Buried deep within the Carso Triestino landscape lies a hidden world. It is the Abisso Giuseppe Muller. This abyss is named after Josef Muller. He was a renowned entomologist. Are you prepared to uncover its secrets?
The Abisso Giuseppe Muller beckons. It is more than just a hole in the ground. This natural wonder plunges to a depth of 110 meters. Its entrance sits at an elevation of 377 meters above sea level.
Imagine this. The year is 2000. The exact coordinates of the entrance are meticulously recorded using GPS technology. This ensures its location is known for future explorers. The entrance to Abisso Giuseppe Muller is found 250 meters east of Abisso Plutone. This other abyss opens in a beautiful sinkhole. It lies adjacent to the Basovizza Gropada road.
The original entrance was a narrow fissure. It was hidden beneath rocks. These rocks formed a dry-stone wall on the southeast side of a small sinkhole. A strong air current once rushed from this opening.
Let’s descend into the Abisso Giuseppe Muller. The initial shaft drops 12 meters. This leads to a small chamber with a clay floor. From here, two more shafts extend deeper. They measure 13 meters and 20 meters respectively. At the bottom of the 20-meter shaft, a tight 3-meter well awaits. A narrow passage connects to an estimated 15-meter shaft. A light air current emerges from this deeper shaft.
The 13-meter shaft starts with a squeeze. About 4 meters down, it splits into two sections at a fracture. The bottom is a steep slope of clay-cemented stones. Beyond an opening, a series of chambers unfold.
The 13-meter shaft directly connects to a 12-meter shaft. Explorers have cleared materials that once filled the bottom 2 meters. At the base, a difficult passage leads to more chambers. It also connects to a 34-meter shaft. On the opposite side, a tight passage emits a strong air current.
Caution is needed in the 34-meter shaft. Falling rocks pose a constant danger. The bottom consists of a landslide-prone shelf. To the northwest, an 8-meter drop connects to a chamber. It is formed by a very tall chimney into which several shafts pour.
The next shaft is 17 meters deep. Its bottom is made of boulders. To the northwest, a narrow passage leads to a tight 10-meter shaft. Another squeeze at the clay bottom connects to a difficult passage. A fissure reveals another shaft with a small lake at its base.
A series of chambers aligns along a fracture. This fracture parallels those of the first two shafts. A short ascending gallery leads to a tight 8-meter shaft. It remains unexplored.
The Abisso Giuseppe Muller owes its formation to marked fractures. These fractures run southwest to northeast. Except for the older chambers at 30 meters depth, the abyss is distinctly youthful. Cave-ins connected these chambers to the abyss. Debris from these collapses are visible in the 13-meter shaft.
Percolating water is abundant in the final shaft and the chamber above. Sadly, the presence of litter has been noted.
Josef Muller would be pleased that this abyss bears his name. He was born in 1880. He died in Trieste in 1964. Muller served as curator and later director of the Trieste Museum. He was a very clever entomologist. He published 243 works. Most were on the taxonomy and faunistics of Coleoptera. He also formed an important collection.
The Abisso Giuseppe Muller. It is a testament to both natural beauty and scientific curiosity. Remember its name. Share its story. Respect its fragility.