Kristály Cave

Crystal Cave is among the specially protected caves of Hungary. It is located in the Pilis Mountains in the Danube–Ipoly National Park. It is interesting because of its minerals with a special appearance.

Description

On the K side of the Great Kevely, from the summit to the NE, the entrance is located in the middle of an abandoned stone mine wall, about 11 metres above the mine floor level. The tourist trail marked with a green stripe touches the quarry marked on tourist maps and the entrance is easily reachable from the tourist trail. It opens southeast of the Green Cave, about 100 metres away.

It formed in Upper Triassic Dachstein limestone. It is a typical karst cave based on its formations and entrance part. It consists of spherical chambers connected by very narrow passages. There are four small rooms, the Entrance Hall, the Small Hall, the Scaly Hall and the Workroom, which is the largest room. Because of the narrow parts few people have entered it and therefore its formations have remained intact for a long time.

Many pea stones and many calcite crystals can be observed on its walls. In the past the entire wall surface was covered with calcite crystals. Spherical stalactites also occur in the cave. Strong air flow can be felt in it, but in winter the air temperature is distinctly warm. Its horizontal extent is 13 metres. The cave passage can be walked with basic equipment; the closed part of the cave can be seen only with permission.

In 1992 the cave was first called Crystal Cave in the literature. The cave also appears in the literature under the name cavity next to Green Cave (Kárpát 1988).

Research History

The Acheron Cave Research Department surveyed the cave roughly in 1988, then Zsolt Vér used the survey to compile the cave plan map and seven cross‑section maps. The most suitable place for exploration was marked on the plan map. That year the department carried out temperature and relative humidity measurements in the cave, and also prepared photographic documentation of the cave. In the manuscript prepared by József Kárpát in 1990 it is written that the entrance of the cavity next to Green Cave (Budakalász) is located 75° from the summit of Great Kevely, 600 m away, at an altitude of 360 m above sea level. The entrance of the cavity is located in an abandoned small stone mine on the D side of the green‑marked tourist trail, 11 m above the mine floor level. A series of small karst spherical chambers, 20 m long and 7 m deep, formed by karst processes, are connected by very narrow passages. The completely dry cave is filled with clay, dust and rock debris. Beautiful calcite crystals can be observed in it. It would be worthwhile to research the cavity.

The manuscript written by József Kárpát in 1991 mentions that the cavity next to the Green Cave is 20 m long and 7 m deep. The Karst Cave Research Department opened and examined the cave in 1992, and also planned to seal the cavity (because of the preservation of the formations found there). At that time the Crystal Cave was 15 m long. The department carried out the cave’s structural preservation in 1993. Members of the department reported that mineral collectors visited the cavity, and the department therefore recommended sealing the cavity. In 1994 the department collected trash in it. The study published in the 2000 Karst Development mentions that in the Crystal Cave opening in the quarry next to the Green Cave there are small cavities lined with calcite. Here later dissolution also formed.

Sándor Kraus inspected the cavity system on 11 October 2003. In his report on the tour it reads that the cave walls are covered with medicinal balls 60–80 cm in diameter decorated with several‑centimetre‑long calcite rhombohedrons. Several members of the Troglonauta Cave Research Association led by Zoltán Szabó surveyed the cave on 11 October 2003, and then Zoltán Szabó on 9 January 2004, using the survey, prepared the cave’s floor plan map, longitudinal section map and five cross‑section maps. According to the survey the cave is 31 m long, 9 m deep and extends 13 m horizontally. At that time the association opened, carved and produced photographic documentation of the cavity, and determined that the map drawn in 1988 does not depict a large part of the cave.

Within the operating area of the Danube–Ipoly National Park Directorate, located in the Pilis Mountains, the Kristály Cave with cadastral number 4820/34, from February 28, 2006, according to the instruction of the Minister of Environment and Water 8/2006. KvVM, is a cave requiring differentiated protection. Within the operating area of the Danube–Ipoly National Park Directorate and with cadastral number 4820-34, the Kristály Cave, from February 25, 2012, according to the instruction of the Minister of Regional Development 4/2012. (II. 24.) VM, is a differentiated protected cave. From May 10, 2021, according to the decree of the Minister of Agriculture 17/2021. (IV. 9.) AM, the Kristály Cave (Pil

is Mountains, Danube–Ipoly National Park Directorate operating area) may be visited with the directorate's permission. The decree 13/1998. (V. 6.) KTM simultaneously loses its effect.