Barátlakások

The Barátlakások are artificially created cavities in the steep, 20–30 m basaltic tuff wall on the eastern side of the Óvár in Tihany, located in the Orosz-kő, which were formerly human dwellings. They are situated on the Tihany Peninsula within the Balaton Uplands National Park, in the eastern part of the Tihany Landscape Protection Area. The cavity group is a cultural‑historical monument.

Description

Popular belief, supported by popular literature and tourist maps, regards these artificial cavities as caves, but it must be emphasized that a cave is in every case a natural formation. The study of these artificial cavities belongs primarily to archaeology and historical research. This is the only relatively intact hermit settlement in the Carpathian Basin, indeed in all of Central Europe. Some also mention the Leánylakások as part of the Barátlakások. The previously presumed existing, now unknown cavities have been destroyed by collapse.

Other collective names for the Barátlakások: Cave monastery, Monk‑cave, Monk‑cells, Monk‑dwelling, Innela, Hermit‑cave, Hermit‑dwelling (Jankó 1902), Tihany hermit caves, Tihany hermit dwellings, Tihany hermit settlements, Uruzkó‑Empty‑stone, Empty‑stone cave.

1st Barátlakás

Other names: 1st Barátlakás (Eszterhás István), 1st Barátlakás (Eszterhás István), 1st Hermit‑cave (Eszterhás István), cavity of the 4th cell group of the Barátlakások (Uzsoki András), first cell of the Barátlakások (Zákonyi Ferenc), “A” cavity of the first group of the Barátlakások (Cholnoky Jenő), “C”‑cave (Rómer Flóris), dwelling cave (Uzsoki András).

In the eastern rock wall of Óvár, in the Orosz stone, along the green-marked tourist trail, the first cavity from the rest area to Ny. Its altitude above sea level is about 165 m. Its 3 m wide and 2 m high entrance faces east. Its length is 4.15 m and its volume 24 m³. The entrance was once completely walled up; today only a side‑wall‑like wall remains inside. Shelves recessed into its walls were carved. In the rear wall there is a sand‑stone boulder the size of a watermelon, beneath which the compressed tuff layers vividly show the force of the impact. The ceiling consists of a well‑cemented, harder brecciated layer and the cavity was carved into the more crumbly sand‑tuff lying beneath the brecciated layer.

2nd Barátlakás

Other names: 2. Barátlakás (Eszterhás István), 2-es sz. Barátlakás (Eszterhás István), 2-es sz. Remete-barlang (Eszterhás István), Barátlakások 4. cellacsoportjának ürege (Uzsoki András), Barátlakások első csoportjának “B”, “C”, “D” ürege (Cholnoky Jenő), Barátlakások második cellája (Zákonyi Ferenc), Barátlakások negyedik cellacsoportjának ürege (Uzsoki András), “C”-barlang (Rómer Flóris), Keleti kápolna (Uzsoki András).

In the Orosz-kő rock wall, along the green-marked tourist trail, the second cavity from the rest area to Ny. Directly next to the 1st numbered Barátlakás, it is located 1.5 m from it. Its altitude above sea level is around 165 m. It is not a single cavity, but a cavity system. Its largest cavity is 6 m wide and the entrance opens at a height of 3.1 m towards É. At some time it was chiseled up to the ceiling, today it only has a later built side wall. Inside it is 3.7 m long. In the K‑side, the lower third is higher by two steps. In the Ny‑side a carved doorway leads to a chamber 2.6 m long and 1.3 m wide, whose floor has a sinkhole carved into it. From the chamber another passage leads towards the front into a front, smaller, open cavity 2.8 × 1.2 m. This smaller cavity is separated from the larger one by a built stone wall. Its volume is about 84 m³. Its rock is the same as the rock of the adjacent 1st numbered Barátlakás.

3rd Barátlakás

Other names: 3rd numbered Barátlakás (Eszterhás István), 3rd numbered Hermit‑cave (Eszterhás István), 3rd Barátlakás (Eszterhás István), third cell group of Barátlakások (Uzsoki András), “A” and “B” cavities of the second group of Barátlakások (Cholnoky Jenő), “B”‑cave (Rómer Flóris), Priori apartment (Uzsoki András).

In the Orosz-kő rock wall, along the green-marked tourist trail, the third cavity from the rest area to Ny. About 30 m from the 2nd‑numbered Barátlakás towards DNy and 8 m higher. Double cavity. Its entrance faces Ny, 3 m wide and 2.3 m high. This also could have been bricked up, but today only a few rows of stone remain. The first entrance cavity is 5 m long and has shelves recessed into its walls. From this, a passage to the left leads to the other cavity. The second cavity’s front side wall is formed by a stone wall with window‑like openings. Its length is 4.3 m and its width averages 3 m. The cavity system’s volume is 60 m³. Its rock is similar to the rock of the previously described Barátlakások.

4th Barátlakás

Other names: 4th Barátlakás (Eszterhás István), 4th‑numbered Barátlakás (Eszterhás István), 4th‑numbered Hermit‑cave (Eszterhás István), Barátlakások 2nd cell group (Uzsoki András), Barátlakások third group (Cholnoky Jenő), Refektorium (Uzsoki András).

In the Orosz-kő rock wall, along the green-marked tourist trail, the fourth cavity from the rest area to Ny. About 35 m west of the 3rd‑numbered Barátlakás, opening downwards from the trail level, because the debris level covers its front. Its altitude above sea level is around 171 m. Its front faces É‑ÉK. According to the map made by Cholnoky Jenő and published in 1931, the cavity’s entrance was at the Ny corner; currently it is more practical to enter at the K corner. The object is a single, brick‑shaped cavity. Its longer side parallel to the front is 9.7 m, its width 3.8 m and its height 2.5 m. The front side is formed by a built stone wall, in which three windows are visible at the two ends of the debris‑filled shaft. It may have had four windows. Its volume is about 86 m³. Its rock is similar to the rock of the 1st‑numbered Barátlakás.

5th Barátlakás

Other names: 5th Barátlakás (Eszterhás István), 5th‑numbered Barátlakás (Eszterhás István), 5th‑numbered Hermit‑cave (Eszterhás István), “A”‑cave (Rómer Flóris), Barátlakások first cell group (Uzsoki András), “A” and “B” cavities of the Barátlakások fourth cell group (Cholnoky Jenő), Western chapel (Uzsoki András), Rock‑temple (Cholnoky Jenő).