Postojna Cave in Slovenia is a million year old natural wonder and one of the most visited caves in all of Europe. The fact that the only cave post office in the world is located here may also play a minor role. Sending holiday greetings for nearly 125 years.
Do you remember sending holiday greetings home before smartphones existed? For many of us, it seems like an eternity since we last wrote a postcard. Others, however, are all the more faithful to the nostalgic tradition. If you are like that and you are still looking for a very special place to send a postcard from, we have a very cool suggestion: Postojna Cave in Slovenia.
Because according to the official site of the place The only cave post office in the world, which has been in operation since 1899, is located here. In the so-called Concert Hall, one of the “rooms” of the Postojna Cave, there is still a counter from which holiday mail can be sent. Exactly 80 years after the opening of the cave in 1819, this took into account the fact that at that time everyone was sending postcards on a regular basis.
37,000 postcards in three hours
On Whit Monday 1904, 13,800 postcards were sold in just three hours. In 1909 there were already 37,000 pieces in the same period. In the summer season of 1911, up to 11,000 postcards were sold a day. In fact, the demand was so great that the old stone Post Office, which measured four by two meters, was extensively refurbished in 1924. In 1927, a newer, even larger one opened. For a short time the two “branches” of Postojna Cave also functioned simultaneously, but the smaller one was soon closed.
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While the post office in Postojna Cave belonged to Austria-Hungary when it opened, it passed to Italy after World War I. In the following years, the town diligently promoted the marketing of the cave, and so in one year, on Pentecost Sunday, 90,000 postcards were sent from the cave. The fact that this service is so popular to this day is also due to the excellent expansion of the cave. It is accessible to visitors for a total of five kilometers and has had another quirk since 1872: the world’s first Railroad in a stalactite cave.
One of the most visited stalactite caves in Europe
On June 16, 1872, it “passed” for the first time, while the Postojna Cave guides still had to push the wagons with visitors. Emperor Franz and his Sissi had already visited them in 1857. At that time, however, they did not have to be carried by donkeys in a very elegant way. The petrol locomotives were subsequently replaced by electric ones over the years and since 1988 the current model has also been powered by electricity.
Today the Slovenian Post operates the office in the Postojna Cave. For the very special greeting home there are special postcards and our cave stamps. In 2013, both Austria and Slovenia also issued special commemorative stamps from the cave post office. According to official tourism site of Slovenia Postojna Cave is today the most visited stalactite cave in all of Europe. Incidentally, there is another record in the vicinity with Predjama Castle, i.e. the largest cave castle in the world.
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40 million visitors
The Postojna Cave tourist train tour lasts an hour and a half and passes the most impressive rock formations. In the more than 200 years since it opened, more than 40 million people have visited Postojna Cave. With 150 animal species found here, it is also the most biologically diverse cave in the world.
However, the entrance to the cave with all its superlatives is not cheap. You currently pay 28.50 euros. The cave is part of the so-called Postojnska Jama Park, which offers even more attractions. For the combined ticket Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle you have to pay 40.90 euros. If you really want to see everything in the park, you pay a whopping 49.50 euros. Hopefully enough money will eventually be left over for a greeting from what is arguably the most unique post office in the world.
