Solymári Niche

The Solymári small chamber is a cave located near the Solymári Devil's Hole in the Budai Landscape Protection Zone of the Danube–Ipoly National Park.

Description

At Solymár, about two kilometres southwest of the centre of Solymár, near the exit called Pipa of the Solymári Devil's Hole, lower down, about 20 metres, in a vegetation‑overgrown stone quarry at the foot of a rock wall, at an altitude of 338 metres above sea level, there is a naturally formed, irregularly shaped, horizontally oriented entrance facing north–northeast, seven metres wide and two metres high. It opens in a much smaller stone quarry on the right side, next to a large stone mine, located north‑west of the large stone mine, under the main entrance of the Solymári Devil's Hole. Tourist maps do not mark the location of the cave entrance.

Very brecciated, fragmented, formed in upper Triassic Dachstein limestone. Created along a tectonic fracture, probably due to corrosion. A single‑level cave that extends southward and gradually narrows. It may be a remnant of a large, destroyed cave. It has few mineral formations, which are not spectacular, dim, senile, corroded and mainly found in the more protected, rear parts. A breccia zone, a few stalactite beginnings, stalactite poisoning, wolf‑hook stalactite rods, small pea‑stone, montmilch and small spherical chambers can be observed. Its horizontal extent is nine metres. Bats occur in the cave. It is accessible with permission, basic caving equipment and is easily walkable.

In 1984 the cave was mentioned for the first time in the literature under the name Solymári-kisfülke. In the literature the cave also occurs under the names Solymári kisfülke (Bertalan 1976) and Solymári kőfülke (Karszt 1991). The names Solymári kőfejtő hévforrás kürtői (Bertalan 1976) and Solymári-kőfejtő hévforrás kürtői (Kordos 1984) probably also refer to this cave.

Research history

In the 1937 issue of Turisták Lapja and in a report written by János Jellinek it is mentioned that János Jellinek works with his companions in the Solymári-ördöglyuk and in the unnamed cavity located nearby. János Horváth surveyed the Solymári-kisfülke in 1967, and using the survey data drew the floor plan map, longitudinal section map and two cross‑section maps of the Solymári-kisfülke (Budai Hills). The maps present the cave at a scale of 1:100. The location of the two cross‑sections in the cave can be seen on the floor plan map and the longitudinal section map. On the map sheet, which is marked with the east direction, a site map at a scale of 1:50 000 is also visible, showing the geographical location of the Solymári-kisfülke.

In the manuscript titled *Hungary's Caves*, completed in 1976, it is written that about 50 m from the entrance of the Solymári Devil's Hole in Solymár, to the ENE, about 15 m lower, is the entrance to the Solymári small chamber in an old small stone mine. The naturally formed chamber is 9 m long, 1–4 m wide, 2.5 m high and 1.5 m deep. The part of the manuscript describing the cave was written based on a manuscript. Another document concerns the vent shafts of the Solymári stone quarry spring. According to the document, these vents are vent shafts of the spring located in Solymár, on Sziklás Hill, in the stone quarry beneath the Solymári Devil's Hole, which were discovered during mining. The part of the manuscript describing the spring vent shafts was written based on two literary works.

In the national cave list of the book *Caves of Hungary*, published in 1984, the cave in the Buda Mountains (Solymári small chamber) is listed. Associated with the list is a map at a scale of 1:500 000 showing the geographical location of the caves of the Danube‑Upland Mountains, indicating the cave’s geographical position. The name of the Solymári stone quarry spring vents shown in the list probably also refers to this cave. Also on the 1:500 000 scale map showing the geographical location of the Danube‑Upland Mountains caves, the geographical positions of these cavities are visible. The Karst Cave Research Group carried out a trial excavation in the Solymári small chamber in 1991, which seemed promising. From the cave’s location and the increasing draught during the work, the group concluded that the Solymári small chamber is connected with the unknown lower level of the Solymári Devil's Hole.

According to the cave register sheet, written by Gazda Attila on 16 August 2004, the thoroughly surveyed Solymári small chamber is 11 m long, has a vertical extent of 2.7 m, is 2.7 m high and has a horizontal extent of 9 m. It is a freely visitable cave. The cave and its surroundings are slightly dirty, the formations are not damaged. A remnant of a fire pit can be observed at the entrance of the cave.