Çankırı Salt Cave, one of the largest salt caves in the world, has the largest rock salt reserves in Turkey. The salt mine, which has a history of 5 thousand years, has been operated since the Hittites period. Located approximately 19 kilometers from the center of Çankırı, this artificial cave consists of cavities dug to obtain salt. It has a structure large enough for trucks to move around easily. Sculptures made of salt and stalactites made of salt especially attract the attention of visitors while strolling inside the cave.
The salt cave, where salt production still continues by the private sector, has been opened to tourism as a natural beauty. Unspoilt animal remains such as donkey, rabbit and snake corpses found in the cave are also remarkable. Alternative medicine applications such as halotherapy and spelotherapy are also carried out in the cave for health tourism. It is also planned to host artistic activities and various events. The salt cave, located 150 meters below the ground, is known as the “Underground Salt City” and is visited by thousands of people every year.
Features of Çankırı Salt Cave
Salt Cave is located within the borders of Balibağı village of Çankırı province. It is known that the rock salt layers found in the cave are among the sedimentary layers formed 37-24 million years ago. It is estimated that salt deposits have been operated since the Hittites period. Today, 1.6 million tons of salt is produced annually in the mine, which is operated by the private sector. While 5% of the salt is used as table salt, 95% is used as industrial salt.
The thickness of the rock salt unit varies between 200-300 meters and there are other types of rocks 150-200 meters high on it. The galleries in the cave provide information about salt mining in ancient times. The height of the galleries varies between 6-8 meters and their total area reaches 800 acres and 8 kilometers in length. In addition, it has been determined that the air inside the cave supports the treatment against asthma and respiratory diseases.
The donkey found in the cave died by falling into the salt bed 200 years ago and has been preserved until today. In the past, salt was extracted by horse and donkey carts. The donkey began to deteriorate when it was moved to the Ankara MTA museum. Therefore, the donkey was brought back to the salt cave. The salty environment is antibacterial and there is no growth of germs and bacteria, so the donkey is intact. Intact rabbit and snake corpses found recently are also exhibited in the cave.
Çankırı rock salt cave has a rich natural and cultural heritage not only consisting of rock salts. The galleries of different sizes in the cave evoke different feelings for the visitors. Lamps made of crystal rock salt for decorative purposes and salt sculptures can also be seen in the cave. Old historical vehicles are also on display. This cave, full of historical riches, offers a unique experience to visitors with its natural beauty and cultural richness.
Benefits of Çankırı Salt Cave
Salt caves and Çankırı salt create a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere thanks to the negative ions they emit, while also providing benefits for many diseases. These diseases include allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, chronic rhinitis, sleep problems, allergic and chronic bronchitis, asthma, psychological disorders, depression, dyspnea, snoring and upper respiratory tract diseases such as COPD and skin diseases. Natural rock salt, unrefined in its pure form, is an extremely useful product for the human body and has antibacterial and antimicrobial benefits. Recent scientific studies have shown that Çankırı salt is purer than Himalayan salt.
Crystal rock salt caves are places that contribute greatly to human health and are in great demand today. During the Second World War, it was observed that when a group of people hid in salt caves for months, they did not suffer from asthma attacks. Thereupon, the miners extracted the natural salts and it was determined that the probability of catching many diseases was less than other people. The air that comes out with the combination of salt and moisture particles inside the cave has a breath-taking, clean and refreshing feature.
