Inspiring Journey to the Slovenian Underground

Slovenia boasts more than 10,000 caves within a fairly small territory and is the birthplace of karstology. 

But more importantly, in caves and under layers of surface sediments, it is hiding world-famous, even globally unique finds, which are also displayed in a unique fashion.

Take the present-day city of Celje. Putting up a new building here is hard work.

Before you can even start, archaeologists flock to the site because every building in the central area of the city sits on mostly undiscovered riches.

Experts predict that only 10 % of the Roman city of Celeia is discovered, at most. However, there are some gems that have already been excavated from under the sediments, which were up to 7 meters thick.

Unlike the usual practice, not all finds are displayed in the museum, but rather under it. Soon after the initial explorations it was clear that the archaeological finds in Celje were so extensive that it was impossible to physically remove them. 

So, the only natural decision was to exhibit them on site. Rather than destroying them and filling them with cement, the basements of several buildings became museum sites, open to everybody to appreciate Roman elegance. 

Yes, the Romans obviously had an extremely aesthetic eye. They loved colour and contrast. They adored snow-white marble and adorned their walls with frescoes, as people did in the medieval times when they even used Roman marble in their walls. 

The art which the Romans included in their life was so exquisite that medieval counts even displayed it. This statue of a Roman woman in a medieval wall is one of the oldest know lapidarian layouts in Europe. 

It is clear to every visitor of Celje’s underground that the Roman city of Celeia was large and important. It was even a diocese, which can be surmised from the bishop’s tombstone found here. So, it had everything that the great cities in the Roman Empire had.

In the first centuries after Christ, people here lived in extremely modern living conditions.

They had toilets and a sewage system, they bathed in communal and private spas, and they lived in villas with an ingenious heating system, the hypocaust.

The air, trapped under the floor, which was often adorned with mosaics, was heated and the heat was thus transported throughout the building. 

All this can be seen beneath the Prince’s Mansion in Celje. There, it is obvious that Celeia was extremely well-organized and well-connected to the city suburbs, rural areas, and other cities. Everything had its own place, even the cemetery.

The most important lifeline in a Roman city was the road. Used for horses and carriages, it was the single most important factor in the spread of the Roman Empire. 

Celeia was probably much more important than it was believed. Its forum was far bigger than the usual ones and its road was 7 meters wide, which is unbelievable even by today’s standards.

Next to its astounding width, it also incorporated a drainage system for rainwater and even a pavement for pedestrians. This was a proper avenue and you can freely walk on it under Celje even today. 

However, there have been some finds in Slovenia that are too precious for you to touch. In Emona, present-day capital city Ljubljana, archaeologists discovered an extremely rare find. 

In the grave of a girl, dating to 3rd century AD, were two toys, incredibly preserved ivory dolls with movable limbs. 

Just a couple kilometres away, well-hidden under layers of Ljubljana's marsh soil, a wheel with an axle was found in 2002. Carbon dating showed it was not just another wooden wheel, but the oldest wooden wheel discovered to date. It is 5200 years old.  

Two millennia younger are hundreds of thousands of pieces of amber and glass pearls, discovered in Novo Mesto. This unique jewellery was intensively produced here and is unparalleled to any similar find in Europe.

Nevertheless, human artistry is far older than a few thousand years. The Neanderthals were already developed to the point of artistic expression. The evidence?

A flute, dating 60,000 years into the past, carved from a cave bear’s thighbone. It is considered the oldest musical instrument in the world. 

Next to artistry there are numerous artefacts that confirm our ancestors' ingenuity. In a cave near Celje, a coincidence led to a find of a 35,000-year-old needle, made of bone. It is the oldest needle in Europe and one of the oldest needles in the world. 

It is extreme luck that some of these items have survived wars, natural disasters, looting, and even dishonour. Yes, some beautiful Roman statues, engravings and pillars from Roman Celeia ended up being built into the medieval walls.

However, as is life itself, history is fluid, understood and appreciated only from a distance. 

And who knows how many more treasures like these are hidden under Slovenian soil?


As extraordinary as Slovenia is below ground, it is also extraordinary above. What splendid views Slovene landscape offers!