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Underground salt cave in Turkey attracts million visitors in 2025

(MENAFN) A historic underground salt cave in Türkiye’s Central Anatolia, where salt extraction dates back to the Hittite period, welcomed approximately 1.8 million visitors in 2025—an increase of 20% compared to the previous year, according to local officials.

Known as the Underground Salt City, the cave is situated around 20 kilometers from the city center of Cankiri and spans an enclosed area of 24,000 square meters. The site includes a remarkably preserved 200-year-old donkey, taxidermied animals, along with a wide array of sculptures and artistic installations that attract both domestic and international visitors.

Local authorities attribute the sharp rise in attendance to intensified promotion and the launch of new tourism initiatives. “The Touristic Salt Express and the health-related projects we implemented had a very significant impact. Next year, our visitors will see a very different salt cave, as we will be creating additional spaces,” the mayor said.

He explained that the cave’s usable area was recently expanded from 18,000 to 24,000 square meters through the addition of new sections. “By further developing the area we have created for health tourism, we will open Cankiri to international health tourism as well,” he said.

However, the surge in visitor numbers has also placed pressure on local infrastructure. “In some cases, the city’s infrastructure is not able to accommodate visitors because they arrive in large groups,” he said.

Authorities are now working to upgrade facilities and transportation capacity to better manage growing tourist flows. “By preparing the necessary infrastructure in our city, we aim to turn Cankiri into a tourism city. The salt cave, whose development began five years ago, continues to increase its contribution to Cankiri’s tourism every year. I believe these numbers will rise much more in the coming period,” he said.

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