3. Kút

Slipping through time, we find ourselves in the Kis-fennsík area of the Bükk Plateau. Here, beneath the imposing Három-kő cliffs, lies the Három-kő Cave. Its entrance, a gaping maw in the rock face, measures an impressive 7.7 meters wide and 3.7 meters high. The interplay of light and shadow at the mouth of the Három-kő Cave creates a truly mesmerizing spectacle. This isn’t just any cave. The Három-kő Cave holds a special designation: it’s one of Hungary’s highly protected caves. Archaeological treasures have been unearthed from within its depths. It’s even featured in tourist guidebooks. The cave’s formation tells a tale of ancient waters. It’s believed that the Három-kő Cave once functioned as a thermal spring cave. Over time, it became filled with debris. Some of this filling came from the products of cryogenic weathering. Other debris came from bat guano. The cave’s single-level passage system was formed during the Triassic period. It stretches horizontally for 42 meters. Within the Három-kő Cave, a unique mineral formation catches the eye: pink sinter. Various dripstone formations also adorn the cave’s interior. A special type of clay formation called vermiculation can also be observed. The chamber opposite the entrance, about 10 meters long, is the most richly decorated part of the cave. However, most of the small stalactites, helectites, rimstone pools, and dripstone columns found here are colorless, eroded, and ancient. Until the early 1990s, the inner chamber of the Három-kő Cave, known as the Dome Hall, was a significant bat roost. A colony of 3,000–4,000 pond bats was observed here in 1987. Even today, a large amount of guano remains in the cave. To the right of the entrance area, in two small side chambers branching off to the right of the main passage, soil layers from before the excavations remain undisturbed. Due to its location in a highly protected area, a permit is required not only to enter the Három-kő Cave but even to approach it. This permit must be obtained from the Bükk National Park Directorate.