Slovenia 2013 800th anniversary of visits to Postojna Cave

800th anniversary of visits to Postojna Cave

Postojna Cave, Slovenia's most remarkable natural sight and the most visited show cave in Europe is one of the most beautiful caves, and one of the richest in terms of cave formations or 'speleothems'. In prehistoric times people used the cave as a refuge. Later, the local inhabitants enjoyed showing visitors the cave's entrance passages and chambers, where they would sign their names on the calcite-covered walls and speleothems. Signatures discovered in the Passage of Old Signatures date from as far back as the 13th century. The very oldest of them is from 1213. This last signature is believed to have been made using charcoal, lead or red stone. A tracing of the signature was made by Alois Schaffenrath, who from 1825 to 1836 served as imperial and royal district engineer at the district government office in Postojna and was the technical director of the Cave Commission, the administrative body of Postojna Cave at that time. He also made 12 copper engravings (1830–1832), which served as an appendix to the book Travellers' Guide to the Renowned Postojna Cave and the Cave of Crown Prince Ferdinand in Postojna, Carniola.

The Republic of Slovenia is issuing a commemorative coin to mark the 800th anniversary of the first recorded visit to Postojna Cave, depicting a stylised spiral ending in two speleothems. The spiral represents the length and age of the cave, and at the same time indicates the path that has led visitors into the cave for 800 years.

Weight - 8.5 g.
Quality - UNC (Uncirculated)
Diameter - 25.75 mm.
Composition - Bimetallic - nickel brass clad nickel center in copper-nickel ring
Circulation - 1'000'000 pcs.
Country of origin - Slovenia
Year of release - 2013