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Prof. Pavel Kunaver Memorial Exhibition
Pavel Kunaver (1889–1988) and Lake Cerknica
Over the centuries, Lake Cerknica has attracted many Slovenian and international researchers, naturalists, writers and travellers, each contributing to our understanding of this extraordinary karst phenomenon.
Among them, Pavel Kunaver holds a particularly important place from the perspective of nature conservation. He not only explored, observed and wrote about Lake Cerknica, but also became one of the most determined advocates for preserving the lake and its natural cycle of filling and disappearing.
At the Jezerski hram Institute, we have long been committed to preserving the natural and cultural heritage of Lake Cerknica and to presenting the lake as a living and constantly changing karst system.
It was through this shared commitment, and through our long-standing cooperation with Prof. Dr Jurij Kunaver, Pavel Kunaver's son, that the idea for a memorial exhibition dedicated to Pavel Kunaver was developed.
🌊 Lake Cerknica – a wonder of the world
Pavel Kunaver knew, explored and experienced Lake Cerknica over many decades. To him, it was much more than an unusual natural phenomenon. It was a landscape that could only truly be understood by experiencing it slowly – in different seasons, at different water levels and with all the senses.
He wrote of Lake Cerknica:
"If you have not spent different seasons, evenings and mornings on this lake ... then you cannot know that Lake Cerknica truly deserves to be counted among the most beautiful and most remarkable lakes in the world."
His relationship with the lake became so personal that he simply called it:
"My lake!"
🔎 An explorer of the karst and a keen observer of the lake
Pavel Kunaver became interested in Lake Cerknica and the wider Notranjska karst at an early age.
As a cave explorer and member of the Society for Cave Exploration, he took part in early investigations of Velika Karlovica before the First World War.
In his writings, he followed contemporary discoveries about karst landscapes, underground water connections, caves, inflows and outflows of the karst fields of Notranjska.
His descriptions of Lake Cerknica were not only personal and vivid. They also included careful observations of water conditions and the constant changes that are so characteristic of an intermittent lake.
He accompanied his writings with drawings, field sketches, watercolours and photographs.
Bringing the story of the lake to a wider public
In the first decades after the Second World War, Pavel Kunaver published numerous popular articles about Lake Cerknica and helped introduce its remarkable landscape and natural processes to a much wider audience.
His writing often feels immediate and personal, as if recorded shortly after returning from an excursion or a day beside the lake.
His work brings together careful observation, knowledge of the karst landscape and a genuine fascination with nature.
✋ "Hands off the waters of Cerknica!"
Pavel Kunaver holds an especially important place in the history of efforts to preserve the natural character of Lake Cerknica.
When proposals emerged in the 1960s to permanently flood the lake by closing its sinkholes and other natural outlets, Kunaver became a determined opponent of such interventions.
His well-known appeal:
"Hands off the waters of Cerknica Lake!"
became a powerful expression of his belief that the lake should be allowed to retain its natural rhythm – water arriving and disappearing, the lake filling and drying out again.
This commitment to preserving the lake's natural processes is one of the main reasons why Pavel Kunaver has such an important place in our museum today.
Passing his knowledge on to younger generations
Pavel Kunaver did not keep his knowledge and enthusiasm for nature to himself.
Over the years, he brought students, mountaineers, scouts and young people to Lake Cerknica and other natural landmarks of the Notranjska karst.
He believed that people develop a deeper respect for nature when they experience it directly – when they observe it, understand it and spend time in it.
In this way, he introduced generations of young people to the karst landscape and encouraged in them respect for nature and a sense of responsibility for its preservation.
🖼️ An exhibition about a man and his lake
The memorial exhibition presents Pavel Kunaver's relationship with Lake Cerknica through his writings, observations, drawings, sketches, watercolours and photographs.
It tells not only the story of a researcher and writer, but above all of a man who spent a lifetime discovering the lake, grew deeply attached to it and, when its natural character was threatened, stood up publicly for its preservation.
His message remains relevant today: to truly understand Lake Cerknica, we must respect its natural changes and preserve the landscape in which this extraordinary phenomenon can continue to unfold.
A legacy that remains alive
Many people have studied, described and admired Lake Cerknica over the centuries. Pavel Kunaver's special legacy lies in the way he combined knowledge, personal experience, education and an unwavering commitment to protecting the lake's natural character.
He explored the lake, wrote about it, introduced it to younger generations and fought to preserve its natural rhythm.
The exhibition keeps alive the memory of a man who regarded Lake Cerknica as a wonder of the world – and understood that its greatest value lies precisely in remaining natural, changing and alive.
"My lake!" – two simple words that express how deeply Lake Cerknica was woven into Pavel Kunaver's life.
Initiative and implementation: Jezerski hram Institute in cooperation with Prof. Dr Jurij Kunaver
Exhibition author: Prof. Dr Jurij Kunaver
Design: Marjan Rafael Loboda, architect and designer
The exhibition was financially supported by: Jezerski hram Institute