Yeni Dünya Mağarası

Useful Information

Location:	8 km south of Bucakkışla, Göksu River (36.902758, 33.091362)
Open:	not yet open. [2026]
Fee:	not yet open. [2026]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:	L=1,000 m.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Yeni Dünya Mağarası, Emrullah Özel, Bucakkışla Köyü, Tel: +90-532-4765345.
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

2009	land purchased by Emrullah Özel.
2018	begin of development as a show cave, cave gated.

Description

Yeni Dünya Mağarası (New World Cave) is not yet a show cave, but it is signposted with brown road signs. The development started officially in 2018, but it was never completed, probably a result of the pandemic. The cave is gated, so it’s not possible to visit any more, which is actually a good thing for the archaeological remains. There are older pictures showing people with basic caving gear and lamps in the cave. No tours are actually offered, but you might check with the owner of the ground, Mr. Emrullah Özel. He is a retired geologist and caver from the MTA (Mineral Research and Exploration Institute), and probably willing to make a cave trekking tour. Call him in advance, and he will pick you up, finding the place on your own is tricky.

The site is located at a river offering space for barbecue, and it’s possible to swim in the river Göksu. The cave entrance is located about 35 m above the river Göksu and opens to the river. Another 25 m higher is the ruin of a Christian chapel which may also be visited, and serves as a viewpoint. It is named Gözpınarı chapel. The main passage is rather huge and has a trapezoid shape, there are several massive stalagmites and pillars, and some small lakes.

The cave is also known as Yeni Dünya Göz Mağarası (New World Eye Cave), or simply Göz Mağarası (Eye Cave). The eye part is based on the resurgence below the entrance, a blueish pool which resembles an eye and is also known as Gözpınarı. The chapel was also named after this spring. There is a small cave river in a lower level of the cave which makes it a resurgence.

The cave has 1700-year-old inscriptions with the names, professions, and date of the visit. They were created by a group consisting of pagans worshipping the goddess Athena and Christians. The inscriptions were made in ancient Greek. There was obviously an event which triggered this visit, but they did not write about that event, so it’s not known. The cave was scientifically examined in the early 2020s by the Karamanoğlu Mehmet Bey University, the report was published in Turkish, but we were not able to get a citation.

We decided to list this site for three reasons. The first is that this cave is advertised on numerous governmental websites and more or less described as a tourist cave. This is not true, development stalled and an opening date is not published. Second, there are road side signs, which suggest a tourist site, again it is not open. And third, if you are in the area the site has its beauties and is worth a visit even if the cave is closed. Actually there are visitors who come for the swimming and the view. When swimming, please bear in mind that the water level of the Göksu River can vary considerably throughout the day. Particularly in the afternoon, around 3 pm, the release of water from the hydroelectric power station can cause the river level to rise rapidly. A wave and a stronger current are quite common.