KARST PHENOMENA: AHNENLOCH AT PODSTENICE
Jame, Pohodne poti, Naravne znamenitosti, Zgodovinska dediščina
Ahnenloch pri Podstenicah, 8350 Dolenjske Toplice
In the vicinity of Podstenice, a sinkhole measuring 30x40 meters opens below the top of Spodnje Lašče hill. The main entrance under the vertical wall is backfilled. Entrance to the 17 meters lower hall measuring 15x20 meters is possible through at first very narrow and nicely filled bypass tunnel or through a shaft on the left side of the landslide. The extensive main hall has rich stalactite phenomena. Numerous signatures on the walls prove this part of the cave was already visited by Gottschee people. The bottom of the hall turns into a steep slope, which turns into a 55 meters deep, beautifully carved abyss along the walls. At the bottom of the hall is a group of larger stalagmites and a shorter tunnel, in which the cave ends with a muddy canopy. Ahnenloch is one of the most beautiful caves in Kočevski rogand also one of the deepest with a total depth of 118 meters (from the edge of the entrance sinkhole to the muddy canopy at the bottom).
