Križna jama
Encyclopedia
Križna Cave is a cave
located in the Lož Valley, Slovenia
. The cave is particularly noted for its chain of twenty-two subterranean lakes
of emerald green water. The cave was first documented in 1832, but the part of the cave which includes lakes and stream passages was first explored by Slovene caver
s in 1926. At Kalvarija (the best known symbol of Križna Cave) the cave splits into two branches - the Blata to the north and the Pisani Passage to the north-east. The passage through the Blata is harder so most explorers choose to continue along the Pisani Passage, which requires the use of small boats. Križna Cave continues into the New Križna Cave.
In the direction from the entrance to the cave, the Pisani Passage is the left gallery of Križna Cave at the confluence with the Blata at Kalvarija. The access requires the use of boats. Part of the way along the Pisani Passage is a side gallery named the Matjaž Passage and contains several large columns. Continuing along the Pisani Passage the explorer enters the Crystal Mountain , the largest room in the cave. The explorer can climb the mountainous pile of collapsed rocks to a point well above the stream.
With 44 species
of organisms, Križna Cave is the fourth largest cave ecosystem
in the world by biodiversity
.
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
located in the Lož Valley, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. The cave is particularly noted for its chain of twenty-two subterranean lakes
Underground lake
An underground lake or a subterranean lake is a lake under the surface of the Earth's crust. Such a lake may be associated with caves, aquifers, or springs. They are typically very low in salinity....
of emerald green water. The cave was first documented in 1832, but the part of the cave which includes lakes and stream passages was first explored by Slovene caver
Caving
Caving—also occasionally known as spelunking in the United States and potholing in the United Kingdom—is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems...
s in 1926. At Kalvarija (the best known symbol of Križna Cave) the cave splits into two branches - the Blata to the north and the Pisani Passage to the north-east. The passage through the Blata is harder so most explorers choose to continue along the Pisani Passage, which requires the use of small boats. Križna Cave continues into the New Križna Cave.
In the direction from the entrance to the cave, the Pisani Passage is the left gallery of Križna Cave at the confluence with the Blata at Kalvarija. The access requires the use of boats. Part of the way along the Pisani Passage is a side gallery named the Matjaž Passage and contains several large columns. Continuing along the Pisani Passage the explorer enters the Crystal Mountain , the largest room in the cave. The explorer can climb the mountainous pile of collapsed rocks to a point well above the stream.
With 44 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of organisms, Križna Cave is the fourth largest cave ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
in the world by biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
.
External links
- Krizna Cave. Official webpage.
- Križna Cave. A map and a virtual panorama by Boštjan BurgerBoštjan BurgerBoštjan Burger is a Slovenian informatician, geographer, a panoramic and VR panoramic photographer and a speleologist. He was founder of the Burger.si website and had retired as computer programmer in the 1990s to become a geographic researcher on the hydrology of waterfalls. He used VR panoramas...
.