József-hegyi No 2–3. Cave

The József-hegy No 2–3 cave is located on the side of József-hegy, in Budapest District II, within the Danube–Ipoly National Park, and is a sealed and protected cave. It is one of the largest marble caves in Hungary. It was among the caves specially protected in Hungary.

Description

It was formed by connecting the József-hegy No 2 cave and the József-hegy No 3 cave. Opposite house number 22–24 on Józsefhegyi Street in Szemlőhegy, in a public area, under the József-hegy lookout, there is a built and sealed entrance, which is the entrance to the József-hegy No 2 cave. The József-hegy No 3 cave is accessible through the József-hegy No 2 cave. The József-hegy cave system is located near the József-hegy cave.

It developed in the upper Eocene–lower Oligocene bryozoan Budapest marble. After the entrance there is an 8 m deep shaft. A Friday chamber, also called the Great Friday chamber, about 10 m long, 3 m wide, very steep, extends under the passageway to a depth of 9 m. Many spherical niches and calcite deposits can also be observed in the cave. Based on the József-hegy cave example, it is likely that large passages are located 10–20 m lower in the limestone, forming a large passage system.

The József-hegy No 2 cave is about 80 m long and 39 m deep. The József-hegy No 3 cave is 25 m long and 15 m deep.

In 1998 the cave was first called József-hegyi 2–3. sz. barlang in the literature. The cave appears in the literature as József-hegyi 2-3. sz. barlang (Persányi 2006), József-hegyi/II.-barlang (Leél-Őssy 1995), József-hegyi/II-barlang (Leél-Őssy 1995), József-hegyi II. barlang (Leél-Őssy, Adamkó 1991), József-hegyi 2. számú barlang (Adamkó, Leél-Őssy 2005), József-hegyi 2. sz. barlang (Szablyár 1987), József-hegyi II.sz. barlang (Leél-Őssy, Adamkó 1991), József-hegyi 3. sz. barlang (Kraus 1991), József-hegyi-barlang/II. (Leél-Őssy 1995) and József-hegyi-barlang/III. (Leél-Őssy 1995).

Research history

On 17 March 1986 pedestrians in the 2nd district of Budapest, in front of house number 20 on Józsefhegyi Street, heard loud water gurgling and splashing coming from beneath the roadway and sidewalk. The caretaker of the house notified the Water Works. The Water Works' troubleshooting team determined that a cavity of about 15–20 m³ had formed directly under the asphalt. After repairing the burst pressure pipe, the spilled water completely seeped out at the bottom of the pit through the cracks. The police headquarters asked the ALBATECH GM cave explorers to investigate the uncovered cavity. The cave explorers thought that the cavity was connected to the József-hegyi cave.

On 18 March 1986 ALBATECH GM began exploring the presumed cave system. On 28 March 1986 they entered a cave chamber of about 150 m³, the Friday chamber. It was one of the planned research sites of the 1987 MKBT research camp. In the 1987 report published in Karszt és Barlang there is a site map showing the planned locations of the central camp’s work sites. The site map marks the location of József-hegyi 2. sz. barlang.

In 1990 the Rózsadomb Kinizsi Caving and Mountaineering Sports Association reached a depth of 46 m in the József-hegy No 2 cave. In that year a pipe break collapsed the lower research shaft that had been excavated over several years. In the summer of 1991 the József-hegy No 2 cave and the József-hegy No 3 cave were connected, starting from the József-hegy No 3 cave. In a study that appeared in the 1995 Geological Gazette it is stated that the small József-hegy/II cave on Rózsadomb developed completely in the Buda marl. Leél-Őssy Szabolcs and Adamkó Péter, based on field surveys and reports, have identified over the past one and a half decades about two dozen previously unknown sites, e.g. the József-hegy No 2 cave and the József-hegy No 3 cave. In nine of these cases they also succeeded in finding a cave, for example the József-hegy No 2 cave.

The path of the inflowing warm water is sealed by dome‑chambers at the tops of the cracks. In many cases such dome‑chambers, usually 0.5–3 m in diameter, are found on the ceilings of cave passages, for example in the Good Friday Hall in the József-hegy/II cave. The dome‑chambers often form a real column, for example in the Good Friday Hall in the József-hegy/II cave. In 1990 the history of the József-hegy No 2 cave from four years earlier was eerily repeated, only 20 m away, under the road surface.

Ten metres below the surface, a new passage formed in the Buda marl led to the discovery of the József-hegy cave/III, which was later connected to the József-hegy No 2 cave. In the section concerning the József-hegy No 2 cave it is written that in March 1986 the attention of Leél-Őssy Szabolcs was drawn by local residents to the sound of water flowing. By breaking through the road surface a cavity of several cubic metres was uncovered, which had been washed out by the water from the pipe break.

The cavity, being suitable and promising on its side, was discovered after one week of starting from there. The 10 m Nagypéntek chamber lies 9 m deeper beneath the roadway. In the chamber, calcite deposits and spherical niches can be observed. Very similar ones are found in the Gellért Hill aragonite cave. The cave, which lies entirely in the Buda marl, is one of the largest-sized and internally spacious Hungarian marl caves. In 1990, unfortunately a new pipe burst collapsed the lower research tunnels excavated over several years. Of course, the entire surface-near part of the József-hegy cave/II is a large passage system. Probably 10–20 m deeper, large passages are located in the limestone based on the analogy of the nearby József-hegy cave. The József-hegy No 2 cave is 46 m deep and more than 100 m long.