Notranjska

Notranjska

Author: Arhiv Postonjska jama 

At first sight it seems that Notranjska (former Inner Carniola) does not tell us everything about itself, because its essential part remains hidden below earth. In the interior of limy layers, water has formed a complex labyrinth of caves, precipices, underground lakes and galleries with stalactites of unusual forms, a real underworld kingdom. This landscape has no equal in the world, strewn with karst holes and karst fields with intermittent rivers.

In the mysterious Močilnik near Vrhnika springs the river of seven names – the Ljubljanica River, which paves its way through the Ljubljana Marshes. From the margin of the Marshes there are several valleys extending towards Notranjska, among them also the valley of Bistra with the former monastery of Carthusian monks Bistra, today transformed into the Tehnical Museum From the surrounding hills – Menišije, the health resort Rakitne or from the hills of Polhov Gradec you can enjoy a beautiful view of Vrhnika, the birth place of the great Slovenian writer Ivan Cankar. In order to reach the interior part of Notranjska, you have to cross the Logatec Field to reach Logatec. The Planinsko polje Field, the most characteristic karst field, shows a lot of unusual karst phenomena. One of them is Rakov Škocjan, where the waters from the Planinsko and Cerkniško Fields flow into the underworld below a great natural bridge. Another karst phenomenon is the Cerknica Lake, the largest intermittent lake in Europe. On the field that is filled with water after the spring and autumn rains, whereas during the summer the water runs dry, you can catch fish, mow the lawn and even winter skate all in the same year. The most beautiful view of this nature's miracle you can get from the nearest beauty spot Slivnica, where according to ancient beliefs witches gather. The place Cerknica is especially interesting during the Carnival season, attracting visitors from near and far with its traditional Carnival procession.

The most wooded part of Notranjska is the Bloška planota plateau, the cradle of the renowned Bloke skis. On Bloke the Bloke mass skiing competition takes place annually. At the lonesome foothills of Snežnik there is a romantic castle Snežnik, today transformed into a museum, and a good starting point for all mountain trails to Veliki Snežnik with preserved Alpine vegenation.

Ilirska Bistrica is a former market place, where numerous saws have been in operation for centuries. The Bistrica, which flows from Snežniško pogorje, then turns into the Reka River, paving its narrow valley between Vremščica and Brkini. he central town of Notranjska is Postojna known all over the world for its wonderful Postojna Cave , where the underground world is revealed in all its beauty. Visitors will be taken by cave train among the lighted fairy-like stalactites and cavities. Near the cave there is the admirable Predjamski Castle, erected on high rocky walls. It stirs your imagination with the legend of the robber baron Erazem Predjamski. Today Postojna is significant also because of the Kasrt Research Institute of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts and the Notranjska Museum.