Kızören Sinkhole

Kızören Obruğu is situated in the centre of the Central Anatolian steppes, 65 km northeast of the city of Konya.

In Turkish, the word obruk means a vertical depression or shaft in a karst landscape which has been formed via karstification in two directions: downwards (from the surface into the ground by infiltration through minor cracks and joints) and upwards (from karstic underground cavities towards the surface by evaporation through minor cracks and joints).

The term obruk is used to describe the rare karstic lakes which are found exclusively in the district of Konya in Turkey.

One of the oldest and largest known Neolithic communities, the settlement of Çatalhöyük, where agriculture was first practiced, is situated 64 km south-east of the Kizören sinkhole.

Although only partially excavated, the settlement covers an area of 15 acres and presents evidence of sophisticated town planning, art and ceremonial buildings.