Explore Aggtelek: Where Ancient Caves and Living Traditions Collide
The Aggtelek National Park (Aggteleki Nemzeti Park), located in the north-eastern part of Hungary, was established in 1985, mainly to protect natural values, aboveground evidence, and caves. Seventy-five per cent of the park is covered by deciduous tree forests. High-value plants, a rich variety of insects, and more than 220 species of birds find a home in the glades scattered like a mosaic, in the grasses growing on the stones, and on the mountain slopes.
Caves of Aggtelek National Park
On the relatively small area (approx. 20,000 hectares) of the National Park, more than 200 more or less large caves are scattered. The Slovak Karst is an organic part of the Aggtelek Karst, both geologically and geographically. The largest cave system in all of Central Europe was formed in this area. The longest cave in the karstic area, and also in Hungary, is the Baradla Cave (Baradla-barlang), the total length of which, including side branches, is 25 kilometres. A 5.6-kilometre-long section of the cave is located on the territory of Slovakia, known by the name Domica. The cave was formed in limestone, over approximately 230 million years, in the Middle Triassic. According to available geological data, the beginning of the cave’s formation dates back some 2 million years. The waters of the streams, having reached between the cracks in the limestone, melted and consumed them, widened the cracks, slowly forming the present-day passages. They are decorated with stalagmites and stalactites, of many different shapes, sizes, and colours. The stalactites and stalagmites awakened the imagination of explorers and visitors, and this is how fancy names such as Dragon’s Head (Sárkányfej), Tiger (Tigris), Mother-in-law’s Tongue (Anyósnyelv), Hall of Columns (Oszlopcsarnok), or Hall of Giants (Óriások thermes) came about.
Archaeological Significance
Countless artefacts found during archaeological excavations prove that Baradla was known and even inhabited by prehistoric man. One can also visit the cave of hydrological importance, called Vass Imre, and the Cave of Peace (Béke-barlang), suitable for curing respiratory diseases.
Visitor Experience
In the caves, visitors can choose between guided tours lasting 1, 2, 5, or 7 hours, starting from Aggtelek and Jósvafő. In the concert hall of rare beauty and excellent acoustics of the Baradla Cave (Baradla-barlang), unforgettable concerts of classical and light music are organised.
Trails and Nature Tours
There are marked tourist routes on the surface. On eco-botanical or zoological tours, visitors can learn about the values, main plant associations of the karstic surface, dwellings, traditional use of the area, the way of life and economy of the countryside, reminders of the history of industry and culture, customs, traditions, and folk crafts still in use. The 7-kilometre-long route between Aggtelek and Jósvafő is the Baradla education trail (Baradla-tanösvény); marked with a yellow stripe, the route takes about 3 hours, while the 9-kilometre-long Tohonya-Kuriszlán trail around Jósvafő takes 6 hours. The Zsombolyos Trail on Alsóhegy Mountain is indicated by a red T in the white circle.
Recommended Excursions
In addition to its natural values, the area also offers archaeological and cultural curiosities. Near Rudabánya, finds of prehistoric man (Rudapithecus) have been found in the 10–12-million-year-old lignite layer. One of the most important collections of mining history in Hungary, the Museum of Metals and Minerals (Érc-és Ásványbányászati Múzeum), is located here. The three-nave, late Gothic church was built in the 14th–15th centuries. Medieval, one-street villages are hidden in the valleys, many of which are renowned for their churches. The churches of Szalonna and Tornaszentandrás date back to the 12th century. A curiosity about the latter church is that it has a sanctuary with two arches instead of one, i.e., it has a double apse. Those who are interested in folk crafts can go to Hídvégardó and visit the Foncsika textile workshop, or to Gömörszőlős where wool is processed with centuries-old machinery, and the workshop in which ornamental objects made of gingerbread are made.
