Great Paradana Ice Cave, Natural ice cave in Trnovski Gozd, Slovenia
The Great Paradana Ice Cave is a natural cave in the Trnovski Gozd forest with a large entrance opening at the bottom of a deep doline. The cave system features steep passages and ice masses that accumulate in the deeper sections.
The cave was historically used for ice extraction, with workers quarrying ice blocks and transporting them at night to regional markets. This practice remained an important economic activity across several centuries.
The cave is recognized as a research site because cold air creates an unusual arrangement of plant species inside. Visitors can observe these botanical features while walking through.
Visitors should wear warm clothing and sturdy boots, as temperatures inside remain below freezing year-round. Wooden stairs and pathways aid exploration, but proper preparation is necessary.
The cave system preserves vast quantities of permanent ice that has accumulated over millennia. This phenomenon makes it a rare example of underground ice preservation in Europe.
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