Yarımburgaz Cave

Yarımburgaz Cave is a limestone cave in Altınşehir, Turkey, stretching over 600 meters along the Sazlıdere River valley and comprising two chambers at different elevations north of Lake Küçükçekmece. The two entrances stand at 11.5 meters (38 feet) and 18.5 meters (61 feet) above ground level, each leading to separate sections of the cave structure.

Archaeological excavations show human settlement reaching back 400,000 years, making this cave one of the oldest known habitation sites in Turkey. Later the upper section served as a Byzantine monastery before the site was eventually abandoned in later centuries.

The upper chamber once served as a Byzantine monastery and housed a chapel, where carved columns, vaults and several niches remain visible inside. These early medieval elements give a direct impression of how religious communities transformed the natural formation for their purposes.

The cave lies 22 kilometers (14 miles) west of Istanbul and is reachable via local roads, with a certain level of surefootedness required to explore the different levels. Sturdy footwear is advisable as the ground inside can be uneven and the entrances are not wheelchair accessible.

The cave preserves over 5000 fossil remains of cave bears and brown bears, indicating alternating periods of animal and human occupation over millennia. These findings show that the cave served as a retreat for large predators over long periods before humans reclaimed it.