Križna Cave Book
Book about one of the most beautiful caves in Slovenia
Križna cave is remarkable in many ways, even unique. Although it is one of 22 tourist caves in Slovenia and one of many worldwide that can be visited by the general public, not just cavers, it stands out for its minimal tourist infrastructure – only what is absolutely necessary is provided. It is difficult to find another place where you can experience the primal nature of the underground world and a sense of adventure, even though we know we are far from the first to walk inside.
As we walk through the passages of Križna cave and float across lakes with water that is usually clear and transparent, we should recognize that this world is once again almost exactly as nature created it, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of people who spared no time or effort to restore it to its original state.
About the Book
We wanted to present the beauty and diversity of Križna Jama in book form as well. The project took a long time to develop, during which we had to overcome numerous challenges in preparing the photographs, the text, and ensuring high-quality printing. The book guides us through several chapters along the same paths experienced by visitors. The first chapter describes the route to the first lake and Medvedji rov, the second to Kalvarija, the third to Kristalna gora, and in the final chapter, we explore the passages accessible only to cavers. The book has been published in both Slovenian and English.
Chapters:
– A unique natural sanctuary
– To the first lake – The harmony of water and power
– Calvary – Crossroads of waterways
– Crystal Mountain – World of fantasy
– Other passages and Nova Križna Cave – Preserved pearls
– Photographing Križna Cave
– Acknowledgements
Book details:
104 pages, hardcover
Original title in Slovenian: Križna jama
Edited by: Peter Gedei and Marjan Žiberna
Photography by: Peter Gedei
Text by: Marjan Žiberna
Machine translation; edited by: Peter Gedei
Design and Layout: Peter Gedei
Cartography: Mitja Prelovšek
Printed by: Tiskarna knjigoveznica Radovljica d. o. o.
Print run: 500 copies
Published by: Association of Križna Cave Lovers
Represented by: Gašper Modic
Bloška Polica, 2026
Photographing Križna Cave
My photographic journey in Križna Cave began in 1991, when I took my first photographs there on slide film. I was not satisfied with the resulting images, as I felt I did not yet have enough knowledge and experience. I did not visit the cave again for more than 25 years. I deliberately saved Križna Cave for a time when I would be completely confident in my cave photography skills, as I felt it would be a waste of energy, time and the cave itself to simply experiment. A few years ago, I finally decided the time was right.
Many photographers have already tried their hand at Križna Cave, but most have only covered individual parts of the cave. Due to different approaches, these photographs differ considerably from each other, both in technique and style. My goal was therefore to present the entire cave with a consistent set of photographs.
Photographing in Križna Cave was very challenging due to a number of factors. Even after agreeing on a date, I was not guaranteed to be able to photograph in the cave, as water conditions could deteriorate in a matter of days. We always needed clear water, with its characteristic emerald green colour, which can change significantly after rain and become cloudy. We paid the most attention to protecting the cave, so every step outside the boat was carefully considered. In the most sensitive areas, we looked for passages made by our predecessors to avoid leaving new tracks. Some motifs required lengthy preparations, which affected the number of successful shots taken that day, and the distance of the passages also prolonged the process. Therefore, we spent most of our time in the Mud Passage.
The entire project would not have been possible without the valuable and indispensable help of the caving assistants. The core team consisted of members of the Association of Križna Cave Lovers and the Caving Club Železničar from Ljubljana. The teams were usually small: a photographer and three assistants, but for certain shots, more of us gathered so that we could capture the essence of the space. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in the project, especially Gašper Modic, Boštjan Vrviščar and Mojca Vrviščar Zazula, with whom I rowed and walked through most of the passages in this beautiful cave, and to my wife Maja for all her support during the many years of creating these images.