Ancient Donkey and Salt Sculptures Draw 1.8 Million to Turkish Cave

A 2,000-year-old salt cave in central Türkiye has become a major tourist attraction, receiving 1.8 million visitors in 2025. The site, known as the Underground Salt City, features tunnels first carved during the Hittite era. It is located in the Çankırı province. Visitors explore chambers filled with carved salt sculptures. They can also see a collection of taxidermied animals. The most famous exhibit is a donkey preserved in the salt for nearly 200 years. Regional authorities credit these unique features for the site's popularity. The cave was used for salt extraction for centuries. It was later opened for tourism.