The Eighth Hungarian Tribe, 1982 (9. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1982-05-01 / 5. szám
Page 14 THE EIGHTH HUNGARIAN TRIBE May, 1982 Aggtelek Dripstone Cave SZOMBATHELY The Romans named this settlement Savaria. Today it is a town of 65,000 inhabitants. Different centuries left their architectural monuments standing next to each other. There are Baroque palaces Renaissance houses, Gothic churches and Classicist monasteries. In 1955, archeological excavations unearthed a princeless find: the greatest sanctuary in Pannonia was found, built to honour the Goddess Isis whose worship originated in Egypt. Every year Mozart’s “Enchanted Flute” is played in the reconstructed sanctuary of Isis, the “Iseum”. The most famous cave in Hungary, the Aggtelek dripstone cave, is situated in northern Hungary about 40 kilometres to the north of the town of Miskolc, in the northern Borsod karst mountain. Trevor Lloyd, an American geographer, described this cave in the following manner: "The Aggtelek dripstone cave has to be mentioned together with the most outstanding natural phenomena of the earth, the Colorado Grand Canyon, the Niagara Falls, and the giant geysers of Yellowstone Park". The two most important entrances to the cave are at Aggtelek and Jósvafő. They can be approached by road or train from Miskolc. The Aggtelek dripstone cave is 23 kilometres long, one of the largest dripstone caves of the Europe. The cave is situated directly under the Hungarian-Czechoslovak border, and one part, the Domica, extends 8 kilometres into Czechoslovakia. (This is the only underground frontier in the world.) The cave was used as a dwelling by primitive men. Clay dishes were found dating from the Neolithic Age and from the Iron Age. One of the first written documents concerning the cave the Korabinszky geographic lexicon mentioned that in the 18th century two English explorers spent 3 days in the cave and did not find the end. The first Hungarian surveyors were Keresztély Raisz and Imre Vass at the beginning of the 19th century. The passageway in the Domica phase to Czechoslovakia, was discovered in 1932 by Hubert Kessler, a Hungarian speleologist and his companions. Since then, the complete length of the cave has been explored. The Aggtelek dripstone cave is the vaulted valley of a river bottom, which developed under the surface. It has two streams: the Styx and the Acheron. The main branch of the cave is about 7 kilometres long, joined by several sub-branches. The main branch starts at the Aggtelek main entrance and ends at the Jósvafő entrance. The average width of the corridor is about 10.5 metres* SZEGED All those who visited this town, even if only once, call her the “Queen of the Tisza”. The gay charm of this university town of 127 thousand inhabitants is captivating. All the streets and squares are veritable gardens full of flowers. If has the highest number of sunlit hours in the country, a blessing for those enjoying the Tisza lidoes. An old tradition has been revived: every summer festivals are held in front of the famous Votive Church, the “Dome”. Frequently distinguished Italian, French and Soviet singers give guest performances with in the framework of these large-scale programmes. The fishermen of the Tisza are excellent cooks and have a special fish recipe. When visiting Szeged, you should certainly taste the famous fish soup as prepared by the local chefs. DEBRECEN Debrecen is the third largest town in Hungary with a population of 155 thousand. Over the centuries it has developed into a citadel of the Hungarian Calvinist faith.This is symbolized by the Calvinist Great Church (Nagytemplom), a master piece of Hungarian classicist architecture. Its college is over 400 years old. Many rare editions are treasured in its library. The “Nagyerdő” (Big Forest) is a veritable paradise for lovers of sunshine and water. GYULA Near the Hungarian-Romanian frontier, on the wooded banks of the Fehér Kőrös, lies the Gyula. It has 35 thousand inhabitants. One of its main attractions is a fortress, built in Gothic style which today houses a museum. In front of the fortress, the brilliant water surface of the boating lake reflacts the sun. The “Fortress Bath” (Várfürdő) enjoys great popularity, and attracts people even from distant places. It is located in a natural park, near to the shores of the Kőrös, the banks o which are flanked by weeping willows. In the baroque mansion which once belonged to the Almássy family the one little manége has been transformed into a covered swimming-pool by an ingenious architectonical solution. GYŐR Győr an important industrial centre, situated on the banks of the Danube, has more than a hundred thousand inhabitants. Tourists will be interested primarily in the rich opportunities for water sports and in the wealth historic monuments. In the Janus Pannonius Museum many objects remind one of the Romans, who founded Győr. Thefoundations of the Cathedral were laid during the realm of Saint Stephen, the first Hungarian king. The fortress dates back to the 14th century: its bastions offer splendid views of the modern residential quarters and of two rivers, the Rába and the Rábca, flowing into the Danube.
