İncesu Canyon a nature wonder

ÇORUM

The İncesu Canyon, located in Ortaköy district of the Central Anatolian province of Çorum, draws interest for its natural beauty. The 12-kilometer-long canyon that starts from Kazankaya village in Aydıncık district of Yozgat and extends to İncesu village of Ortaköy is called İncesu in Çorum and Kazankaya in Yozgat, a neighboring province.

The formation of the canyon, which is also called Uzungeçit by the villagers, lasted for centuries when the Çekerek River (Skylax in antiquity), an important branch of Yeşilırmak River, eroded the Alan Mountains and Malbelen Hill.

The İncesu Canyon fascinates visitors with both its natural beauty and its historical ruins. There are wall ruins dating back to the Hellenistic period in the 2nd century B.C. on the rocks rising on both sides of the canyon, the width of which varies between 40-60 meters, and there are water cisterns with stairs, called the “inn” by locals.

There is also a relief of the goddess called Kybele in the canyon. It is a relief at a height of 1.5 meters from the riverbed, about a kilometer from İncesu village. It is located on the rocks on the left side in the direction where the water flows.

The relief, made in a niche, is overlooking Çekerek River flowing in front of it and a castle located on the high rocks. The goddess, which is thought to be sitting on a throne, holds a lion cub in her left hand. The Kybele Relief in İncesu canyon is known as the largest of the Kybele reliefs dating back to the Hellenistic Age in Anatolia.

The area where the relief is located is within the borders of the Pontus Kingdom. An Acropolis, where the most important structures are located, has been found right across the area where the goddess is located. The Acropolis, which is on a 1,100-meter height, has a structure that is thought to be related to this area and can be reached with a 300-meter-long 468 stairs carved into the rocks.

There is also a 1,700-meter-long walking track in the canyon, established within the scope of the İncesu Canyon Tourism Development Plan.

In the 900-meter part of Turkey’s longest walking track, there are protective barriers to prevent stones from falling. The walking track, built on the rocks, offers a fantastic nature view to the visitors. They reach the relief of Cybele at the end of the track.

As an alternative place for nature lovers, the İncesu Canyon is also a suitable area for rafting sports during periods of intense water flow. The canyon has a single entrance and exit. With this feature, it is ideal for adrenaline enthusiasts.