Cennet and Cehennem
36.452534.105555555556Koordinaten: 36 ° 27 ' 9 " N, 34 ° 6' 20" E
The Korykischen Caves are two sinkholes in Cilicia. You are close Narlıkuyu on the southern coast of Turkey, east of Silifke in the province of Mersin. They are named after the nearby ancient city Korykos, today Kızkalesi, its Turkish name is Acanthus ve Cehennem ( heaven and hell ), the ancient name is Korykion Antron ( Κωρύκ [ ε ] ιον ἄντρον ).
Antiquity mentions
The korykischen caves were mentioned by Strabo, Pomponius Mela also describes them in detail as "... of a very special nature and wonderful than that one could describe them accordingly. It opens with a wide entrance to the summit of the ten stages high mountain. It rises in a narrow rough paths 1500 step down deep and is filled with amazement by being surrounded by green forests below, springs and streams. A river emerges, but disappears immediately, in the subterranean depths ... "
Formation
The caves owe their existence to an underground river, which also flows underground into the Mediterranean Sea at Narlikuyu. It formed in karst cave a system whose ceiling collapsed, thus making the two sinkholes.
The sky
The southern, larger of the two caves, Acanthus, consists of a tank of about 100 m wide and 200 m long. He is more than 100 m deep and committing more than 290 levels. At the bottom there is a rich vegetation, according to Strabo grew here the best saffron, and there's very high humidity. At the end of the descent you will find the remains of a small Lady Chapel of the fifth century. The exterior walls are obtained, the lintel is an Armenian inscription to be seen. Behind the cave itself, Typhonhöhle begins mentioned, which was also regarded as the entrance to the underworld in ancient times. About smooth stones, a further descent is possible, after 250 m again is heard the sound of the underground river run.
Temple of Zeus
At the top of the boiler remains of a temple of Zeus Olbios from the third century stand in southern BC. The temple was built in the Doric order with two columns between the formants. The smooth blocks of the north wall 130 names of priests from the Hellenistic and Roman periods are listed, including a Archelaus, son of Archelaus, probably a ruler of Elaiussa Sebaste. To the west of the remains of a traverse wall can be seen, the perimeter of the inner temple area. In the 4th or 5th century the temple was converted into a Christian basilica, where large parts of the original masonry were used.
If one follows the other of Narlıkuyu upcoming road 2.5 km, you will reach the ruins of the Church of Hasanaliler.
Hell
100 m further north Cehennem, a 128 m deep, almost round boiler is about 50 m in diameter. He is not accessible due to the vertical, partially overhanging walls, on the floor forest cover is visible. The supposedly oxygen-poor or even toxic air at depth is said to have performed at Ascension already trying to fatalities.
Dilek Cave
About 300 m southwest of the sky is the Dilek Mağarası, also called ASTIM Mağarası ( Asthma Cave). It is a limestone cave, the healing powers are attributed. The cave is 250 m long, 10-15 m wide and high and is accessible to visitors.
Mythology
According to Greek mythology, the caves were korykischen resident of the monster Typhon. To take revenge on Zeus for the defeat of the Titans, Gaia united with Tartaros and gave birth here Typhon, a monster with a human upper body, the lower body consisting of many bodies snake, snake-headed with a hundred arms. In the fight with Zeus, Typhon cut this out the tendons and robbed him of his thunderbolts. He hid Zeus in the korykischen cave where Hermes found him and started him the stolen tendon again. In the re- possession of his lightning Zeus was finally able to defeat Typhon on the Thracian mountain Haemon and buried him at last under the island of Sicily. There the toxic fire breath of Typhon occurs today through the throat of Etna to days