67 · City guide
Zonguldak
City of black diamonds, coast of caves and Herakleia
Zonguldak grew from a small village into Türkiye's coal capital after Uzun Mehmet discovered hard coal in 1829. The city's mining culture lives on at the Mining Museum and the Coal Experience Mine, set up in a former training mine; just outside the city, Gökgöl Cave is one of the caves with the largest visitor areas in Türkiye. Karadeniz Ereğli, built over ancient Herakleia Pontike, is home to the Cehennemağzı Caves associated with the legend of Hercules, the Ereğli Museum and the Gazi Alemdar museum ship. At Filyos in Çaycuma, excavations continue at Tieion, a colony of Miletus. The forested interior, Devrek's famous walking canes and the coastal beaches show the province's other side.
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Places
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Routes
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Where shall we explore?
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Monumental tree
Bozhane and Conquest Plane Trees
Ereğli, Zonguldak
Great plane trees in Ereğli's Bozhane quarter, cited as the city's historic monumental trees.
Machine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.Museum
Çanakçılar Archaeology and Ethnography Museum
Gökçebey, Zonguldak
A private museum in Gökçebey displaying a collection of archaeological and ethnographic artifacts.
Machine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.Cave
Cehennemağzı Caves
Ereğli, Zonguldak
An archaeological site in central Ereğli consisting of three caves with early Christian mosaics, cited as the place where Heracles descended to the underworld.
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Cave
Cumayanı Cave
Kilimli, Zonguldak
A horizontal cave over 1 km long where Kızılelma Cave discharges its waters, known for its travertines and bat species.
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Castle
Ereğli Castle
Ereğli, Zonguldak
Castle remains on the hill overlooking the harbor and city center in Ereğli, site of ancient Herakleia Pontike.
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Museum
Gazi Alemdar Ship Museum
Ereğli, Zonguldak
A museum ship with a replica of the tug Alemdar, which evaded a French warship to carry supplies to the front in the War of Independence.
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Beach
Göbü Beach
Kilimli, Zonguldak
A beach in the Kilimli district with an 800-meter stretch of sand, popular for picnics and camping in the summer months.
Machine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.Cave
Gökgöl Cave
Merkez, Zonguldak
A dripstone cave on the way out of Zonguldak, one of Türkiye's caves with the largest visitor area thanks to its 875-meter walkway.
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Herkime Houses
Gökçebey, Zonguldak
A rural settlement in the village of Herkime in Gökçebey, where traditional wooden and stone village houses are preserved together.
Machine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.Beach
Ilıksu Beach
Kozlu, Zonguldak
A beach in a small cove on the Zonguldak–Istanbul road in Kozlu, named after the warm spring right beside it.
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Nature park
İncüvez Pine Grove Nature Park
Alaplı, Zonguldak
A 13.6-hectare nature park in Alaplı, popular as a picnic area within a forest of black pine, red pine and oak.
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Beach
Kapuz Beach
Merkez, Zonguldak
A public beach within walking distance of central Zonguldak, often used by city residents in summer.
Machine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.Museum
Karadeniz Ereğli Museum (Halil Paşa Mansion)
Ereğli, Zonguldak
A museum in the late 19th-century Halil Paşa Mansion, holding artifacts from Herakleia Pontike to the Ottoman period and the funerary monument of Krispos.
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Ancient City of Tieion (Filyos)
Çaycuma, Zonguldak
The ancient city of Tieion, founded by the Milesians where the Filyos Çayı flows into the Black Sea, with its acropolis, theater and harbor under ongoing excavation.
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Beach
Türkali Beach
Kilimli, Zonguldak
A beach east of Kilimli that gets crowded in the summer months, with sand about 1.5 km long.
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Monument and statue
Uzunmehmet Miner Monument
Merkez, Zonguldak
A monument commemorating Uzun Mehmet, who discovered hard coal in 1829, and Zonguldak's mining past.
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Zonguldak Lighthouse
Merkez, Zonguldak
A lighthouse in the city's Fener area that has guided ships into the harbor since 1908, with its surroundings protected as national heritage.
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Museum
Zonguldak Mining Museum and Coal Experience Mine
Merkez, Zonguldak
Türkiye's first hard-coal mining museum; its 'Coal Experience Mine', set up in an old training mine, lets visitors experience what being a miner means.
Practical information
Machine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.- Note
- The mine visit at the Mining Museum is accompanied by staff
- Climate
- Mild, rainy Black Sea climate
- Best time
- May–October; the caves can be visited year-round
- Getting there
- Zonguldak Airport (Çaycuma); railway to Ankara via Karabük; coastal road (D010) to İstanbul
- Getting around
- The center is built on steep slopes; take a minibus or vehicle to Gökgöl and Kozlu