Gürcüoluk Mağarası

Georgianoluk Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Makaracı Village, Amasra district, Bartın province. (41.726355, 32.465184)
Open:	not yet open. [2021]
Fee:	not yet open. [2021]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=169 m, VR=14 m, A=360 m asl, T=11-14 °C.
Guided tours:
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Şaban Çelikoğlu (2015): Gürcüoluk Mağarasi ve Turi̇zm Potansi̇yeli̇ Journal of International Social Research. 8. 682-682. DOI
Address:	Gürcüoluk Mağarası, Tel: +90-.
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

~1960	cave discovered by shepherds.
2005	first attempt as a show cave with electric light powered by generators.
2013	declared a Nature Park by the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs.
2016	development plan studies to develop the cave as a show cave.
2020	beginning of development.

Description

Gürcüoluk Mağarası (Gurcuoluk Cave) is a rather small cave with many speleothems. The single passage is horizontal, between 2 and 2.5 m wide and between 1 and 7 m high. The passage is separated into chambers by groups of speleothems. There are abundant stalactites, stalagmites, stalagnates, bacon rinds, cave pearls and needles. This is probably the newest show cave of Turkey, as it is currently developed. The works were actually started in 2020 and are still ongoing. It is part of an initiative by the government to invest in Bartın's coastal tourism, cultural tourism and nature tourism. The works include a ticket office with toilets and masjid, a picnic area, and necessary trails and a parking lot. Inside the cave trails and electric light. We are not sure how this will be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but we guess the cave will be opened after the pandemic is over and tourism restarted.

It seems there was a first attempt to develop the cave as a show cave. In 2005 trails and electric light, powered by generators, were installed. This seems to have failed and was then vandalizes, the light was smashed and the generators stolen. As a result the cave was closed with a massive iron gate in 2013.