Sas-kövi Cave

Sas-kövi Cave is one of the cavities located in the Danube–Ipoly National Park, in Szentendre. Not a cave. It is one of the long‑known cavities of the Visegrád Mountains. The cavity, which is of archaeological and local‑historical significance, was probably artificially created along its entire length. The cavity is most certainly a mine shaft.

Description

Sas-kő is located about 3 km east of the centre of Szentendre, on the DK side of Nyerges Hill. Sas-kő is essentially a long, curved rock wall. The wall and its forecourt look as if mining once took place here. The entrance of Sas-kövi Cave, 1.5 m wide and 2.2 m high, is situated in the middle of the Sas-kő rock wall, at the base of the wall. Pedestrians must board the bus to Pismány from the H5 suburban railway terminus and ride to the final stop. From there they must walk towards Cseresznyés Road. By car, from the main road 11 turn onto Cseresznyés Road at the Pismány sign. Approaching the hilltop, turn right; from there Murvás Street and Vándor Street lead to Tyúkosdűlő Road. The car can be left there. From this point the greyish rock wall is already visible. Next to the unfenced plots there is a path that leads up to the cavity.

After the cavity entrance, in a spacious, slightly sloping corridor one must walk 14 m, where there is a change of direction in the corridor. Turning left at the change of direction, on the opposite wall and especially on the ceiling, the remains of an interesting white‑coloured plaster are visible. After the change of direction the corridor continues almost in the original direction, but with smaller dimensions. On the left side low down a 5 m long, right‑turning, tunnel‑like blind passage branches off. Continuing 4 m further, also on the left side, a narrow passage sloping downwards and filled with stone rubble can be seen, whose length is unknown.

After the change of direction, the tuff, initially only on the left side and then throughout the entire passage, is alternated by the columnar andesite. The first dead end is already completely in andesite, but here the right side is still in tuff. After the clogged small side branch, at 7 m there is a roughly 4 m long, uncomfortably low, rocky crawl. After the crawl, climbing on fallen rocks, one can reach a fairly large chamber, which was probably formed by collapsing debris. The floor of the chamber is very sloping, then to the right there is a 1.5 m deep pit that can be descended. At the bottom of the pit, after squeezing through an uncomfortable narrow passage and a 40 cm drop, the cavity ends in a small stone niche.

The cavity is 63.2 m long and 10 m deep. The Sas‑kövi Cave archaeological site identifier is 11554.

In 1976 the cavity was first called Sas‑kövi Cave in the literature. The cavity appears in the literature as Boldog tanya (based on an older marble plaque near its entrance), Harapovácsi barlang (Schőnviszky 1937), Macskaluk (Vastagh, Schőnviszky 1956), Macska‑lyuk (Eszterhás 1989), Macskalyuk (Bertalan 1958) (the latter three names refer not to this cavity but to the nearby Macska‑lyuk), Orlováci‑barlang (Bertalan 1976), Saskövi‑barlang (Szeghalmy 1937), Saskövi barlang (Barcza, Thirring 1920), Sas‑kői‑barlang (Eszterhás 1989), Saskői‑barlang (Józsa 1963) and Saskői barlang (Kessler 1931).

Formation

Three different theories have been proposed regarding its formation:

1. Natural origin. According to László Schőnviszky (1955) its existence is thanks to the water's dissolving and leaching work. The Sas-kövi Cave formed along a calcite vein in an andesite tuff. This calcite vein is also still found in the cave today. Its thickness is 15–30 centimeters. Pure water, crystalline. The andesite tuff that encloses the cave contains andesite fragments and tiny white amphibole needles. Further inside the situation changes. At a distance of 10 meters from the opening, a yellowish‑white limestone layer forms the cave wall above. With small calcite pockets and very tiny andesite concretions. A large part of the cave itself formed in a greasy‑feeling, grayish clay layer. This clay is strongly weathered andesite tuff. It did not react to the acid test, has no lime content, whereas the mentioned crystalline calcite vein is found in it.

2. Artificial origin. According to Gábor Vastagh and György Wein it is artificial and they consider Schőnviszky's cave formation theory to be false. For this reason it could not be called a cave. István Erdélyi also says it is an artificial quarry, but the rock wall next to the entrance was not carved. According to Imre Gönczöl it was not created for quarrying the tuff, since the rock wall was free there. Perhaps they followed the ledge that is visible in the cave instead.

3. Natural origin, later artificially modified. According to Sándor Gallus the cave formed in andesite tuff and lava layers by the carving action of water. The originally rather narrow cave was then widened in a relatively easily carved tuff at one section and side passages were drilled into it.

Until 1952

Antal Koch also knew the Sas-kő rock wall, having carried out geological research there in the years 1871–1874. He considered this wall a natural break, or an old abandoned stone quarry. He did not mention the cavity. The first written mention of the cavity is in the book published in 1920 by Imre Barcza and Gusztáv Thirring. The publication states that on the Saskövi slope there is an abandoned stone quarry where the entrance of the Saskövi cave opening among the bushes can be found. At the end of the multi‑passage cave there is a water‑draining funnel. In 1921 members of the Budapest University Tourist Association began mapping many Pilis region caves, for example they prepared a floor‑plan map of the Saskői cave using a theodolite they operated themselves. In the 1924 publication titled Budapest Danube Right‑Bank Area the section presenting the Saskövi cave from the 1920 book is repeated.