Vasas-szakadék I. sz. barlangja is the third-longest cave in the Visegrád Mountains, tucked inside a dramatic rock fissure within the Duna-Ipoly National Park. It's a fascinating stop for anyone curious about geology off the beaten path — a narrow, twisting passage formed not by karst dissolution but by a rockslide, making it a rare atectonic cave.

The entrance lies at the easternmost point of the visible Vasas-szakadék fissure system. In front of the cave stretches a 38.5-metre-long, open-topped rift, 3-4 metres wide with walls averaging 10 metres high. Beyond this, the passage narrows to just 40-110 centimetres, drops along a 40-degree slope for about 20 metres, then climbs again before crossing a deep transverse fissure — the lowest point of the whole system, 20.4 metres below the highest point. The southern wall is solid bedrock, while the northern side is built from massive boulders, some offering short 4-5 metre climbs. Inside, the air is cool and damp, and noticeable air movement can be felt — unusual for a cave of this size.

How to get there

• Szentendre — approach via the Vasas-szakadék fissure system, moderately demanding due to narrow and steep sections

Practical information

• Located within the Duna-Ipoly National Park
• The passage is narrow (0.4-1.1 m) and requires some scrambling over rock blocks — caution advised

The cave's total length is 50.2 metres, with a vertical extent of 20.4 metres. Over the decades it has appeared in the literature under many names, including Kőhegyi-barlang and Vasas-szakadéki-barlang, reflecting a research history stretching back to the 1960s.