Description
Rak Škocjan is a valley and a landscape park, part of Inner Carniola Regional Park in southwestern Slovenia. Administratively, it belongs to the settlement of Rakov Škocjan. Rak Škocjan has been protected since 1949 and is the oldest landscape park in Slovenia.GeographyThere are two natural bridges in Rak Škocjan, Little Natural Bridge and about downstream, to the west, Big Natural Bridge . Rak Creek traverses the valley and enters Weaver's Cave at its western side. It does not emerge again until it has reached Italy, where it is called the Timavo. Above the valley, in the vicinity of Big Natural Bridge, stand the ruins of St. Cantianus's Church, built in the early 17th century in the late Gothic style. This area is also an Iron Age archaeological site.The valley itself is enclosed on all sides by sheer cliffs, which can reach as high as.NameThe name Rakov Škocjan literally means 'Škocjan on Rak Creek'. Like other places named Škocjan, the name is a contraction of *šent Kǫcьjanъ 'Saint Cantianus', referring to the patron saint of the local church. The valley shares its name with the settlement of Rakov Škocjan.
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