Güzelcehisar Lav Sütunları, Natural tourist attraction in Bartın, Turkey
Güzelcehisar Lav Sütunları is a natural tourist attraction on the Black Sea coast in the Bartın province of Turkey, formed by dark basalt columns rising from the ground along the shoreline. The columns have a geometric shape, with many showing five-sided or rectangular cross-sections, and a wooden trail runs nearby for a closer look.
The columns formed around 80 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period, when volcanic lava cooled slowly and cracked into geometric shapes. In 2017, the site was officially recognized as a natural monument.
The site takes its name from the nearby village of Güzelcehisar, which means "beautiful old castle" in Turkish. Visitors tend to walk the wooden trail quietly, stopping to photograph the dark columns against the sea.
The site is accessible from Bartın by taking a short road to the coast, with parking available near the wooden trail. The trail itself is flat and easy to walk, making it suitable for most visitors regardless of age.
Formations like these exist in only a few places in the world, with the Giant's Causeway in Ireland being the most recognized. Unlike that site, this stretch of coast sees very few visitors, so the columns are almost always seen without crowds.
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