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GEOLOGY ON POST STAMPS |
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GEOLOGY ON POST STAMPS |
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Węgry / Hungary
Formy naciekowe w jaskini Aggtelek, północne Węgry; znaczek wydany w roku
1964.
Speleothems in the
cave of Aggtelek, north Hungary; the stamp issued in 1964.
Coll. G. Barczyk
Aggtelek Caves. The name of Aggtelek was made famous, both in Hungary and abroad, by one of the most extensive cave systems in Europe. Most of the Aggtelek cave system is located within Hungary, but its western branch extends to the Slovak Republic, continuing in the cave systems of Domica and the Gömör-Torna karstland. The border station 1 km away from the entrance to Baradla Cave makes it possible to go and have a look at the Slovakian Domica Cave as well. The karst hills were formed about 500 million years ago.
Baradla Cave. There are several side branches and corridors starting from the 7 km long main branch of the cave. The main branch starts from the entrance near Baradla Hotel, and ends at Jósvafõ, beside Tengerszem Hotel. The average width of cave corridors is about 10 m; their average height is about 7 to 8 m; some sections, however, are much higher than that. Baradla Cave can be viewed by way of short, medium, long, and special tours. Short tours are return one-hour tours, extending to the Baradla Valely entrance at Aggtelek and to the Giants' Hall at Jósvafö. Medium tours of about two and a half hours start from the Vörös-tó entrance, passing along the main branch of the cave, presenting the Observatory and the Giants' Hall, and ending at the Jósvafö entrance. These tours can be booked at Jósvafõ. The long tour starts from the Aggtelek main entrance, ending at the Jósvafö exit, lasting for about 5 hours. Special tours can be made to Retek Branch (about 6 hours), to the state border in the Styx bed (about two and a half hours). It takes about one and a half hours to walk along the Domica section. (No passports are required for guided tours.) The cave is open between 8 am and 6 pm from April 1 to October 31, and between 8 am to 4 pm in winter time (from November 1 to March 31).
Béke Cave. The other Aggtelek cave, with much more beautiful dripstone formations than those of Baradla Cave, was explored by László Jakucs and his colleagues on August 4, 1952, following a series of failed attempts. The 5 km long cave can be approached both from Aggtelek and Jósvafö. As opposed to Baradla Cave, Béke Cave has the Komló karst water stream flowing all through it. The temperature of the water is constantly 9,5°C. Corridors are usually narrower than in Baradla Cave, with the main branch being 2 to 3 m wide and 6 to 8 m high on average. It has no internal sumps, neither a lower cave. Béke Cave starts from the sump at Aggtelek Nagy Valley, extending to Komlós Spring at Jósvafö. Its medical powers were detected as early as it was explored; later on it was surveyed by medical reserachers. First it turned out that the mould and soil fungi in the air of the cave produce antibiotics. Respiratory diseases can also be cured by the 100% relative humidity and constant temperature of Béke Cave. This is the reason why the underground sanatorium for asthmatic patients at the side of Köhorog was built.
Z / From: http://www.visitors.hu/09_08_en.html
