The founder of the Republic of Turkey, Great Leader Ataturk, due to his 77th death anniversary “Respect Walk for Ataturk” has been organized at Çanakkale Prisoners Cave by GAU Cyprus Research Centre with the participation of academicians from GAU.

Information about the prisons of the war that has been brought to Cyprus has been given to the participants of the walk that has been made on the Bufavento-Armenian Monastery-Esentepe route and then the descent to the cave has been executed.

The history of Prisoners Cave

Çanakkale Prisoners Cave, in period of 1916-1920, is known as the secret place in Beşparmak, where after the Turkish prisons of war were hid after escaping from English soldiers in prison camp at Karakol area from Famagusta with the help of Cypriot Turks.

In this cave, group of 3 to 5 prisons of war has hidden 3 to 5 days up to 3 to 5 months and then the prisons went to Kyrenia beaches by Akatu Strait and went to Anatolia from there.

Prof. Dr. Keser’s statements

According to the information that GAU AUC Manager Prof. Dr. Ulvi Keser has given, mostly the villagers of Gönendere, Ergenekon and Kalavaç village has helped to the prisons to hide in this cave.

Cause of the strategic position of the cage almost all of the Mesarya savanna and Karpaz peninsula can be seen as bird’s-eye-view and cause of its natural property the entrance can be detected only if you come in front of it.

In order to bring Çanakkale Prisoners Cave to TRNC tourism, history and caves, English/Turkish explanatory signs in Beşparmaklar, highway signs from Ercan-Gazi Mağusa crossroads to Ergenekon Village and direction guides were organized, the route was cleared and a total of 30 hikes/climbs were done to this historic cave by GAU Cyprus Research Centre last year.

GAU AUC Manager Prof. Dr. Ulvi Keser stated that the projects about caves will also continue this year.