On the old Ziyaret road, where it runs out of the city along the Yeşilırmak valley, there stands a rock whose face shines when the sun strikes it. Some call it a cave, some a tomb, some a church, and local tradition lends it the face of a king's daughter. Aynalı Mağara (Mirror Cave) is the finest and most fully finished of the rock-cut tombs of Amasya, and also the one with the most layers: a monumental tomb of the Hellenistic age, the Byzantine wall paintings that later settled inside it, and a folk legend handed down from generation to generation all lie one above the other on the same rock.

Location and Access

The cave lies about 3.3 kilometres from the city centre, on the road to the town of Ziyaret. The road begins beside the Provincial Police Directorate in Ziyaret and appears in municipal records as the "old asphalt road" or the "old Ziyaret road". The monument is counted among the archaeological sites of Amasya; among the historic places of Ziyaret it is listed alongside the İç Mağaralar (Inner Caves), the Küçük Mağara (Small Cave), the Tarihî Çınar (Historic Plane Tree), the Tomb of İbrahim Dede, the Cin Hamamı (Jinn Bath) and the Mosque and Tomb of Hicabi Baba. Some travel sources treat the cave as a separate site on the northern side of the city, apart from the kings' tombs on the hillside.

Unlike the royal tombs on the slope of Mount Harşena, Aynalı Mağara does not stand on a high ledge of the hillside but at the edge of the valley, close to road level. This easy access may have played a part in the later conversion of the rock into a chapel, though that should be noted as an interpretation. The rock is limestone and lies on the right-hand side of the valley, with its façade looking east toward the Yeşilırmak. The monument is under first-degree protection as a monumental structure, and its upkeep is the responsibility of the municipality.

A Royal Tomb or a Priest's Monument

The five great tombs that come to mind when Amasya's "royal rock-cut tombs" are mentioned lie in the Kızlar Sarayı (Maidens' Palace) area of Harşena Castle, and they belong to the first five Pontic kings, from the founder Mithridates I Ktistes to Pharnakes I. These tombs were separated from the bedrock by galleries and carved in a U shape, and they are counted among the most monumental tombs of Anatolia. Mount Harşena and the Pontic Royal Rock-Cut Tombs were placed on UNESCO's Tentative List of World Heritage in 2015, although some sources date the same recognition to 2014. Aynalı Mağara is not one of these five tombs, but it is often discussed with them as a separate example of the same rock-tomb tradition.

The monument is dated to the Hellenistic-Roman cultural period, that is, to the 2nd century BC, though the 3rd century BC also appears in local publications. The inscription on the pediment shows that the tomb belongs not to a king but to a "High Priest Tes". The texts of the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism present Tes as a priest of Mithra who lived in Amasya in the Hellenistic period. The grounds for this view are the very large interior of the cave, the coloured paintings on its walls and the writing on the pediment. Some publications, reasoning from the size of the interior, regard the structure as a place of worship. Certain compilations prepared with the help of artificial intelligence repeat the same information taken from other sources and so do not constitute separate evidence.

The Ziyaret Municipality, by contrast, defends a different interpretation. According to it, the structure was most probably carved not as a tomb but for dwelling and worship; it is the largest, most important and most famous of the caves in the Amasya valley, and unlike the others it was made not in the name of kings but in the name of a Christian cleric, Priest Tes. The second point on which this view rests is that the old name of Ziyaret meant "Kudüs", that is, a clean and blessed place. In the municipality's reading, this name shows that the town was one of the religious centres of Christianity even before Islam spread to the region, and the belief that the priest buried in the cave was honoured as a major saint forms part of the same interpretation. These remain a local reading of history. The inscription itself says only "High Priest Tes" and does not say which faith the priest followed. Official institutional texts speak of a priest of Mithra, the municipality of a Christian cleric; the sources at hand are not enough to decide between the two readings.

Architecture and Dimensions

The most striking feature of Aynalı Mağara is its stonework. The tomb was not built up from the ground like a structure but was produced by carving a flat mass of rock; the burial chamber was separated from the bedrock by a gallery cut around it, the same method seen in the royal tombs. It is 9.8 metres wide and 13 metres high. The levelled front façade has rectangular pier-shaped projections at its two corners, and a low basket-handle arch rests upon them. The outer surface was dressed and polished with a burnishing technique typical of the region, and some accounts describe it as having the look of marble; that it has kept its brightness for centuries points to the quality of the work.

The tomb is reached from the ground by four steps; according to an older description, these steps form a five-step podium cut into the rock. The measurements of the entrance height do not agree with one another: one record states that the tomb stands 10 metres above the ground, while other sources say the entrance door is four to five metres above the floor. Since it is not known from which point the measurements were taken, the difference cannot be explained. The Ziyaret Municipality text also contains a statement of a tomb height of 1.65 metres above the ground; it is not clear whether this figure refers to the door, to a step or to the sarcophagus.

