Kő-hegyi Cave

The Kő-hegyi Cave is one of the caves located on Kő-hegy in Pomáz, which is in the Danube–Ipoly National Park.

Description

The entrance of the cave is at the base of a rocky wall on the south‑east side of Kő-hegy in the outskirts of Pomáz, among shrubs. From the railings of the Petőfi rest area, heading west, about 15 m lower, the natural, irregularly shaped, horizontal, axis‑oriented entrance, 1.5 m high and 1 m wide, can be easily found. About 30–35 m west of the Kő-hegyi Cave is the Kő-hegyi passage.

The 6 m long Kő-hegyi Cave was formed in Miocene andesite conglomerate due to tectonic displacement, freeze‑thaw disintegration and erosion. The simple spatially shaped cave has a horizontal floor and its characteristic cross‑section type is irregular. The cave can be entered without a permit and can be comfortably viewed with a lamp; the walls are marred by scratches and gouges. A small amount of condensed quartzite, plant debris, and stone debris can be observed in the cave. Spiders and insects occur there.

The cave also appears in the literature under the names Kőhegyi-barlang (Ézsiás 1993), Kőhegyi barlang (Ézsiás 1993) and the cave beside Vasas Gorge (Kovács 2006). In 1993 the cave was first called Kő-hegyi Cave in the literature. The nearby Vasas‑gorge 4th cave was also referred to in the literature as Kőhegyi-barlang, Kő-hegyi-barlang, Kőhegyi barlang and the cave beside Vasas Gorge.

Research History

In the nationwide cave list of the book *Caves of Hungary* published in 1984, Kőhegyi Cave is listed among the caves of the Szentendre–Visegrád Mountains. Associated with the list, the cave’s geographical location is shown on a 1 : 500 000 scale map depicting the geographical positions of the caves of the Danube‑Zug Mountains.

In the manuscript titled *List of Hungary's Non‑Karst Caves* by István Eszterhás, written in 1989, it is stated that the Kő-hegyi Cave is located in the Visegrád Mountains, in the 4900 cave‑cadastral area, at Pomáz. The cave formed in andesite tuff is of unknown size. The list mentions the 220 objects (203 caves and 17 artificial cavities) in Hungary that were created in non‑karst rock and had become known by the end of 1989. Seven caves in Hungary have formed in andesite tuff. According to the compilation, László Kordos's cave list published in 1984 includes 119 such caves that originated in non‑karst rock.

The 1993 report of the Troglonauta Cave Research Group states that the cave located in the rock wall of Kő-hegy D, facing the Pomáz basin, is called by the locals the Kőhegyi Cave (Kőhegyi-barlang). The cave does not appear in written works. Descending the rock‑wall stairs on the K side next to the Petőfi lookout railing, about 15 m down, the entrance of the approximately 6 m long cave, 1.5 m high and 1 m wide, can be easily found. It is not known whether the naturally formed cave developed in volcanic rock. György Ézsiás and his colleague Kornél Budai located the cave based on guidance from nearby residents. The Kő-hegyi passage is located about 30 m from the Kő-hegyi Cave on the K side, at roughly the same height. A colour photograph showing the entrance of the Kő-hegyi Cave is attached to the manuscript. A map excerpt indicating the location of the Kő-hegyi Cave entrance is attached to the cave description.

In the manuscript titled *Lajstroma of the non-karst caves of Hungary* written by István Eszterhás and dated 1993, it is stated that the Kő-hegyi Cave is located in the Visegrád Mountains, in the 4900 cave-catalogue area, in Pomáz. The cave formed in andesite tuff is 6 m long and 1.5 m high. The compilation lists the 520 objects (478 caves and 42 artificial cavities) that were created in non-karst rock in Hungary and became known by the end of 1993. In Hungary, 8 caves or artificially created cavities called caves have formed, having been created in andesite tuff. In the Visegrád Mountains, 33 caves have formed in non-karst rock.

On 6 July 1996, Nagy Eszter and József Tinn surveyed the cave, and based on the survey István Eszterhás prepared the floor plan map of Kő-hegyi Cave, which is depicted at a scale of 1:50. According to the survey the cave is 6 m long. The 1996 yearbook of the MKBT Volcanic Speleology Collective states that the Kő-hegyi Cave located in Pomáz in the Visegrád Mountains is 6 m long and 1.5 m high. The cave is filled with white powder, which is also found on the surface. The white powder contains stone blocks. The end of the cave is free of fill, where the passage wall narrows into a crack. Traces of fire‑lighting can be observed near the entrance. Approximately 30–35 m from Kő-hegyi Cave is the Kő-hegyi Passage, whose formation is similar to that of Kő-hegyi Cave. The yearbook includes the map of Kő-hegyi Cave made in 1996.

The 1997 yearbook of the MKBT Volcanic Speleology Collective mentions that the Kő-hegyi Cave (Visegrád Mountains, Pomáz, Kő-hegy) is 6 m long and 1.5 m high. In the manuscript bibliography of Hungary's non-karst caves dated November 12 2001, the cave name index includes the Kő-hegyi Cave (Visegrád Mountains, Pomáz). The cave name index lists three literary works that deal with the cave. The cave is not mentioned in entry 364, but is mentioned in entry 365.