1994
Located within the borders of Yağca Village, 5-6 km from Antalya - Burdur highway, Karain Cave is one of the largest natural caves in Turkey. As a result of the excavations carried out in the cave since 1946, it was understood that the region was used for settlement 500,000 years ago.
Karain is the largest cave in which humans lived. It was regularly used as a settlement in Ages such as Chipped Stone, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Old Bronze and Classical Ages. In the cave where traces of Neanderthal humans were found, bones of many other animals such as elephants, hippopotamuses, lions and giraffes, and those that went extinct in Anatolia, were found. The cave, which sheds light on the progress of human history with its plant and animal remains, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 1994 with its values.
There are Greek inscriptions and niches on the forehead and outer walls of the cave, which was mostly used as a votive place in the Classical Age. The archaeological finds obtained during the excavations in the cave are exhibited in the Karain Museum and Antalya Museum, located near the cave.
Karain Cave, which is known by local and foreign tourists coming to the region, with natural beauties, historical texture and extraordinary atmosphere, makes its visitors experience many different emotions simultaneously. Fantastic-looking stalactites, stalagmites and columns formed over thousands of years, interesting geological formations and very impressive travertines offer a visual feast to those who want to explore the cave.
