Kayaönü Mağarası


Useful Information

Location: Ermenek Karaman TR, 70400.
From Ermenek D340 12.5 km, turn left unnamed road 2.2 km.
(36.6269306, 32.9835052)
Open: no restrictions.
[2026]
Fee: free.
[2026]
Classification: SpeleologyErosional Cave SpeleologyFrost Weathering Cave
Light: n/a, bring torch
Dimension: W=50 m, H=6 m, A=1,360 m asl.
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: yes
Bibliography:  
Address: Kayaönü Mağarası
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History


Description

Kayaönü Mağarası is a huge shelter cave with an overhanging rounded rock ledge, which is quite spectacular. To find it follow D340 from Ermenek, turn left at the sign Kayaönü. The road ends at the small hamlet Kayaönü which was built around the shelter. Its unclear if the hamlet was named after the cave or the other way round. The weather-protected place is frequently used by the locals, there is a building inside, and at some point a playground was installed, which is now neglected. The site is part of the daily life of the hamlet, the floor is paved and the shelter is used for festivals and events, wedding receptions, parties and funerals.

The cave follows a horizontal layer of rock. Obviously this layer is waterproof, and so the water is dammed and forms a body of groundwater. At the cliff the groundwater forms springs, the flowing water erodes the surrounding rocks. Additionally, the humidity around the spring enters cracks and cold weather at 1360 m asl during winter caused frost erosion.

The fairly frequent variations in the spelling of the name are somewhat curious. For example, OpenStreetMap lists it as Kayaönü Maağarası, which we believe to be a spelling mistake, as the word ‘magarasi’ (cave) is spelled with a single ‘a’. Google Earth, on the other hand, spells the name as Kayaönü mağrası, and once again the word for ‘cave’ is misspelt – this time an ‘a’ is missing.