Tapolca, Underground cave system in Tapolca, Hungary
Tapolca is a town in Hungary featuring a remarkable underground cave system beneath the town center with navigable waterways running through three kilometers of passages. The cave network developed in Miocene limestone layers and creates a distinctive underground landscape for exploration.
The underground caves formed in Miocene limestone layers and were discovered in 1903 during well drilling work. Public access opened in 1912 when the site began operating as a tourist destination.
The main square serves as a gathering place where locals and visitors mix, with the 1757 Holy Trinity statue standing as a reminder of the town's religious past. Markets and community events still happen here, keeping the space connected to everyday life.
Access to the cave system is through the Lake Cave Visitor Centre, which offers boat tours, guided trips, and exhibitions about karst geology. The underground temperature stays around 18 degrees Celsius year-round, so bringing a light jacket helps visitors stay comfortable.
Visitors paddle small boats through illuminated underground waterways, exploring passages where thick clay deposits prevented stalactites and stalagmites from forming. This geological feature makes the caves geologically unusual compared to most other European cave systems.
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