Inside there are two rooms, one rectangular and one square. The rectangular room is the main burial chamber; it is vaulted and holds a tomb niche to the right of the entrance and a pit- or trough-shaped sarcophagus (a stone burial trough). The name of the cave comes from its surface: because the polished façade shines when the sun strikes it, the rock came to be called "Aynalı", "mirrored".

Inscriptions

Above the door, the words "High Priest Tes" stand in relief in Greek, set out in three lines. The text is transcribed in Latin letters as "THE APX IEPEYE". This inscription on the pediment is the only direct evidence tying the structure to Tes, and it is also the main basis for dating. Georges Perrot records that there were two lines of writing above the middle window of the cave, that the upper line could be read perfectly, and that the lower line had been effaced.

The story of the effaced line is told differently in different places. In Osman Fevzi Olcay's manuscript Amasya Tarihi (History of Amasya), an inscription reading "KAXMZEQ" is said to have been seen on the lower part of the cave; today it cannot be read. According to an account taken from Perrot, a mounted Turk was passing in front of the cave when his horse fell; believing that there was a devil in the cave, the man angrily rubbed out the lower line, and could not reach the upper line because it was too high. The Ziyaret Municipality does not accept this story; it says that local Christians invented it to slander the Turks, and adds that if such an erasure had taken place, the writings above would have been erased as well. Citing Abdizâde, the municipality further claims that at that time it was Christians rather than Muslims who feared the devil; this is the municipality's own argument. Hüseyin Hüsameddin's Amasya Tarihi is reported to say that it would be hard for the writing to have been removed by human hands, and Charles Texier is also mentioned as having translated the inscription. What the effaced line said is not known today, and for that reason it is difficult to speak with certainty about the inscription.

The Byzantine Wall Paintings

The tomb's second life began in the 11th century. The texts of the Directorate of Culture and Tourism write that the rectangular room was used by the Byzantines at that time as a monastic cell, and that the coloured wall paintings are presumed to have been made during this use. Other accounts describe this phase as one of worship, retreat and shelter, and regard the structure as a rock-cut chapel, that is, a monolithic church. The tomb thus became a Christian place of worship more than a thousand years after the age of the Pontic kings. On this use the sources agree; they differ only over which room holds the paintings, some texts mentioning the rectangular room and others the square one.

On the vault there are depictions of twelve apostles, six on the right and six on the left. They are painted in earth pigments, in shades of brown and red. On the east wall there is a Deesis composition made up of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and John (Yahya); this scene is the most distinct element showing the cave's place in the history of Byzantine belief. On the north and south walls there are some male and female figures and scenes from the Gospels. The Ziyaret Municipality writes that there are also depictions of Mary and Gospel scenes on the outer façade and that these paintings are considered very important for the Christian world; the other sources do not mention paintings on the outer façade.

Some accounts call these paintings "frescoes". Yet because they were worked directly on the rock rather than on fresh plaster, they do not count as frescoes in the technical sense, and "wall paintings" is the safer term. It is also said that one of Jesus's twelve apostles spread Christianity from this cave. This rests on tradition alone, but it has fed the idea that the structure holds a distinct importance for Christians.

Ziyaret and the Cave

The name Ziyaret ("visit", "pilgrimage") is thought to come from the people who visited the cave. The basis of this view is Georges Perrot's remark that the village of Ziyaret probably owes its name to the frequent visiting of this tomb. The Ziyaret Municipality finds this view mistaken. According to the municipality, in the Christian period the name of the town meant "clean, blessed", and the present name derives from the settling of Hoca Muhibbüddin Mevdud ez-Ziyari, who came with the Sanlı Turks and Turkified and Islamised the town. The name Ziyari settled first as Ziyare and then as Ziyaret. Because the first settlement area was the locality of Ayanlar and the Muslim cemetery lies outside present-day Ziyaret, the municipality thinks this man may be the blessed figure now known as Ayan Dede, since no grave for him has been found in Ziyaret. The municipality also rejects as mistaken the view of some historians that the name derives from a "Zire Church" in the region, and notes that the cave was not seen as a tomb for Muslims to visit, so that the name of the town cannot be traced to it. These are local readings of history; there is no definitive ruling on the origin of the name.

A record cited by the same source is also noteworthy. In a text based on the works "Heşt-i Behişt" and "El-Kâmil", it is said that there is no other cave with writing on the outside of its door, and that among the Rum there was a widespread belief that a famous metropolitan named Asteris was buried here, but that this had no basis. The same record asks about the tombs of the Pontic kings between 306 and 64 BC and states that the inscription on the door of one of them shows it to be the tomb of one of the great seers who held power equal to the kings'; from this the municipality concludes that the cave was made in the name of an important cleric. Since the works cited could not be consulted, this report has not been directly verified.

