Postojna cave and Predjama castle outside Ljubljana, Slovenia

Predjama Castle (pred...before  jama...cave)

Postjanska Jama formations

Inside the huge cave is unreal

Ljubljana market and river at dusk

Predjama castle

Cool formations in the cave 

Postojna cave is huge and long...and full of amazing formations of stalactites and stalagmites. It became a tourist attraction in 1819 and had electric lights before the town of Ljubljana had them!  First tourist train ran in the cave in 1872.  The Germans used the cave to store 1000 barrels of aircraft fuel during WWII and some Slovenian rebels blew it up!  You can still see the huge burned area.

Now, an electric train takes you in for almost 2 miles, then you walk on non-slip cement paths for the most amazing parts, then train out.  It is like a cathedral with millions of spires and is amazing. 

In the late 1200s, a noble built a castle at the entrance to a nearby cave and it was rebuilt in the 1500s to look like it does now. It was a summer residence for a noble family in the 1700s and was occupied in summers until the end of WWII when it became the property of Yugoslavia and turned into the museum it is now.  It incorporates some of the cave walls and tunnels and was a great fortification.  Most other castles on caves have fallen apart but this one is in fine shape and was fascinating. 

It's been a good day in Slovenia.   Tomorrow I fly to the U.S.