Speleolog, Vol. 71 No. 1, 2023.
Stručni rad
History of Speleological Exploration and Development of the Veternica Cave
Vlado Božić
Hrvoje Malinar
Marijan Čepelak
Damir Lacković
Zoran Bolonić
Tila Medenica
Sažetak
The first data on the Veternica cave dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From 1934 until the beginning of World War II, numerous interested citizens, „explorers”, entered the cave, „exploring” around 1400 meters of channels (reaching the Viktorija waterfall). Many newspaper articles were published on this topic, with an exception being the research conducted by geologist Josip Poljak in 1934, who provided the first expert report about the cave. The destruction of the cave (breaking and removal of speleothems) also started during this period, which led to the first attempts to protect the cave. No research was conducted during the war. With the establishment of the Speleological Section within the Mountaineering Society Zagreb in 1949, followed by the founding of other speleological associations in Zagreb, systematic exploration began. From then on, mountaineers, members of Speleological Sections of Mountaineering Societies „Željezničar” and „Velebit”, took care of the cave. From 1950, significant work was carried out in the cave's entrance areas, including archaeological and paleontological excavations in the entrance hall, as well as digging in the lower parts of the cave for easier passage. The first topographic survey of cave channels was conducted in 1948 and it continued in parallel to speleological exploration. Water tracing of the Jezeranec stream at Ponikve, which flows through the cave, was carried out, and in 1959, the first dive in the outflow siphon (-9 m) took place. Protection measures were proposed alongside research efforts (with involvement from the State Institute for Nature Protection), as well as suggestions for adapting the cave for tourist use. Specific parts of the exploration were particularly interesting due to the use of unconventional solutions, such as the use of PVC foil for passing through an upstream siphon in 1977, the use of 0.5 m long pegs to climb muddy rock (access to Markulinova Hall in 1984), and others. During this period, 7,128 meters of cave channels were explored (although not topographically surveyed), and numerous professional publications were published. Since 2000, the Medvednica Nature Park Public Institution has taken charge of the cave. Speleological exploration gradually ceased as the Public Institution Nature Park Medvednica introduced stricter conditions for entering the cave, making further speleological research unfeasible under the current conditions.
Ključne riječi
Veternica; history of exploration; show cave development
Hrčak ID:
314779
URI
Datum izdavanja:
23.2.2024.
Posjeta: 803 *