The cave of Abaliget

The largest and most well-known cave in the Mecsek Mountains is Abaligeti-barlang (Abaliget cave). It is a show cave, a popular excursion destination, and a speleotherapy site. The cave system is 1,750 meters long and is made up of a central passage and two side passages. The cave is accessed via a 38m long and 6m wide active cave passage and is one of the Most Beautiful Caves in Hungary. The water in this passage is 75cm deep. The walls exhibit spectacular corrosive and erosive forms, but few speleothems. The following main passage, which is full of impressive dripstones, completely changes this.

The Great Hall, with its fine speleothems, is the highlight. The Denevérmzeum (Bat Museum) is located at the cave's entrance. This museum is also a bat research station, devoted to the study of local bats. In the cave, 41 different bat species were discovered, with 19 of them living there permanently. The most common bats are the Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus Hipposideros) and the Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus Hipposideros) (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum). Both are listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. Since 1923, researchers have been studying bats at this location. The most famous Troglobiont in Abaliget is Stenasellus hungaricus, a blind crab.

Location: Abaliget, Hungary