{{Short description|Cave in Slovenia}} {{Infobox Cave | name = Cross Cave | other_name = Cold Cave under Cross Mountain | photo = Burger_KriznaJama_02.jpg | photo_caption = Cross Cave at the Port of Venice ({{lang|sl|Beneški pristan}}) | map = Slovenia | relief = yes | coordinates = {{coord|45|44|39|N|14|27|52|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | location = southeastern Slovenia | depth = {{convert|32|m|abbr=on}} | length = {{convert|8273|m|abbr=on}} | survey = [https://web.archive.org/web/20080521174748/http://www.krizna-jama.si/VR/KriznaJama_uvod.html plan] | discovery = 1832 | geology = dolomite, limestone | access = by foot and by boat | entrance_count = 1 | register = Cave E-Cadastre<ref>{{cite cecad |id=65 |name=Križna jama |accessdate=28 August 2012}}</ref> }} '''Cross Cave'''<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Copeland |first1=Fanny Susan |last2=Kuščar |first2=Ludvik |title=The Unexplored Caves of Slovenia |journal=Discovery: The Popular Journal of Knowledge |date=1930 |volume=11 |page=160}}</ref> ({{langx|sl|Križna jama}}, {{langx|de|Kreuzberghöhle}}<ref>{{cite book |title=Laas und Čabar (map, 1:75,000) |date=1903 |publisher=K.u.k. Militärgeographisches Institut |location=Vienna}}</ref>), also named '''Cold Cave under Cross Mountain''' ({{lang|sl|Mrzla jama pod Križno goro}}), is a cave in Slovenia's Lož Valley, in the area between the Lož Karst Field, Cerknica Karst Field, and Bloke Plateau. The cave is named after nearby Holy Cross Church in Podlož.<ref>[http://www.notranjski-park.si/index.php?catid=60&lang=slo Notranjski regijski park: Križna jama] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109043026/http://www.notranjski-park.si/index.php?catid=60&lang=slo |date=2015-01-09 }} {{in lang|sl}}</ref> The cave is particularly noted for its chain of subterranean lakes. Extremely slow-growing calcareous formations (up to 0.1 mm per year) and their fragility are the main obstacle to large-scale tourism in the cave and limit daily tourist visits to the flooded part of the cave to four people. As a result, the Cross Cave is among the best-preserved caves, opened to the public in Slovenia. The cave was prepared for visits in the 1950s by the Lož Valley Tourist Association. It was later managed by the Ljubljana Cave Research Society. Since the 1990s, it has been cared for by the Friends of Cross Cave Association ({{lang|sl|Društvo ljubiteljev Križne jame}}). With 45 species of organisms, some not discovered until 2000, Cross Cave is the fourth-largest cave ecosystem in the world in terms of biodiversity.<ref name="DEDI156">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.dedi.si/dediscina/156-krizna-jama |title=Križna jama |trans-title=Cross Cave |encyclopedia=Enciklopedija naravne in kulturne dediščine na Slovenskem – DEDI [Encyclopedia of Natural and Cultural Heritage in Slovenia] |first1=Mitja |last1=Prelovšek |editor1-first=Mateja |editor1-last=Šmid Hribar |editor2-first=Gregor |editor2-last=Golež |editor3-first=Dan |editor3-last=Podjed |editor4-first=Drago |editor4-last=Kladnik |editor5-first=Bojan |editor5-last=Erhartič |editor6-first=Primož |editor6-last=Pavlin |editor7-first=Jerele |editor7-last=Ines |access-date=20 August 2012 |language=sl}}</ref> The cave was first documented in 1832, but the part of the cave that includes lakes and stream passages was first explored by Slovene cavers in 1926.
