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Geotope
· Balaton-felvidéki Nemzeti Park
· 327 m
open today
Basalt organ pipes (Szent György-hegy/Szent György Hill)
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A Szent György-hegy bazaltorgonáit részben lépcsőkön kerülhetjük megPhoto: Vörös Attila, Hungarian Hiking Association
Hiding in the dense forest some of the dark basalt columns rise even to a height of 30 meters with a maximum diameter of 1.5 meters. But what is that accounts for this unique formation?
These statues of geology were born as children of volcanic activity in the Tapolca Basin. The 3.3-year-old Szent György-hegy is one of the buttes in the basin as another memento of basalt lava flow. Basalt lava has a low viscosity, due to its low silica content, resulting in rapid lava flows that can spread over great areas before cooling and solidification. The solid lava forms a protective cap that resists erosion thereby maintaining and demonstrating surface level (Hungarian for “butte” is “tanúhegy” meaning “witness hill”).
The organ pipes, however, are evidence that even the hard basalt cap can erode. While cooling, the rock mass shrank causing tension inside. Vertical tension could be accommodated by the elastic molten rock beneath but horizontal tension could not be relieved and so the basalt fractured into vertically standing columns, predominantly hexagonal in cross-section. Later post-volcanic heat changes and water took over the main role. Water freezing in cracks as well as changes in temperature further contribute to an extensive fracture network. These cracks kept growing and reached deeper and deeper. Basalt debris at the feet of the columns are telltale signs that this process is a currently ongoing.
Opening times
Price:
Free of charge
Public transport
- Tapolca is accessible by trains running along the northern side of Balaton or by coach.
- Train station “Nemesgulács-Kisapáti” lies along Tapolca-Székesfehérvár line.
- Coming by bus from Tapolca or Szigliget get off at “Kisapáti, dűlőút”.
- You may start from bus stop “Kisapáti, autóbusz-váróterem”, too.
- Coming from Tapolca get off at bus stop “Raposka, bejárati út”.
Get Timetable to destination
Directions
- From Tapolca downtown or coach station follow the Blue (K) Trail (Total distance: 5.5/4.8 km, elevation gain: 280/200 m).
- From Tapolca railway station follow the Red (P) markers to get there the quickest (unless you are covering the Blue Trail) (Total distance: 5.2 km, elevation gain: 235 m)
- From bus stop “Kisapáti, dűlőút” head north along the Blue (K) and Red (P) trails. Cross the vineyards and change to the Yellow (S) trail at Lengyel Chapel to the right. It skirts the hill eastward. Change to the Blue (K) trail at Kaán Károly hikers’ lodge to the left (Total distance: 3.4 km, elevation gain: 235 m).
- From “Nemesgulács-Kisapáti” train station take the Green (Z) trail and change to the Blue (K) trail at Kaán Károly hikers’ lodge (Total distance: 2.8 km, elevation gain: 210 m).
- From bus stop “Raposka, bejárati út” follow the Green (Z) markers and change to the Blue (K) trail at the hikers’ lodge (Total distance: 1.9 km, elevation gain: 200 m).
- From the parking lot near Raposka follow the Green (Z) markers and change to the Blue (K) trail at the hikers’ lodge (Total distance: 1 km, elevation gain: 80 m).
Parking
- Follow the road exiting Raposka towards the hill among the vineyards and park your car at the end (free of charge).
- Driving from Tapolca towards Kisapáti take the first dirt track on the right past Paptelep (farm buildings). Follow the Blue (K) Trail and park the car nearly at the hikers’ lodge.
Coordinates
Recommendations nearby
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