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The world's only gypsum cave that can be visited: İncirli

Northern Cyprus İncirli Cave, located on İpsaro Hill, two kilometers southeast of Çınarcık village at the foot of Beşparmak Mountains in TRNC, draws attention as it is the only gypsum cave opened to tourism in the world. The cave, which is located among about 370 caves in Cyprus and is typically made of gypsum, is 311 meters long, 1-7 meters wide at different points, and the ceiling height, which is said to vary according to the phases of the moon, is between half and 6 meters. The height of the last point of the cave reaches 14 meters. This part is also the deepest point of the cave. After the 20-meter-long section at the entrance, there are very short labyrinth corridors extending in various directions. Towards the end of the accessible area, the passage narrows and turns sharply, providing a labyrinth-like tour of small corridors that split into dark corners and rock formations swept upward with graceful curves. After going about 60 meters, the second and at the same time the last part of the cave is reached. It is dangerous and forbidden to go further than this part, which is covered with blocks that have fallen from the ceiling. The interior of İncirli Cave, which was opened to visitors after only 70 meters of it was strengthened and illuminated, is in a natural air-conditioning coolness. Since it has a constant temperature of 18-19 degrees throughout the year, it feels warm in winter and cool in summer. Incirli Cave, which has the characteristic features of the Quaternary relief system, is a completely natural geographical formation apart from the steps at the entrance. The cave has a hooked and latticed structure due to the lithological features of the gypsum and the dense cracks that intersect each other. Especially the last sections consist of galleries and corridors that are connected to each other in the form of labyrinths. The stalactites and stalagmites in the İncirli Cave, which is 2 meters high, are composed of gypsum (gypsum in its crystalline aqueous form, a soft and crystalline mineral whose chemical synthesis is calcium sulfate). Rough stalactites hang from the ceiling, while smooth stalagmites rise from the ground. Unique cauliflower-like formations consisting of white mineral on the side walls, columns reaching up to the ceiling, sandstone rock formations and prismatic crystal-like mineral veined walls add a distinctive beauty to the only well-known gypsum topography cave in Northern Cyprus. The gypsum layer is 5 million years old According to geological studies, the formation age of the gypsum layer of İncirli Cave is 5 million years, and the structural evolution of the bed up to the present stage is 1.5-2 million years old. The formation of the cave has a history of 150-200 thousand years. Discovered by two mischievous kids The cave, which is one of the main tourist attractions of Cyprus, takes its name from the fig tree at the entrance. According to the common rumor spoken in the village of Çınarlı, two children stealing fruit from a garden to the south of the cave, while waiting for the evening to come under the fig tree at the cave gate, one of the pomegranates they stole rolls into the cave's mouth and disappears under the fig tree. The children start looking for the pomegranate and when they look more carefully under the tree, they see an entrance in the rock. They realize that the lost pomegranate has fallen into this hollow. One of them enters the slit to get the pomegranate. Surprised by the sight he sees, the boy returns to the village with his friend after exploring the surroundings and tells everyone what he has seen. Thereupon, the villagers become aware of the existence of the cave. In 1995, the cave was opened with the efforts of the village headman. However, it takes until the 2000s to bring the most important geological cave of the island to tourism. The cave, which was illuminated in 2003 and paved in 2005, now serves at the desired level. Incirli Cave, which is one of the frequent destinations of TRNC people, foreign tourists and schools, is open to visitors every day except Wednesdays.

TRNC aims breakthroughs to revive maritime transport with Türkiye

A view of sea port and old town of Kyrenia (Girne) is a city on the North Coast of The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has reactivated the state-owned Maritime Enterprises Company, which had ceased operations, to revive maritime transport with Türkiye, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Works and Transport Erhan Arıklı said Wednesday. Accordingly, a Ro-Ro ship that will sail between TRNC’s Girne (Kyrenia) and Türkiye’s southern Mersin province was purchased for this purpose, he added. Arıklı told Anadolu Agency (AA) that maritime transport and trade are important for Turkish Cyprus and that they have recently taken initiatives to revive, encourage and diversify maritime transport with Türkiye. He said the Ro-Ro ship will be delivered to the TRNC in around two weeks. “After the interior design is made, it will start the voyage in March,” he said, adding they also consider voyages between Girne and Mersin’s Taşucu port with sea buses envisioned for later. Stating that the sea transportation between Turkish Cyprus and Türkiye’s southern Mersin, Antalya and Hatay provinces is important, Arıklı stated that they will increase the number of companies and sea buses operating on these lines along with the state initiatives. He stated that lines bringing tourists to Türkiye would not be left empty. Emphasizing that they do not want to depend only on airlines in supporting tourism and trade, Arıklı said that the sea bus services of Hatay Metropolitan Municipality between Hatay and Turkish Cyprus will start again in March. “Besides private companies on the line between Mersin and TRNC, the ship of the state company will also be launched.” Terming 2023 as the year of breakthroughs in TRNC's maritime transportation and trade, Arıklı added that as the ministry, they carry out intensive and determined studies in this area.

Cypriots want the closed parts of Varosha to be opened

Varosha or Varosha, the region located in the city of Famagusta. It was the most famous part of Cyprus. Abandoned by its Greek Cypriot population during the 1974 Cyprus Operation, the region remained under military control after the operation, and most of it was closed to settlement and settlement. The Maraş region was administered by the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Command, which was directly part of the Turkish Armed Forces, between 1974 and 1990, and was officially declared a first-degree military forbidden zone in 1981. On July 29, 1990, the control of the region was handed over to the TRNC Security Forces Command. A part of the public Democracy Street and the beach part of Maraş, which is within the borders of the TRNC, was opened on 8 October 2020. With the decision of the Council of Ministers, on 12 July 2021, one more region was demilitarized within the scope of the second phase of the Maraş opening, and thus 3.5 percent of Maraş was civilianized. Part of it should be opened and brought into tourism. Cypriot citizens; They stated that opening the closed parts of Maraş, which is still closed, would be a big step for Famagusta in particular and for the whole TRNC in general. They describe keeping the tourism-rich region closed for years as a 'waste of time' and want it to be opened as soon as possible, albeit piecemeal, with the support of Turkey. Citizens, who stated that the full opening of Maraş would contribute greatly to both Famagusta tradesmen and the country's economy, demanded that the properties in Maraş be properly built and opened for development without the owners being victimized. "Maraş should not be on the agenda" Citizens: "Why should a tourism-rich place stay closed? We are two separate states, we are not occupiers. Whether they accept it or not. Foreigners and Greeks can apply to the relevant places and take their properties. With the support of Turkey, the properties in the TRNC State can be dissolved. Property in Maraş "And foreign owners of hotels can live or run hotels here under our government. If the owners don't want to fix it, the state can," they said. Celebrities have houses in Maraş It was known that famous names such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot were among the regulars of the region. Famous Italian actress Sophia Loren also had a house in Maraş. Considered the world's first 7-star hotel, Golden Sands Hotel was built here by the British Royal family. Maraş was known as the Las Vegas of the Mediterranean. Source: Kıbrıs Gazetesi

#Northern Cyprus

The world's only gypsum cave that can be visited: İncirli

TRNC aims breakthroughs to revive maritime transport with Türkiye

Cypriots want the closed parts of Varosha to be opened