Csévi Cave

The Csévi Cave is located in the Pilis Mountains within the Danube–Ipoly National Park. It is among the specially protected caves of Hungary. It is also described in tourist guidebooks. It is possible that archaeological finds have been uncovered from the cave.

Description

At the edge of Piliscsév, about 1.5 kilometres east of the centre of the settlement, the main entrance of the cave is on a west‑facing, rocky hillside. The simplest approach is from Piliscsév. From the settlement one can reach the Eszperantó spring via a marked tourist trail. From there a path leads to the main entrance, the last 50 metres of which go through a forested, rocky hillside. While descending the slope, first the debris from excavations carried out in the cave becomes visible, and further on this is worth targeting. The main entrance is the lowest and largest entrance of the cave. Tourist maps also indicate the location of the cave.

The cave tour should be started by entering through the main entrance. After a few metres inward, opposite there is a small niche entrance in the wall, but the large passage turns to the right. A few metres later the way branches in many directions. To the right upward, one can reach the surface through a dome. To the left there is a collapsed section, beside it to the left a easily walkable short corridor leads upward to the next chamber. Upon reaching the chamber, opposite there is a narrow little hole into which it is worth crawling. After about 3 m a small chamber follows, which is divided by dome‑like niches. The bottom of the chamber slopes upward toward the cave’s main entrance. On the rock surface there are brown guano residues, indicating the bats living here and the formation mode of the dripstone formations.

Returning to the chamber, one must go up the slope. To the right, among huge fallen rocks, one could return under the first dome; a similar dome leads upward to the surface. Bats often occur in this dome, sometimes 10–15 fly at once. To the left, after a short slope, there is a 2 m excavated pit. Only formations are present in the cave here. These are slightly re‑dissolved crystals growing on the top of a 5–10 cm thick crystalline calcite crust. From the pit, climbing down and then upward further, one can reach a small passage. To the left a dome, after a narrow passage a crouching chamber can be observed on the right. Returning to the large passage and climbing up the side of a rock block, the passage turns right. From here the double exit is already visible, through which one can reach the surface. Going upward from the exit leads to the Csévi cliffs, from which there is a nice view towards the Dorogi basin.

The cave was formed in Upper Triassic Dachstein limestone. The cave passage can be viewed without permission with basic equipment, even with a flashlight. It is also accessible for under‑age children, therefore the cave is suitable for a beginner, introductory tour. It is advisable to wear a helmet to avoid minor accidents. From the cave there is a rock shelter to the east where a few small cavities can be observed.

In 1930 the cave was first called Csévi Cave in the literature. The cave also appears in the literature under the names Csévi‑átjáró (Kordos 1984), Csévi átjáró (Kadić 1952), Csévi átjáró barlang (Horváth, H. Kelemen, Torma 1979), Csévi barlang (Kadić 1920), Csévibarlang (Ferencz 1953) and Csévi lyuk (Szeghalmy 1937).

Research History

The yearbook of the Hungarian Royal Institute of Geology for 1871 states that on the steep northern side of Hruba Skala near Csévi there is a cave.

According to the book published in 1908 describing Esztergom county, traces of cave dwellers were not found in Esztergom county because there are no caves that contain evidence that prehistoric people once lived in them. The first settlers came to this region with more advanced needs, and besides tools made from animal bones and antlers they also used stone tools. Therefore they were not forced to live in caves or dug-out hollows, but could make tents and huts. The caves or dug-out hollows that are still numerous in forests or in remote, hard-to-reach areas and contain traces of human culture could not have been prehistoric dwellings. They were mainly hideouts from the time of the Tatar invasion and Turkish destruction, because the objects found in them cannot be traced back to prehistoric times.

The book published in 1920 titled Budapest Duna-jobbparti környéke mentions that by reaching the rock clefts from the Csévi ridge and then descending between the rocks, the Csévi Cave can be found, which has a large entrance. The cave consists of a vestibule and a spacious passage well suited for walking that leads to the mountain top. The left side of the hall has formed a ear‑shaped niche. At the bottom of the cave a collapsed dome has formed, and on the right side a vaulted opening to the roof has developed. The cave’s trial excavations were unsuccessful. A beautiful view of Cséve is offered from the rocks above the cave. If the visitor wants to leave the cave, descending from the cave to the south through brush and debris is possible. In the 1920 Barlangkutatás book review, which concerns the Budapest Duna-jobbparti környéke book, it is mentioned that the Csévi Cave is described in the book.