About one third of Turkey is underlain by carbonate rocks. The intense
karstification is spread almost all over Turkey. It is found particularly in the regions of the
Taurus Mountain Range, in Northwest Anatolia, in Konya closed basin and in Southeastern
Anatolia. Karstification is present both at high altitudes (over 2000 m.) and also it is known
to exist at elevations below the sea level, such as Ovacik submarine springs, Kas - Kalkan
submarine springs and the Mediterranean region coastal springs. Turkey is thoroughly located
in the Mediterranean sector of the Alpine orogenic belt. The Alpine orogeny and the following
epirogenic movements in Turkey have been important factors in karstification. The Insuyu
Cave (above), 10 km south on the road to Antalya, is 597 meters long, with nine distinct pools,
and chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites 
Ayvaini (right) is located at the vicinity of Ayva Village (Bursa). It is an active river
cave. It is possible to enter the cave from Doganalan entrance with -17km descend and exit
from another point which is at 1 km southwest. of Ayva Village. The cave includes many
lakes, in spite of increasing water it can be passed even at spring time.
The Ilgarini Cave (left) is located in Derebucak village borders in Cide -
Kastamonu. Once can reach the cave by walking approximately 5 hours from Derebucak to the NE direction.
The total length is 860m. and depth is -250m. The cave has two parts: horizontal part is fossil
and the vertical part is active. Water cisterns and leftovers of houses from Roman - Byzantium
period can be found at the entrance of cave. Also you can find a way, which is established from
24 spiral and covered with hand made stone, at the beginning of vertical part. By taking this way,
one can reach a pit whose depth is 52m. and diameter is 30m. After this you can reach a siphon
whose floor is covered with travertine and very nice formations look like chandelier. It is hard to
access to some branches because of their elevations from main passage. In these parts
ornamentations are protected up to today. The technical equipment is required in the vertical part.
The people of Anatolia sought every way to find relief from their troubles and
cures for illnesses. Tying scraps of cloth to trees and making wishes was one, folk medicines
another, and the Wishing Cave still another. The cave - Dilek Mağarası (right)- is 300 metres away
from two more famous swallow holes known as Heaven (Cennet) and Hell (Cehennem) at
Narlıkuyu on the Mediterranean. Believed to be good for asthma, the cave has a very high
humidity and is home to a colony of bats that flit through it. Like Karaca Cave, the Wishing
Cave is illuminated by mercury lamps
Ballica cave (left), a masterpiece carved by nature long before mankind had
appeared on earth. At an altitude of 1085 metres, this cave is one of the most remarkable
examples of how nature forges works of art from stone and soil. The cave was completely
unknown until 1990. The Ballica Cave (approximately 26 km Southwest of the city of TOKAT)
which has an overall length of 68* meters is of a fossil cave partly horizantal and partly vertical.
On the upper sections of the area in which the cave itself is also located is Akdag (1916 meters
in height) which is coposed of Permo Trias Marble and lime that contains more than 80% CaCo3.
The Ballica Cave has a construction of five storeys over and under each other which were
formed in three different periods and it has a height of 19 meters and a depth of 75 meters.
Thus at each section of the cave one can measure different meteoroligal values. The first plus
19 and minus 24 section stertches toward the northeast and southwest directions and consists
of two storeys. The third and fourth storeys were formed during the second evaluation period
of the cave, and the fifth storey (was) formed in this century. The Ballica Cave; the formation
of which has been going on since the Ploocene Period has lots of important polymorplogical
type structures? The cave is divided into two sections from the standpoint of its stretch and
morphology. The gallery, through which it leads to some open space with a pond, is the first
section in northeast-southwest directions. This gallery cons sistes of a stalactite and stalagmite
Hall, the Fossil Hall and the Bat Hall coming together. The Fossil Hall which is 19 meters in
height from the entry is the earliest sections. The Bat Hall is located northeast of the Fossil
Hall-the highest of all and is 24 metersaway from the gateway. Both of these halls are on the
second floor. The variety of stalagmite specimens of every kind is vast here. The Magnificant
Gallery that is third floor of the cave is formed by three adjoining halls. The Mushroom Hall
here dominated by rich drop stones. In the Column Hall one can admire lots of stalactites and
stalagmites. In the New Hall which is the youngest, there are lots of stalactites. The dwarf
bats in colonies in different parts of the cave of the most outstanding species living here.
The Ballica Cave, taking transportation and natural charm a long with its beautiful geological
structures dominated by grey, blue, green and white colors have reached colossal sizes. You
cannot see stalactites of this kind in any other cave in Turkey. The diversity of colour in the
rock formations here is astonishing. Red derives from ferrous minerals, and yellow from another
iron compound known as lemonite. Green and blue hues are lent by deposits of azurite and malachite.
Moreover, the filtered air of the cave its rich oxygen helps those who suffer breathing.
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