Rudabányai bányató

A turquoise lake that filled the former Rudabánya open-pit iron-ore mine after mining stopped in 1985; it lies on private land in Felsőtelekes municipality, north-east of Rudabánya. It can be entered at both ends: one end slopes gently over boulders and small ledges, the other drops abruptly along a quarried rock face where the old mining benches continue underwater. Independent hydrological surveys put the deepest point at about 34–36 m, while divers reported reaching 54 m in 2015, so treat the maximum depth as uncertain. Below roughly 15–20 m the water stays around 6 °C all year, and visibility was reported at 12–15 m with a murky layer in between.

Facts

Region: Hungary – Caves & Mines
Area: North Hungarian Mountains
Depth: 0–36 m
Level: advanced
Current: low
Type: wall, bay
Coordinates: 48.39351, 20.63756
Highlights: flooded open-pit iron-ore mine (closed 1985), mining benches traceable underwater, steep rock wall at the north-eastern end, boulders and 4–5 m ledges at the gradual end, flooded trees, cold deep water ~6 °C below 15–20 m, blue-green clear water
Permit: The lake is on private land reached by a private road. Visits are arranged in advance through the Rudabánya mining museum, which holds a standing permission from the owner (3733 Rudabánya, Petőfi u. 24., tel. +36 48 353 151, rudmuz@gmail.com – per orszagjaro.net). Diving needs separate permission from the owner (szegedibuvarok.hu; Magyar Nemzet 2025 notes technical dives were made with special permission). Dives were previously organised by the Miskolc Manták diving club. Sources disagree on details (a 2024 guide says museum registration is no longer needed for ordinary visits) – check the current rules with the museum.
Issuer / contact: Rudabánya Mining Museum (arranges visits; owner's permission for diving)
- Phone: +3648353151
- Email: rudmuz@gmail.com
- 3733 Rudabánya, Petőfi u. 24.; verify current rules
Tips: Private land: diving only with the owner's permission (see permit_en); swimming is prohibited all year. Cold, deep water — drysuit, cold-water regulators and advanced/deep certification are recommended; sources describe it as a drysuit-only, advanced-level site. Steep shoreline makes self-rescue hard (a fatal drowning occurred in 2018). No dive base or air fill on site — bring everything. Heavy metals in the bottom sediment: avoid stirring silt. Check current access rules before travelling.

Rudabányai bányató

Facts

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