Aggtelek (meaning "Old plot" in Hungarian) is a village in the county of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Hungary. It is known for the vast

stalactite A stalactite (, ; , ) is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble and that can be deposited as a colloid, or is in suspension (chemistry ...

caverns of the nearby Baradla-Domica cave system, part of the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

of Aggtelek and Slovak Karst. Hungary Aggtelek

Location

Aggtelek is located northwest of the county seat of

Miskolc Miskolc ( , ; ; Czech language, Czech and ; ; ; ) is a city in northeastern Hungary, known for its heavy industry. With a population of 161,265 as of 1 January 2014, Miskolc is the List of cities and towns in Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, ...

, near the

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

n border.

History

Aggtelek is known to have been first identified in 1295, when it was called ''Ogogteluk''. Following the

Mongol invasion of Hungary Mongol invasion of Hungary may refer to: *First Mongol invasion of Hungary, 1241–1242 **Battle of Mohi *Second Mongol invasion of Hungary The second invasion of the Kingdom of Hungary by the Mongols took place during the winter of 1285–1286. ...

during the 13th century, it remained deserted for many years. In 1858, a fire destroyed the village. During World War II, the Eastern Front passed close by, causing further damage. Hungary Baradla

A few Jews lived in the village and there is a Jewish cemetery where two gravestones and a memorial plaque remain. Jewish residents of the village were murdered in the Holocaust and commemorated in a monument in

Ózd Ózd () is a town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary, from the county seat of Miskolc. Ózd is the second largest municipality in the county. History The area has been inhabited since ancient times. The village of Ózd was fir ...

.The memorial to Ózd and Surrounding Communities in the Avas Hill Cemetery
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Aggtelek National Park

The Long Tour of Baradla Cave is a 7-kilometer walking tour along the main section of the stalactite cave; shorter tours are available for unscheduled tourist visits in various parts of the cave system. The entire cave is nearly 24 kilometers long, of which 5.6 kilometers go under Slovakia. The average height of the cave is 8 meters and the average width 10 meters. The cavern called the Giants' Hall is 125 meters long, 55 meters wide and 30 meters high, making the cavern one of the most spectacular tourist attractions in the world - even though it is one of the least known and least visited.

Picture gallery

Image:Civertanlegifotoaggtelek2.jpg Image:Civertanlegifotoaggtelek3.jpg Image:Civertanlegifotoaggtelek4.jpg Image:Római katolikus kápolna, Civertan légifotó, Aggtelek 5.jpg

References

External links

UNESCO WHC listingHungarian Tourism Office listing

Official site of the Aggtelek National Park

Aerial photographs
World Heritage Sites in Hungary Populated places in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County {{Borsod-geo-stub