Astım Mağarası

Astım Cave is a cave located in Narlıkuyu Town, Hasanaliler Neighborhood, which belongs to the district of Silifke in Mersin Province. Astım Cave, a 200 m long stalactite–stalagmite and natural cave formation, was formed over thousands of years. It is believed that its air is good for asthmatics. It received this name because cloths are tied to the surrounding trees and wishes are made.

Located 600 meters northwest of the Cennet and Cehennem Sinkholes, Astım Cave provides information about the geographic features of the region. The cave, which is entered by a spiral iron ladder, has a depth of about 15 meters and its formation extends back to the third geological period.

The cave’s interconnected 200‑meter galleries host giant stalactites and stalagmites of various interesting shapes formed by silica mineral deposits. The humidity reaches 85 % in summer and up to 95 % in winter. Because visitors tie pieces of cloth to the surrounding trees and shrubs for wishes, it is also called “Wish Cave” by the local people.

Location

Astım Cave is located approximately 86 km from Mersin Province and about 23 km from the district of Silifke. Access to Astım Cave is made by traveling north from the Narlıkuyu junction on the Mersin‑Antalya highway. There are also minibus services from Narlıkuyu to Astım Cave.

The Cennet and Cehennem Caves in the same area were formed by chemical erosion caused by an underground river and the collapse of the ceiling of an underground void. Cennet Sinkhole Cave is also important for religious tourism because it houses the “Virgin Mary Church”.