Bimbó Cave

Bimbó Cave is one of the caves located in the Buda Hills of the Danube–Ipoly National Park, in District II of Budapest.

Description

In front of house number 56 on Bimbó Road is the entrance closed with a metal cover and oriented vertically along the axis. The cave of karst origin is situated under a thick limestone marl layer, a very rare rock formation in the Buda Hills. It was formed in the Buda Marl. Large patches of chert can be observed on its walls. It can be visited with the permission of the Danube–Ipoly National Park Directorate. A maximum of 4 groups may visit per day. A group may consist of up to 4 persons.

In 1995 the cave was first called Bimbó Cave in its literature.

Research History

In 1995 Sándor Kraus discovered the cave. On May 19, 1995 Sándor Kraus drew the floor plan map of Bimbó Cave, two longitudinal section maps and two cross‑section maps. The maps present the cave at a scale of 1:50. The floor plan map shows the location of the two cross‑sections within the cave. The east direction is marked on the map sheet for use of the floor plan map.

The 1995 MKBT Programme Book states that on the plot number 56 Bimbó Street in Budapest II district, a cavity was found by Ákos Kocsis during the foundation of the building. After measures by the Budapest Nature Conservation Directorate, the initial passages of the cave were cleared by Sándor Kraus at the request of the developer. In the Buda Marl, the cave opening at 180 m above sea level developed under a limestone‑marl layer about 50 cm thick. Two fissures that gradually narrow downward are known. In one, small pea‑sized white spots of calcite appear, indicating a connection with larger cavities at deeper levels and the open air chamber. The known caves of Rózsadomb have their main chambers at the 160–170 m level, i.e., not very deep. The publication includes the cave plan map and two cross‑section maps.

The 1995 Geological Gazette reports that research of the accidentally discovered spherical chambers on Rózsadomb and its surroundings was unsuccessful several times, e.g., the investigation of the spherical chamber under number 58 Bimbó Street. In 1994, during gas pipe laying in front of number 58 Bimbó Street, a cavity opened. It was filled in, but in May 1995 a new spherical chamber emerged in the garden of number 56 Bimbó Street. The Budapest Nature Conservation Directorate investigated the site, but no significant discovery was made in the Buda Marl. Sándor Kraus descended to a depth of about 3 m. Access may later be possible from the side to the drainage located under the edge of the building. In principle, later research is secured. The study is accompanied by a location map of the caves of Rózsadomb and its surroundings, indicating the cave’s position.

According to the compilation published in 1995–1996 in Karst and Cave, house number 56 on Bimbó Road was expanded in 1995. Here, in the Budai Márga allodapic limestone layer, a side passage a few meters long opened. It was investigated by Sándor Kraus. An exit was created from the public area. In front of house number 58 on Bimbó Road, the collapse zone that became visible during the gas pipe renovation is very close to the cave. Because of the expected clayey marl under the allodapic limestone, it is questionable what connection it may have with a possible deeper cave system.

From May 14, 1998, according to Ministerial Decree 13/1998. (V. 6.) KTM of the Ministry of Environment and Regional Development, Bimbó Cave located in the Budai Mountains within the jurisdiction of the Danube–Ipoly National Park Directorate may be visited with the directorate’s permission. From September 1, 2005, according to Ministerial Decree 22/2005. (VIII. 31.) KvVM of the Ministry of Environment and Water Management, Bimbó Cave located in the Budai Mountains within the operational area of the Danube–Ipoly National Park Directorate may be visited with the supervision’s permission. In Klára Groma’s 2011 manuscript, Bimbó Cave is listed as being located in the area with cadastral parcel number 12765/1 in Budapest District II, with cadastral number 4762-70. The protected and closed cave is 13 m long, extends 3 m vertically, and is 3 m deep.