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Worldwide Travel Te Travel Guide The mysterious wonders of Karst


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STANJEL


For millions of years, natural processes have sculptured the treasured landscape of the Karst region


Te Karst region, which extends across southwestern Slovenia and- northeastern Italy, captivates visitors with its unique natural phenomena. Troughout geological history, water has carved stunning underground caves here and reshaped the land- scape by dissolving and eroding mainly limestone rocks. Systematic cave exploration in the


ŠKOCJAN CAVES, A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE


Karst region began 200 years ago, when people were searching for sourc- es of drinking water. But they discov- ered far more than they could have ever imagined. By the end of the 19th century, almost all of the 3.7-mile pas- sage system of the Škocjan Caves had been discovered along an underground river. Tanks to the first discoveries and the distinctive features of these natural phenomena, the terms ‘karst formations’ and ‘karst’ have come to be applied to all similar discoveries made around the world since then. Te Karst region isn’t just the cradle


of scientific cave exploration, but also of cave tourism. Te Vilenica Cave — thought to be the oldest tourist cave in Europe — welcomed its first visitors in 1633, the Škocjan Caves in 1819, and the Grotta Gigante cave (Briškovska jama) in 1908. Škocjan Caves — a mysterious cave system with one the world’s largest under- ground canyons — is included in the Unesco World Heritage List.


In addition to its breathtaking un-


derground world, the Karst region also charms with its biologically rich surface. Over the millennia, people have transformed this rocky, arid ter- rain into a unique cultural landscape, with fields and vineyards encircled by dry stone walls. Stone is also the main material used


in the construction of villages and castles in the region. Among the forti- fications, Miramare Castle and Duino Castle on the Gulf of Trieste are prom- inent, while medieval Štanjel Castle and village form one of the Karst’s most recognisable vistas. Karst’s white Lipizzaner horses


are the region’s true icons. In Lipica — the village the breed is named after — the stud farm has been in operation for over 400 years; with a herd of 300 horses, it’s the largest Lipizzaner farm in the world. Te Lipizzan horse-breed- ing traditions are inscribed on the Un- esco Representative List of the Intan- gible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. On the other side of the region, where Karst limestone meets the flysch for- mations of Brkini, visitors can enjoy the Rodik Mythical Park, which offers up plenty of stone sculptures and sto- ries of local mythical tradition. To fully understand and experience


the Karst region, you must also taste it. Te local cuisine will surprise with both its simplicity and authenticity. Local must-tries include teran, a red wine with a protected designation of origin, and prosciutto dried in the bora wind.


THE KARST HOUSE IN REPEN, ITALY/ANDREA CATERINA CAZZETTA


Visit Kras is supported by the Kras-Carso II project, co-financed by the European Union under the Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia 2021-2027 Programme. visitkras.info www.ita-slo.eu/kras-carso-ii


LIPICA STUD FARM


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