Semlő-hegyi CAVES 1 of 3

We had a great day exploring outside the City, the natural cave system of Budapest. After a movie on the caves and their discoveries, we went with a professional from the National Parks Authority to visit two caves and we learned about the geological history of the region. These amazing places were created a million years ago by an unusual up-welling of warm, mineral-rich water.

Thanks to its exceptional location, there are many natural and artificial objects under the extensive cave systems of Budapest. Budapest is the only capital city in the world where you can find enormous cave systems beneath its residential buildings, with nearly 180 caves known within the city’s borders. Most of the caves are located in the area of the Buda Thermal Karst and were formed by the predecessors of the hot springs rising from the deep that still supply water to the thermal baths.

Szemlő-hegyi Cave- This cave was formed by rising thermal waters. Unlike what you find in cold-water caves, this cave is also known as the “underground flower garden” because of its unique cave popcorn-shaped mineral crusts and cauliflower-like mineral growths covering the walls. We also saw aragonite needle crystals, crystal sponge, gypsum flowers, gypsum daggers up to 8” long, hair-thin gypsum crystals 3’ long, a wide variety of calcite outcrops, and calcite shelfstone. Researchers have described 31 mineral species from the caves of the Buda Thermal Karst so far. It was an amazing experience as if we were on another planet.

The cave is considered therapeutic due to the therapeutic effects of its climate and the quality of the air which we experienced as we came and left the cave. It is used to treat asthma and COPD where the air’s is 100% humidity in 54 degrees all year round.Read more