KOLLÁTH János
PLECOTUS Barlangkutató Csoport - Magyarország
PLECOTUS Caving Group - Hungary
A tapolcai barlangok idegenforgalmi és gyógy-idegenforgalmi hasznosítása
Tourist and Health Utilization of the Tapolca Caves
A tapolcai Tavasbarlang és a Kórház-barlang hasznosítása összefügg azzal a ténnyel, hogy városok alatt helyezkednek el, mindkettőre kútásás közben bukkantak.
A Tavasbarlang elsőszámú csónakázási lehetőség volt, bár már a 20-as években tapasztalták levegőjének gyógyító hatását.
A karsztvíz szintjének csökkentése a 80-as évek elején megváltoztatta mind a barlang jellegét, mind a látogatottságot. A Csónakázó körjáratot gyalogosan lehetett végigjárni, megtekinthetővé váltak a szifonok mögötti részek A legjelentősebb feltárások is ekkor történtek: 1000 m-ről 3.200 m-re bővült a felmért járatok hossza.
1993-tól megindult a természetes állapot regenerálódása, a vízszint emelkedésnek indult. 5 évvel később, 1998-ban ismét kifuthattak a csónakok,
A Kórház-barlang története még rövidebb időre tekint vissza. Felfedezése a 20-as évek elején szintén kútásás közben történt. A feltárás és átalakítás munkálatai 1937-38-ban történtek meg. A megközelítés könnyítésére két új bejárat épült. A munkálatok során a járatok jellege teljesen megváltozott, de ez tette lehetővé, hogy később itt megindulhasson a terápiás gyógyítás. A terápiás kísérletek 1972-ben indultak meg, majd 1984-től hivatalosan is gyógybarlangként működik.
The utilization of the big caves at Tapolca (take and Hospital Caves) is in large part because they are under the city. Both of them were discovered while digging wells.
The Lake Cave was discovered in 1903, followed soon by the plans to develop it. After 1912, it welcomed visitors with a new entrance and electric lights. Due 10 the proximity of Lake Balaton, it became a popular destination of tourists.
Opportunities 10 row boats were added in 1938 under the leadership of Hubert Kessler. The present pattern of the passages was established at that time together with the boat trip route and the harbour, which significantly increased visits to the cave.
During the Second World War it functioned as a shelter, and a second entrance was made from the Market Place (which was blocked in the 1950s). As a result of poor management, the equipment in the cave deteriorated.
A significant change happened with a new manager, the National Authority of Tourism. The present view of the entrance was established at that time. The primary attraction has always been the boating, although the healing properties of the air have been known since the 1920s.
The lowering of the karst water level, caused by the mining dewatering operations at the beginning of the 1980s, changed the character and the number of visitors of the caves. The cave, which re-opened alter four years in 1990, showed a new face to visitors. People could walk along the former boat route, and the passages beyond the former siphons could be visited as well. The biggest exploration of the caves happened at that time, and the length of the explored passages increased from 1,000 m to 3,200 m.
Since 1993, a natural restoration had started, and the karst water level started to rise. Five years later, in 1998, the boats were on their route again.
The history of the Hospital Cave is even shorter.
It was discovered at the beginning of the 1920s while digging a well. As the water supply of the hospital was more important, exploration was not continued. An earthquake in 1928 changed attitudes, because the walls of the buildings were fractured. They supposed that the cavities were responsible for the damage. Exploration and underground works were earned out in 1937-38 when pillars were built in the two biggest halls, and more than 2,200m3 of debris was transported to the
To the surface. Two entrances were built for easier access. :ting the work, the character of the passages totally changed, but this made possible the therapeutic utilization of the cave.
In 1944 it was also converted to a shelter, and even some departments of the hospital moved here. Favorable conditions and the political ideas of the cold war period led to the idea of establishing a safe underground hospital. The first phase of this work was completed, remains of which can be seen even today in the form of thick concrete walls and pillars. Luckily the work was soon stopped, so the major part of the cave is still in the state it was in 1938.
Therapy experiments started in 1972, and since 1984, it is officially a healing cave. Its therapy function is largely promoted by the elevator that transports the patients suffering respiratory diseases without physical effort on their . part. Continuous medical supervision and the hospital background is provided.
Based on the favorable conditions of the therapy cave, a healing tourism started to develop, which is more and more popular among foreigners. After building the necessary surface buildings, the cave is suitable to expand these therapeutic services.
