Hillebrand Jenő Cave is one of the most fascinating hidden corners of the Bükk Mountains - home to the only Paleolithic human engravings found anywhere in Hungary, and the easternmost known occurrence of such markings in all of Europe. This is a place where prehistoric human history meets dramatic underground geology.

The cave's entrance is narrow and easy to miss, tucked into the southeastern slope of Kőlyuk-galya on the Kis-fennsík plateau within Bükk National Park. Stretching 240 meters, the cave formed in Upper Triassic limestone and boasts a rich variety of formations - spherical hollows, meanders, ancient streambeds, stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and moonmilk deposits. Bats roost here, and the surrounding karst landscape carries a wild, untouched atmosphere throughout the seasons, from misty winter mornings to green summer plateaus.

How to get there

• Starting near Kő-lyuk on the Kis-fennsík plateau, Bükk Mountains - moderate to demanding difficulty due to the concealed entrance
• Often visited together with the nearby Kő-lyuk cave, with which it was historically confused

Practical information

• The cave is strictly protected and closed to general visitors
• Sections not open to tourism may only be visited with permission from the Bükk National Park Directorate
• Basic caving equipment is required for entry
• Bats inhabit the cave, so access is seasonally and formally restricted

This is the only cave in Hungary decorated with prehistoric engravings - marks scratched by a sharp stone blade thousands of years ago, believed by researchers to relate to a cave bear cult.