Tettyei Mésztufa-barlang

Tettye Travertine Cave


Useful Information

Location: Pécs, below the Tettye castle
Open: NOV to 14-MAR Mon-Fri 11-16, Sat, Sun 10-16.
15-MAR to APR Mon-Fri 11-17, Sat, Sun 10-18.
MAY to OCT daily 10-19.
Tours every 30 min.
[2010]
Fee: Adults HUF 750, Children (2-18) HUF 550, Seniors (65+) HUF 550.
[2010]
Classification: SpeleologyTufa cave SubterraneaCave House
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours:  
Photography:  
Accessibility:  
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Address: Tettyei Mésztufa-barlang, Tettye tér, 7625 Pécs, Tel: +36-30-525-4351. E-mail: contact
Reservation for groups: Tel: +36-72-211-830, +36-30-580-3424.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

~1900 first opened as a show cave.

Description

The Tettyei Mésztufa-barlang (Tettyei Tufa Cave) is a rather new attraction of Pécs, although the show cave was already open for the public in the early 20th century. It was named Gateway to Hell and dragon hanging from the ceiling was the main attraction.

Closed for a very long time, the cave has now been reopened. The dragon is still there, but the cave also has an interactive display on various related topics.

This cave is pretty young: it is less than 10,000 years old and was formed as a primary cave during the deposition of the tufa. The melting waters of the Ice Age flowing through the limestone dissolved limestone underground and redeposited much of it right at the spring. During this process numerous rooms and passages were formed simply by irregular growth. The resulting net of only partly connected cavities was later utilized by man. Artificial connections were created and rooms enlarged. The soft rock allowed to work the walls with pick and shovel.

During the Middle Ages the tufa hill was used to build a castle on top, called Tettye castle. The cave was named after the castle and obviously became a part of its fortification.