Did you spot that large archway carved into the hillside? That is the entrance to Remete-hegyi-kőfülke. This cave holds stories from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages. The Remete-hegyi-kőfülke is a protected cave. It resides within the Duna-Ipoly National Park. It is in the Remete-szurdok area.
Welcome to the Remete-hegyi-kőfülke. It is one of the most visible caves in the Budai Hills. Its entrance is easily seen from afar. This makes it a landmark of Remete-szurdok. Another cave sharing this visibility is Gellérthegyi-barlang.
Let’s step closer to the Remete-hegyi-kőfülke. It sits on the northern side of Remete-szurdok. The entrance is a striking arch 12 meters high and 5 meters wide. Imagine spotting this from the Nagykovácsi road. It is quite a sight.
Inside the Remete-hegyi-kőfülke, the main chamber stretches 13 meters. The entry alcove formed at the intersection of two fissures. The alcove is about 5 meters wide and 7 meters long. From the back wall a passage extends. It reaches about 9 meters with a height of 2 meters. Further within the Remete-hegyi-kőfülke are a small room and a crawlway. You can explore the cave without permission. But basic caving gear is needed.
In 1914, excavations of Remete-hegyi-kőfülke revealed many remains. There were rodents birds and fish bones. Among approximately 5000 bones were those of cave bears. Reindeer cave hyenas and horses were also found. Bones of arctic foxes sables ermines and weasels emerged. Other animals included European polecats wildcats and field voles. The bones of Siberian lemmings and wolverines completed the list. Tivadar Kormos identified these remains. The cave hyena identification remains uncertain due to limited evidence. A single finger bone represents this predator. The only jawbone of a Siberian lemming came from the upper Pleistocene layer. The two Pleistocene layers contained the remains of 33 mammal species. Forty-nine bird species one lizard species two frog species and two snail species were found. Fish remains added to the diversity of life.
The remains of a whiskered bat were first found in Hungary in this cave. It was within a Pleistocene layer. Lajos Méhelÿ identified it. More than 3200 vole jaws and skulls were unearthed. About half were common vole bones. Nearly 1000 common mole remains came to light. The wolverine find marked the second confirmed location in Hungary. The first was the Puskaporosi-kőfülke. One nearly complete fossil ermine skull stood out. Kormos Tivadar considered it the finest found in Hungary. Besides Remete-hegyi-kőfülke wolverine bones appeared in seven other Hungarian caves.
Géza Gyula Fejérváry studied the few frog bones. Gyula Leidenfrost examined the fish remains. Kálmán Lambrecht identified the fossil bones of 49 bird species. Bones of greater white-fronted geese European honey buzzards Eurasian sparrowhawks and Eurasian hobbies were among the finds. Common kestrels red-footed falcons and northern goshawks were also identified. Woodland owls snowy owls Ural owls and European scops owls added to the list. Other birds included hooded crows Eurasian jays and Eurasian golden orioles. Red-backed shrikes barn swallows and bramblings completed the diverse collection.
The Remete-hegyi-kőfülke is more than just a cave. It is a window into the past. Its layers of sediment reveal a changing environment. From marshlands to steppes the area around Budapest transformed. The cave’s fossil record provides invaluable insights.
The Remete-hegyi-kőfülke has been known by many names throughout history. These names include Betyár-kőfülke Betyárodú Kis-Remetebarlang and Kis-Remete barlang. Other names are Kőfülke Kő-fülke and Máriaremetei-sziklafülke. It was also called Mörder-lücke and Mőrderlücke Remete-hegyi 1. sz. barlang. The name Remetehegyi-kőfülke first appeared in literature in 1971.
So as we leave the Remete-hegyi-kőfülke ponder this. This cave holds a multitude of stories. They echo through time. From ancient animals to medieval uses its history is rich. The Remete-hegyi-kőfülke continues to fascinate. It links us to the natural and human history of the Buda Hills.