Gökgöl Mağarası

Skylake Caves

Useful Information

Location:	Zonguldak Ankara Karayolu, Zonguldak Merkez, Zonguldak. Near Zonguldak, at the Zonguldak-Ankara Highway. Northwest of Ankara, east of Istambul, at the shore of the Black Sea. (41.440874, 31.832923)
Open:	All year Tue-Sun 10-19, last entry 18. [2024]
Fee:	Adults TRL 60, Children TRL 20, Families of Martyrs free, Veterans free, Veterans' Families free, Disabled free. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Cave Zonguldak Coal Geopark
Light:	Incandescent Coloured Light
Dimension:	L=3,350 m, T=13 °C.
Guided tours:	L=1,750 m, V=36,000/a [2004]
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:	H. Aytekin, R. Baldık, N. Çelebi, B. Ataksor, M. Taşdelen, G. Kopuz (2006): Radon measurements in the caves of Zonguldak (Turkey) Radiation Protection Dosimetry, Volume 118, Issue 1, April 2006, Pages 117–121, DOI online
Address:	Kardeşler Köyü, Kokaksu Mevkii, Kokaksu (Küme Evler) No:109 Merkez/Zonguldak, Tel: +90-372-253-92-47.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1976	cave discovered by the founder of the Türkiye Mağara Araştırma Derneği (Turkey Cave Research Association) Temuçin Aygen.
1998	developed for the public.
2001	opened to the public.

Description

Gökgöl Mağarası (Gökgöl Cave) is a rather young show cave. Located in the vicinity of the coal mining city Zonguldak, right at the important highway to the Turkish Capital Ankara, it has a lot of visitors. The cave is well developed with concrete paths and electric light, unfortunately quite colourful. It has numerous impressive speleothems and huge chambers.

The cave entrance was long known to the locals, but as it was water filled, they never ventured inside. The first to do so was Temuçin Aygen, the founder of the Türkiye Mağara Araştırma Derneği (Turkey Cave Research Association). After he explored and surveyed the cave, it was developed by opening an artificial entrance above the water filled natural entrance.

The cave has an 875 m long trail, and as it is necessary to return the same way the tour is actually 1,750 m long. While the first 700 m are level, the last gallery is at a higher level, and it is necessary to climb many stairs. The active level with the cave river is below the tourist part. However, sometimes in winter the water rises substantially and floods a part of the trail. At this time the visitors can only see the first 500 m which are not prone to flooding.

The location is pretty weird, as the valley of the river Gökgöl is quite narrow here. And there is a four-lane motorway through the valley, with numerous tunnels because it is actually too narrow for the motorway. The cave entrance was built like a bridge across Gökgöl river. In countries like Germany, this would require an exit with a separate lane and a car park, and this would render the whole project impossible. It Turkey there is a small car park at the cave, and if it is full, there is a gravel car park on the opposite side of the motorway. cars slow down and accelerate on the hard shoulder, and if they are unlucky enough to be on the other side of the road in the wrong direction, they simply turn left. Again, in Germany you would most likely cause a major accident, kill people, create a huge traffic jam and lose at least your driving licence. Here it works quite well.