On January 6, 2024, five people were trapped in the cave due to high water levels caused by heavy rainfall.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-07 |title=5 people are trapped in a cave in Slovenia after heavy rainfall causes water levels to rise |url=https://apnews.com/article/slovenia-trapped-cave-rain-krizna-jama-1e9bc1874c8a571e0afab9d9a3e84368 |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rescue begins for five trapped deep inside flooded Slovenian cave |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rescue-begins-five-trapped-deep-inside-flooded-slovenian-cave-2024-01-08/|access-date=2024-01-08 |website=Reuters |language=en}}</ref> They were rescued on January 8, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Peterica po skoraj treh dneh rešena iz Križne jame. Vsi so zdravi in v dobrem psihičnem stanju |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/crna-kronika/peterica-po-skoraj-treh-dneh-resena-iz-krizne-jame-vsi-so-zdravi-in-v-dobrem-psihicnem-stanju/693983 |access-date=January 8, 2024 |website=RTV SLO |language=sl}}</ref>
==Course== At Calvary ({{lang|sl|Kalvarija}}, the best-known symbol of Cross Cave), the cave splits into two branches: the Muds to the north and the Variegated Passage to the northeast. The passage through the Muds is more difficult, and so most visitors choose to continue through the Variegated Passage, which requires the use of small boats. Cross Cave continues into New Cross Cave ({{lang|sl|Nova Križna jama}}). In the direction from the entrance to the cave, the Variegated Passage is the left gallery of Cross Cave at the confluence with the Muds at Cavalry. The access requires the use of boats. Part of the way along the Variegated Passage is a side gallery named the Matjaž Passage ({{lang|sl|Matjažev rov}}), and it contains several large columns. Continuing along the Variegated Passage, visitors enter the Crystal Mountain ({{lang|sl|Kristalna gora}}), the largest room in the cave. They can climb a mountainous pile of collapsed rocks to a point well above the stream.
==Archeological site== Cross Cave exhibits one of the largest deposits of cave bear skeletons in this part of Europe. Over two thousand cave bear bones have been found in the cave.<ref name="DEDI156" /> In addition to the abundance of cave bear bones, ceramic and lyrical remains from the eneolithic period were discovered at the entrance of the cave at the beginning of the first lake.
== Incident == On 6 January 2024 at 8:00 a.m., a group of three, together with a guide and a trainee guide, went on a tour of the cave, although it was unsuitable for a visit at that time due to weather conditions. When the group had not returned by the scheduled time of 3:00 p.m., other guides went to look for them. Failing to locate the group, the Cave Rescue Service (JRS) <ref>{{cite web|title=Cave Rescue Service|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20260208074103/https://www.jamarska-zveza.si/index.php/foreigners/crs|archivedate=8 February 2026|url=https://www.jamarska-zveza.si/index.php/foreigners/crs|accessdate=10 April 2026|url-status=live}}</ref> was activated at approximately 5:25 p.m.
At around 4:00 a.m., the rescuers found the missing persons at a location in a cave called Cross Mountain, on a ledge elevated {{cvt|10|m|ft}} above the high water level, located about {{cvt|2|km|mi}} from the entrance to the cave under Cross Mountain. All those were safe and in good health.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.24ur.com/novice/slovenija/v-krizni-jami-ujetih-pet-oseb.html |date=6 January 2024 |title=Križna jama: 'Evakuacije pri teh razmerah vsaj do jutri ne bo' |language=sl |trans-title=Cross Cave: 'No Evacuation under these Conditions until at least Tomorrow' |newspaper=24ur.com}}</ref> They were evacuated on the afternoon of 8 January.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sloveniatimes.com/40126/five-people-rescued-from-cave-after-two-days |title=Five People Rescued from Cave after Two Days |date=8 January 2024 |newspaper=The Slovenia Times |publisher=Slovenian Press Agency}}</ref>
==See also== * List of longest Dinaric caves
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{commons category-inline|Cross Cave}} * [https://www.geopedia.world/#T12_L362_F3226:35430_x1609493.510142959_y5739419.119980443_s15_b2345 Cross Cave on Geopedia] * [http://www.krizna-jama.si/ Cross Cave]. Official webpage. * [http://www.burger.si/Jame/KriznaJama/KriznaJamaENG.html Cross Cave]. A map and a virtual panorama.
{{Bloke}} {{Cerknica}} {{Loška Dolina}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross Cave}} Category:Limestone caves Category:Ecosystems Category:Show caves in Slovenia Category:Municipality of Bloke Category:Municipality of Cerknica Category:Municipality of Loška Dolina Category:Caves of Inner Carniola Category:Underground lakes