| Aggtelek | |
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Aggtelek
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Hungary |
| County | Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén |
| Area | |
| • Total | 43.81 km2 (16.9 sq mi) |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 628 |
| • Density | 14.33/km2 (37.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 3759 |
| Area code(s) | 48 |
Aggtelek (meaning "Old plot" in Hungarian) is a village in the county of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Hungary. It is known for the vast stalactite caverns of the nearby Baradla-Domica cave system, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Aggtelek and Slovak Karst.
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50 km (31 mi) northwest from county seat Miskolc, near the Slovakian border.
Aggtelek is first known to be identified in 1295, when it was called Ogogteluk. Following the Mongol invasion of Hungary 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.
The Long Tour of Baradle 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 kilometer goes under Slovakia. The average height of the cave is 8 meters and 10 meters wide. The room called Giants' Hall is 125 meters long, 55 meters wide and 30 meters high making the cave one of the most spectacular tourist attraction in the world - even though one of the least known and least visited.
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopædia.