Ballica Mağarası

İndere


Useful Information

Location: Pazar county, southwest of Tokat.
From Tokat follow the highway to Turhal, turn right at kilometer 23. There is a yellow sign to Ballica.
(40.227069, 36.298110)
Open: All year daily 9:30-18.
[2018]
Fee: Adults TRL 12, Children TRL 6.
[2018]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave. Permo-Triasic marble.
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: L=680 m, VR=94 m, T=18 °C, A=1,085 m asl.
Guided tours: L=680 m. V=70,125/a [2014]
Photography:  
Accessibility:  
Bibliography: B. Canik, M. Çelik, S. Pasvanoglu, E.A. Novinpour (): Formation and features of Ballica Cave, Pazar, Tokat, Turkey, Cave and Karst Science, Volume 26, Number 1, April 1999, pp 35-40. Worldcontents
Yazici Kubra, Aslan Bahriye, Gökhan Balık, Dursun Sukru, Mankolli Hysen (2015): Development and Evaluation of Ballica Cave (Tokat, Turkey) under the Alternative Tourism 5th International Conference of Ecosystems (ICE2015), Albania researchgate
Address: Ballıca Natural Park, ballıca mağarası, Ballıca Köyü Yolu D:no 1, 60800 Ballıca/Pazar/Tokat, Tel: +90-533-918-42-23.
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

1990 cave rediscovered.

Description

Ballıca Mağarası (Ballica Cave) is located high on the slopes of Mount Akdag (1,915 m asl). The location is rather remote, and so it never was a popular vacation spot. The cave is known since Roman times.

Ballica Cave is located in a small patch of marble, unbedded but faulted and fractured. The tectonic cracks are filled with calcite. Beneath the cave there are other karst features like dolines and swallow holes in the area.

The cave has five levels, the show cave is in the two uppermost levels. The main direction of the first level is northeast-soutwest. This passage is more or less horizontal showing a wealth of stalactites, stalagmites, columns, flowstones, draperies, soda straws, dripstones, pools, and cave pearls. The level below is orientated northwest-southeast and is going down continually, following fractures in the rock. Having also many beautiful speleothems, it also contains an extraordinary 6.5 m long stalactite, which is one of the longest in Europe. There is no corresponding stalagmite under this stalactite.

Rather unusual is the high influence of tectonic movements, earthquakes, on the cave development. Fallen blocks on the floor of the cave are interpreted as debris of regional earthquakes. Thick columns show horizontal fractures, and there are numerous stalagmite-free stalactites in the lower part of the Yeni Saloon.