In the fall of 1930, they came across the Szemlő-hegyi-cave while quarrying. The explorers Hubert Kessler, András Futó and Károly Sebős approached the passages by descending a steep tunnel. The known length of the cave today is 2.2 km.
Original protected decision: National Nature Conservation Council 388/1957. decision no. 74/2007 on maintaining the protection of the surface protection area of the Szemlőhegyi cave nature reserve. (X. 18.) Maintained by KvVM decree.
The reason and purpose of the protection is to protect the medicinal cave and its surface area, which has a special geomorphological value.
Number of the decision on establishment: 388/57
Pedigree number: 61 /TT/5 7
Extent: 1.1 ha.
Affected district: Budapest, II. district.
Brief description of the protected natural values
In 1986, the management building connected to the cave was handed over and approx. 300 meters of constructed and illuminated passages. Thus, even visitors coming in from the street could get to know the world of underground wonders. The renovation of the cave's service buildings and the accessible section of the cave will begin in November 2002.
The Szemlő-hegyi-cave, like the Pál-völgyi-cave, has a thermal origin. Its walls are richly covered with formations released from the hot water: pea stones in shapes reminiscent of cauliflower. A section of the cave has been undergoing therapeutic treatment since 1991. The clean air and high humidity of the cave help asthma patients to recover.
Therapeutic treatments take place daily from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The area above the reception building is nicely landscaped, with walking paths and rest areas. At its highest point, there is the Cave Explorer Memorial Garden, which commemorates the explorers who died in the cave.
Major risk factors
At the Szemlő-hegyi and Pál-völgyi caves, the high degree of development of the surface area is also a source of danger, as a result of which the infiltration surfaces are reduced and the pollution caused by the failure of the public utility. The system of measures implemented several years ago - developed jointly by the nature conservation and construction authorities - prohibits construction above the caves, and strong restrictions in the immediate environment, respectively. imposes special technical requirements.