Földvári Aladár-barlang

Useful Information

Location:	Bódvarákó, near Tornaszentandras. At the border to the Slovak Republic, northeastern part of Hungary. In the Aggtelek National Park, on Esztramos hill. From Budapest M3 E71 toward Eger, exit 151 Miskolc SK, on M30 E79 to Miskolc, 306 then right on 26 towards Bànréve, at Kazincbarcika, turn right on 27 toward Edelény. Turn right to Bódvarákó, at the city limits turn left on gravel road. Cadastral number: 5412-1 (48.5162670, 20.7516500)
Open:	Check online booking for current info. Online booking mandatory. [2025]
Fee:	Adults HUF 8,000, School Pupils (10-), HUF 6,000, Seniors (65+) HUF 6,000. Equipment rental fees: Caving Overall HUF 5,000, Helmet HUF 500, Headlamp HUF 2,000. [2025]
Classification:	Karst Cave Hypogene Caves Cave Coral Iron Mine Limestone Quarries and Mine
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:	L=200 m, VR=7 m, A=305 m asl, T=10 °C.
Guided tours:	L=200 m, D=1 h, MinAge=10, Min=4, Max=10.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Aggteleki Nemzeti Park (Aggtelek National Park), H-3758 Jósvafõ, Tengerszem oldal 1, Tel: +36-48-503-000. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1964	cave discovered during mining.
1995	inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Description

Földvári Aladár-barlang is located inside Esztramos Hill, in the northernmost hill of the Rudabánya-Szalonnai Mountains, at the border of Cserehát and the Aggtelek Karst. East of the small village Bódvarákó lies a hill made of Triassic limestone, but this limestone is crossed by a fracture zone. The cracks were full of thermal water which circulated in convection cells and transported all sorts of minerals. Here in the limestone it was cooled down and neutralized by the limestone, and the minerals were deposited in the cracks, filling them. Such resources, called hydrothermal deposits, are very often polymetallic, as the water dissolves any metal, but in this case the source rocks were rich in iron. As a result there were veins of high grade iron ores in the limestone of this hill.

Estramos hill was once nearly 400 meters high, but quarrying destroyed the top 80 m of the mountain. The hill is today covered by abandoned mining structures, open cast iron mines on the surface, and there were tunnels built across the hill. But there are also caves in the limestone, and as they formed hypogene, below the groundwater level and with carbon dioxide from the ores, these are not classical river caves like nearby Baradla Cave. These are widened cracks, created by dissolution, which followed patches of rocks which were easier to dissolve. The result is a very complicated structure of shafts and widened cracks. This cave follows a NE-SW fault, and it is a characteristic, horizontal, lying elongated oval. The flat ceiling of the cave is thought to be a consequence of the old karst water level, the cave formed by the dissolution of limestone in standing water and so the dissolution obviously endet at the surface of the groundwater body.

Another specialty of those caves is the wealth of rare and extraordinary speleothems. Stalactites, stalagmites, pillars, bacon rinds, moonmilk aka montmilch, bulbous calcites and aragonites, cave coral and calcite spars. There are only a few stalactites, and in several places they have dissolved back to their bases. Helictite clusters can often be seen between the stalactites. Unfortunately, some of the speleothems have been significantly damaged by illegal mineral extraction and by blasting during mining. Some have even been completely destroyed. In several places the trail is covered with stalactite crusts, and there is a spectacular sawed-off stalactite column. But the cave was protected as a Natural Monument soon after its discovery, by the Cave Protection Act of 1961, while mining around the cave continued.

The cave tour starts at the gate following a mine tunnel to the natural cave. The cave has two chambers, the Oszlopok-terme (Hall of Columns) and the Létrás-terem (Ladder Hall). The tour shows the whole cave to the end, then returns the same way.

The cave has no electric light though, bring your own headlamp or rent the equipment. Actually it is not a cave trekking tour, though it is a little rough for a show cave, nevertheless we decided to classify it as a show cave. There is a trail and iron ladders, just no electric light. Actually there was once electric light, but when the quarry ceased operation in 1996, the electricity was turned off and the systems degraded. Nevertheless, good walking shoes and appropriate clothing are recommended. Starting point is the same as for nearby Rákóczi Barlang on the northern side of the hill at the foot of the hill. A single lane gravel road leads to the former mining buildings which are now used as ticket office. Be aware that this cave is located on the southern side of the hill so it is necessary to walk 1.5 km and ascend 175 m to reach the entrance.