Döme Cave

Döme Cave is one of the highly protected caves of Hungary. It is located in Balatonederics in the Balaton Uplands National Park. It was discovered in 1998. It is one of the four highly protected caves of the Keszthely Plateau, alongside Csodabogyós Cave, László Jakucs Cave and Hubert Kessler Cave. It is the fifth longest cave of the plateau.

Description

It opens on the side of Szabad Hill on the Keszthely Plateau, in the outskirts of Balatonederics. It formed in the upper Triassic Carnian layer, in the Ederics limestone. On the cave wall, remnants of marine lilies that have been prepared can be observed in several places.

Morphologically the passages are divided into three sections. The first section is the upper, entrance part of the cavity, which extends to a depth of 15 meters. The characteristics of the largely excavated section are chimney-like forms created mainly by dissolution and spacious chambers. Here are 35–45 centimeter high root stalagmites, which were discovered for the first time in Hungary in Döme Cave.

The formations are particularly significant because they were first found in this limestone cave in the world, although they had been known in other rocks earlier, and the stalagmite-forming property of the mossy oak root was also observed here for the first time in the world. The walls also contain carpet-like root mats and their branches. Archaeological finds belonging to the Neolithic Lengyel culture, such as a 5,000–7,000 year old pottery bowl, were recovered from this part together with animal bones and human bones.

The second section is an almost vertical passage. The third section is almost horizontal and was named the Pannonia branch. In its lower part the carbon dioxide concentration is high, it can be 4–6%, which makes its exploration dangerous. Its temperature is average for Hungary, varying between 8.7 and 11.2 °C. To explore the most vertically extensive closed cave, permission from the Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate must be obtained and the use of rope‑technical equipment is also indispensable.

Research history

The cave was discovered by Vilmos Mezősi and his son Balázs in 1998, and later that same year members of the Styx Cave Research Group opened a small depression to a depth of 15 metres. Its first mapping is attributed to Balázs Bán, Tamás Bán and István Eszterhás. In 1999 its length was 55.6 metres. From 17 May 2001, according to the Ministry of Environment Decree 13/2001. (V. 9.) KöM, the Döme Cave located in the Bakony Mountains is a specially protected cave. Simultaneously the regulation 1/1982. (III. 15.) OKTH concerning the determination of the circle of specially protected caves loses effect. Since 2001 it has been a specially protected cave because of its root‑stalagmite formations, archaeological finds and because it is considered long and deep among Hungarian caves.

In the cave description in the book *Hungary's Highly Protected Caves* published in 2003 it is stated that it is 250 m long and has a vertical extent of 103 m. According to the length list compiled by Csaba Egri and Attila Nyerges, which is included in the book, the Döme Cave located in the Keszthely Hills and bearing the cave inventory number 4440‑5, was 250 m long in 2002 and was the 83rd longest cave in Hungary in 2002. According to the depth list compiled by Csaba Egri and Attila Nyerges, which is included in the book, the Döme Cave located in the Keszthely Hills and bearing the cave inventory number 4440‑5, was 104 m deep in 2002 and was the 25th deepest cave in Hungary in 2002.

The publication *Hungarian Mountain Sports and Tourist Encyclopedia* released in 2005 contains a separate entry for the cave. According to the entry, the Döme Cave is a highly protected cave located in the Keszthely Hills. Its entrance is situated in the outskirts of Balatonederics, on the side of Szabad Hill, at an altitude of 290 m above sea level. Members of the Styx Cave Exploration Group entered the cave in 1998 by digging into the 15 m deep entrance section. It is a vertical passage system formed in the Triassic Ederic limestone, 250 m long and 103 m deep. Its peculiarity is that on the upper part the roots of mossy oak trees protruding from the surface create carpet‑like mats, ropes, and, at stronger drips, root mats rising from the passage floor that form 35–45 cm high root‑strand formations. Such root forms created by mossy oak do not occur in other limestone caves. The cave can be traversed with permission and the use of rope‑technical equipment.

From September 1, 2005, according to the decree of the Minister of Environment and Water Management 22/2005. (VIII. 31.) KvVM, the Döme Cave located in the Keszthely Hills within the operational area of the Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate may be visited with the permission of the supervisory authority. From September 1, 2005, according to the decree of the Minister of Environment and Water Management 23/2005. (VIII. 31.) KvVM, the Döme Cave in the Bakony Mountains is a highly protected cave. From March 8, 2007, according to the decree of the Minister of Environment and Water Management 3/2007. (I. 22.) KvVM, the Döme Cave located in the Keszthely Hills within the operational area of the Balaton National Park Directorate may be viewed with the directorate’s permission. From July 19, 2013, according to the decree of the Minister of Regional Development 58/2013. (VII. 11.) VM, the Döme Cave (Keszthely Hills, Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate operational area) may be visited with the directorate’s approval.