Spring Cone of Tihany 🌍 EarthCache

Spring Cone of Tihany

As known from my earthcache "Volcanoes Birthplace Tihany", the groundstructure of the Tihany Peninsula, as well of a large area around, consists of nearly eight million years old volcanic rock. 

The volcanic activity had been followed by postvolcanic activity of hot sources. In course of the tectonic cracks the deep flowing water had been warmed by the slow cooling up magma and had been mixed up with volcanic gases, in large part carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The upwards rising, aggressive vapors, dissolved carbonate and flint from the older rocks (as limestone and sandstone) which they passed on their way up. They had then been deposited on the surface, because of the sudden drop of pressure and temperature. The so formed, in structure and composition, very varied, cone of limestone, is very famous at the Tihany Peninsula and has got a special name ...

More than 150 of this cones had been known in former times, but nowadays there are only about 50 left, usually situated in groups or in form of a wavy ridge on the line of the geological cracklines. As geyserite is more resistant then basalttuff, these cones are the highest points of Tihany Peninsula, which are covered by a cap of limestone. There is to mention the „Csucs-hegy“, as well as the „Nyereg-hegy“. Not just by coincidence the Tihany Abbey had been built on one of those rock mountain caps.

In course of the mentioned volcanic activities at the spring cones, as well natural caves had been formed and are so of hydrothermal origin. In sequence of mining and erosion in some places, the inner, larger caves came to light, such as the co called "Forras-Barlang" (Spring Cone), located just beside the Abbey at the top of the Tihany Peninsulas volcanic  cone, at a height of about 185 meters.

This cave has been strictly preserved, owing to it´s geological importance, so that it had been integrated into the "Balatoni Nemzeti Park" (Balaton national Park). It consits of four seperated halls with a length of 14 meters, an average width of 2,5 meters and an average height of 2,2 meters, it´s volume is about nearly 60 cubic meters. You can find different rock types in the cave, such as a hydroquartziferous layer with an arched structure, on which the chalkysiliceous geyserite had been located as well as for example opal rock.

The Tihany Spring Cone had been used as one of the bulwarks of the Tihany fortress by the garrison. Traces of widening activity between the entrance and the back of the cave may be caused at this period. The cave hade been first opened to public visitors in 1951. Before it had been „cleaned up“ from rock debris from it´s former use, as well as for mineralogical and historical reasons, by students of the geological institute of Hungary. Later on the Veszprem Tourist Office opened the eastern gate for visiting purposes and as well installed an electrical lighting.

I am sorry for the cave is not open every time. If anybody will send me the opening hours I will add them to the listing.

To log this earthcache I would like you to do the following:

Answer the questions and mail them to me, added by the name of the cache, via my profile at geocaching.com or the message center. Answers are ok in English or German - so please use a translator if necessary! The answers can be find at  the info board near the cave - do not only have a look at the text, but as well on the pictures of it!

1. What kind of "hot spring deposit" is to be find in the Tihany cave area? You can send me the word in Hungarian (as to see), English or as well German language.

2. Which "reaction resulted", at the end, "in the opening of the cave" your are standing in front of?

3. As the gc rules changed in 2019 again: I would like you to get yourself or someone of your team or the GPS in FRONT of the CAVE (not the church or whereelse ever!) and have a foto taken with the GPS in your hands or the GPS or anything else, which proves, that YOU have been yourself at place. This is not longer optional, but one of the tasks to fullfill to log the cach as "found"! Please take care, that the information board can´t be seen at this foto. The foto is not longer optional! Add the foto to your log - not to the answers you have to send!

Logs without a foto and / or the answers will deleted! Just communicate with me: A lot is possible - but: please ask!

I hope you will enjoy this cache and the trip to the Tihany Peninsula.

As earthcaches are a lot of work to get the idea, create and translate it, I would appreciate some more fotos and as well "NO SHORT LOGS" please ;-) THANK you for understanding.

Best regards from Germany

awema ;-)#