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The
Zdenc and Vidovec karstic caves
The
Vidovec and Zdenc karst caves are located east of the village of Božakovo on
the edge of the Bela krajina lowland karst. The stream disappears underground
at the interface with the karst lowland, but remains clearly visible on the surface
as a dry valley. It may be followed as far as the Vidovec cave, where the stream
rises again and flows into the deeply incised Kolpa river valley.
Božakovo is located on the edge of the river
terrace above the high ťMagdalenska stenaŤ (The Mary Magdalene wall) of
the deeply incised Kolpa river valley. There are a number of places worth
visiting in the village. Foremost is the baroque church of Sv. Marija Magdalena
(St. Mary Magdalene). There is also the chapel of ťMarija PomočniceŤ, close
to the village. A special characteristic of the village is the village
wine cellar, where the villagers meet together in the evenings and drink
their wine ťna pol drugoŤ, which means that if you drink one litre, you
must give back one and a halflitres in the autumn. The village members
also pay a membership fee of 10 litres of must just before Martinmass (11
th November). The village cellarman takes scrupulous care ofthe wine, which
he also sells to visitors.
kapelica Marije
pomočnice |
The Zdenc spring cave, containing
a statue of Mary of Lourdes, is one of the best-kept spring caves in Bela krajina.
The local people have dammed the small spring that flows from the cave below
the village. A washing area and a drinking trough for animals were constructed
at the cave entrance The walled entrance conceals a 78 rn long cave, which was
probably formed by the subterranean course of the Vidovec stream. The underground
passage of the low streambed gradually narrows along its continuation along the
rock cleft. Underground water collects in the final section behind the artificial
barrage and is piped to the entrance. Calcareous sinter is only present in isolated
patches on the walls, appearing at the end as a semi-circular calcareous sinter
pile.
The Vidovec cave is 270 metres in length
and is also the longest water cave in Bela krajina. The entrance is marked
by a rock shelter, behind which a spacious entrance chamber opens out.
The cavern continues as a narrow underwater passage, which ends with a
siphon. The walls, formed by erosion, are only more markedly covered with
calcareous sinter in the entrance zone, but thick alluvial clay layers
cover the cave floor, which make it impossible to visit the cave without
caving equipment. Due to the presence of rich deposits of organic material,
thc underground waters are inhabited by surface fauna and subterranean
fauna, which is less adapted to the subterranean world.
pisani močerad
(Salamandra
salamandra) |
A well-organized footpath is available to
the visitor. It leads from the centre od the village to the Zdenc and Vidovec
caves. Froim here it follows the Vidovec stream to the river Kolpa and
joins the footpath beside the Magdalenska stena. which leads back to the
village. It is impossible to visit both caves, if unaccompanied by speleologists.
Information is available at the village of Božakovo.
(Vir: zgibanka Kraški jami Zdenc in Vidovec, Zavod za varstvo naravne in kulturne
dediščine Novo mesto, Uprava RS za varstvo narave, 2000) |
| contact |
Občina Metlika
Mestni trg 24
p.p. 38
8330 Metlika
tel. ++386 7 30 63 100
E-mail:
obcina.metlika@siol.net |
city
map |
bus
timetable |
rail
timetable |
Entrance to the Zdenc cave
Entrance to the Vidovec Cave
Božakovo village
"soseska" zidanica v vasi Božakovo
Educational path Zdenc - Vidovec
Cave Zdenc - Vidovec map |
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