Budapest, the city of baths and caves

Caves

Budapest has more caves than any other capital in the world. There are about 170 caves in the Buda Hills. All of them are under nature protection. Caves in Buda Hills have been found by hot water springs which have dissolved the limestone and the alternate level of underground creeks which have hollowed out long holes in harder rock as well in millions years.

Cave church of Gellert Hill

Opposite of the Gellert Bath 25 m above the river Danube level in the Gellert Hill there is a large cave which is one of the unique of Budapest. It has named St Ivan's cave after a hermit who has cured sick people went on a pilgrimage to him with thermal water which sprung in front of his cave. The original cave, which consisted a hollow entrance room and connecting niches, were rebuilt into a church in 1925. Its model was the cave of Lourdes, France. The church was walled up during the Communists era. Nowadays it works again as a church. The Pest side of Budapest was named after this cave. In the Middle Ages The Slavic name of the (Gellert) Hill was Pest Hill after the large cave. The word 'Pest' means cave or oven. (Budapest established with the union of three towns Buda, Pest and Obuda in 1872.)

Caves of Castle Hill

(See also the article 'Budapest Castle Hill') The Castle Hill is capped by a 10-12 m thick layer of limestone, including an extensive and partly natural system of caves, which were developed to a continuous system of underground passages during the Middle Ages. This cave system is 5-10 deep under the street level. Nowadays can be visiting only a 3.3 km long corridor. The cave system contains gothic gates and columns, archways and wells from the Turkish era and Baroque ornaments. This is the home of the Panoptic of Old Buda Castle.

Palvolgyi stalactite cave

In the east side of Lato Hill opens the longest and nicest and widely known cave of Budapest the Palvolgyi cave. The total length of the cave are more than 7200 m its vertical extension are 104 m. Lover levels are also under water nowadays have been making new unknown rooms. The cave was discovered by a young man meanwhile boring a well near a former stone mine in the last century. Visitors may view about 500 long section by electric light in street clothes with a 40 minutes guide. The varied stalactite and stalagmite formations were named on the basis of what their shapes remind of like Theatre room, Long corridor and Fairyland. Walls are containing dropstones and fossils, mark of shells from an ancient see.

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