are extraordinary too, which is a result of the special geological situation. Most formations consist of aragonite instead if calcite. The chemical formula is identical for both minerals, but the geometry of the crystals is much different. And so the speleothems also look much different.

The aragonite crystals are thin, fragile and very white. They are often shaped like needles and up to 10 cm long. The bunches of crystal needles are called Aragonite Hedgehogs by the guides.

Ravenska Jama appears in many older guidebooks and has some recommendation, especially as it is one of only two show caves bearing aragonite in Slovenia. Unfortunately both aragonite caves are closed for several years now. This page was created when the cave was still open, and we will leave it as it is for a simple reason: to inform you of the closure. As the cave is located in the southern pre-Alps, with the only access being a 10 km long narrow, winding and steep road, we want to inform you before you drive for hours, just to find the cave locked.