Ancient City of Kanlidivane
Ancient City of Kanlidivane in Kizkalesi, Turkey
Kanlidivane is an open-air archaeological site near Kizkalesi on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. It is located about 6 km from the center of Kizkalesi, on the route between the resort area and Erdemli, so it is easy to stop here during a drive along the D-400 highway. The site is known primarily for the large karst sinkhole around which the ruins of an ancient and Byzantine settlement have been preserved.
In antiquity, the city was known as Kanytelis and belonged to the historical region of Cilicia. Later, during the Byzantine period, the settlement became an important Christian center and was given the name Neapolis. This stage is recalled by the remains of churches and other structures that are still visible on the site.
The main feature of Kanlidivane is a large natural depression in the center of the site. Around it, you can see the remains of residential and utility buildings, a necropolis, a Hellenistic tower, and reliefs carved into the rock. The name Kanlidivane is usually translated as "bloody gathering," but the origin of this name has not been firmly established: it is linked either to the color of the local soil or to later legends that do not have reliable historical confirmation.
Today, Kanlidivane is of interest to those who want to see not a single building, but an entire archaeological landscape, where the natural landform is combined with the remains of an ancient city. People come here to walk among the ruins, view early Christian monuments, and explore the history of Cilicia outside a museum setting.
Ancient City of Kanlidivane on the map
Kanlidivane - Ruins and Karst Sinkhole near Kizkalesi
Here you can see traces of an ancient and Byzantine settlement.
Karst Sinkhole and Ruins of an Ancient Coastal Settlement
At Kanlidivane, visitors explore the ruins from different points around the large karst sinkhole, which has become the compositional center of the entire site. What is most striking here is the connection between the natural terrain and the urban layout: buildings and walls stretch along the edges of the depression, and some elements have been preserved directly on the rocky sections.
Among the most notable features are the remains of early Christian churches, a Hellenistic tower, fragments of the necropolis, and relief figures carved into the rock near the sinkhole. There is no indoor museum exhibition on the site, so the main impression comes from walking around the area itself. Comfortable shoes are useful for the walk: the surface is rocky and uneven in places, and it can be very hot here in summer.
Kanlidivane is often visited together with other monuments on the coast: nearby are Kizkalesi, the ancient city of Elaiussa Sebaste, and the Heaven and Hell caves. This is convenient for those who want to see several historical sites in the vicinity of Kizkalesi in one day.
The easiest way to get here is by car or taxi from the center of Kizkalesi and Erdemli via the D-400 highway, as the site is located not far from the main road. A visit usually takes from half an hour to an hour and a half, depending on your interest in archaeology and your route around the site.
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