Travertine quarry (Kamnolom lehnjaka)

Logo Travertine quarry (Kamnolom lehnjaka)
Logo Travertine quarry (Kamnolom lehnjaka)

Jezersko has a very diverse geological history. Million years old rocks from a coral reef can be found around Virnikov Grintovec, Pristovški Storžič and Stegovnik mountains and are the oldest rocks in the area followed by those formed in the era when here was a desert approximately 250 million years ago, and even younger volcanic stones. The Kamnik-Savinja Alps were created through the accumulation of sediments in shallow sea 200 million years ago and were pushed out of the sea around 60 million years ago by strong forces created in the Earth’s interior. Today´s form of the valleys is mostly work of glaciers from the last Ice Age that disappeared after the warming up more than 10 000 years ago. Since ground rocks are impermeable, waters from melting glaciers covered the bottom of the valleys and formed a big glacial lake which drained around 500 years ago after a huge earthquake.

Travertine quarry is one of the geological sites and first point of Slovene Geological Trail ending in Dovžan gorge. Travertine has been formed in the last geological era Quaternary by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate from solution in ground and surface waters. Deposits of travertine spread out on a surface area of 4 hectares in Komatevra valley, where river Kokra has its source. Travertine deposits are up to 20 metres thick and fossils can be found in every piece of stone.

Access: On the main road to Jezersko drive past Penzion Kanonir and at the hamlet of Bajte turn left across a smaller bridge. At the bridge you will also see the sign saying "Kamnolom lehnjaka” (travertine quarry). Follow the asphalt road all the way to the end and continue on gravel road until you reach the quarry.