The Legend of Güzelce Kız

This section rests not on historical documents but on narrative. The best-known story of Aynalı Mağara is the legend of Güzelce Kız, handed down from generation to generation. The tale recurs with small differences in different compilations, and the official cultural inventory also notes that the cave is the subject of this curious legend.

According to the tale, Güzelce Kız is the daughter of a king and is so beautiful that those who see her face fall senseless as if struck by lightning. For this reason the girl always goes veiled and shows her lovely face to no one. Her father, thinking that the time for her marriage has come, sends heralds in every direction. Whoever can lift the veil and bear the sight of her beauty with mortal eyes will have his daughter. From the seven climes and the four corners come princes, viziers' sons, the rich of the world, heroes and scholars, in short everyone who trusts in his youth and the strength of his arm, galloping to Amasya. Güzelce Kız waits in a special enclosure set up in the Amasya square; the courage of the self-assured young men runs out, and the hands of those who approach to lift the veil tremble and their knees give way. These scenes go on for days.

One day a young man, poor but valiant and truly handsome of face, says, "I too wish to try my luck", obtains permission, approaches the throne and lifts the veil. At that moment a radiance, a flame, a fire engulfs the place; those in the square throw themselves to the ground in fear. After an endless silence the two young people are found side by side, turned to charcoal. In other tellings the details change: in some, a great light and a beam of fire flash the moment the veil is lifted and the two young people die on the spot, while in others the light is accompanied by thunder. The bodies of the two young people are buried in two separate rooms of the rock tomb beside the vineyards and gardens near the city. From that day the outside of the tomb began to shine like Güzelce Kız's face, and the rock came to be called "Aynalı Mağara" because of this brightness.

One resemblance between the legend and the place stands out: the structure has two rooms, one square and one rectangular, and in the story too two bodies are buried in two separate rooms. Even so, this resemblance is not a document. The historical evidence ties the tomb to a priest, not to a king's daughter. Folk narrative explains a shining rock surface through the image of a face and moves the source of the name into the legend; this is a typical example of how an archaeological site becomes bound up with social memory and folk culture.

The story is mentioned alongside Amasya's other well-known love tales; among Amasya's legends are counted Ferhat and Şirin, Güzelce Kız (Aynalı Mağara), Kurtboğan, İğneci Baba, Serçoban and Lokman Hekim. As in Ferhat and Şirin, here too love ends with the lovers unable to be united.

Visitor Information

The cave is close to road level and can be reached from the city centre by car in a short time. According to a record from recent years, entry is free, there is no restriction on visiting hours and photography is allowed. The same record also notes that the structure was fenced off some time ago and could not be entered; this may have changed, and it should be confirmed with local institutions before a visit. No reliable and current source could be found for the entrance fee and visiting hours.

According to an announcement by the Amasya Governorate, students of the architectural restoration programme of Amasya University carried out maintenance work at the cave in cooperation with the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and the Ziyaret Municipality, and Governor Dr. Osman Varol inspected the work on site. The aim is to bring the structure into tourism; the Ziyaret Municipality has likewise stated that opening the cave to tourism could bring the town a large income and that work in this direction continues.

Since the front façade faces east, the glow should be most noticeable in the morning sun; but this is an inference and not an official recommendation.

Sights in the Surroundings

It is best to visit Aynalı Mağara together with Amasya's other rock-cut tombs. The five royal tombs on the southern slope of Mount Harşena and the Kızlar Sarayı area lie within the city. Around the Valley of the Kings is also the Ferhat Water Canal, a work of the Late Hellenistic-Early Roman period in which rock was cut away and opened with tunnels to meet the water needs of the ancient city, and which became the subject of the legend of Ferhat and Şirin. Within the town of Ziyaret itself are the Tarihî Çınar, the Küçük Mağara, the Tomb of İbrahim Dede, the Cin Hamamı, the Mosque and Tomb of Hicabi Baba and the İç Mağaralar.

Chronology

2nd century BC: Construction date of the tomb (Hellenistic-Roman cultural period); some publications give the 3rd century BC.

11th century: The period in which the rectangular room is presumed to have been used by the Byzantines as a monastic cell or chapel and the wall paintings were made.

2014 / 2015: Placement of Mount Harşena and the Pontic Royal Rock-Cut Tombs on UNESCO's Tentative List (the sources differ on the year).

Sources

Academic studies

  • "Pontos Bölgesi'nin İç Kesimindeki Kaya Mezar Geleneği", DergiPark article (in the context of the Amasya Royal Rock-Cut Tombs). kentrehberi.amasya.bel.tr

Official sources

  • Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Culture Portal: "Aynalı Mağara - Amasya", Amasya Cultural Inventory (the source given is the Amasya Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism).
  • Amasya Municipality, City Guide: "Aynalı Mağara" (text drawn from the Amasya Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, 2025).
  • Ziyaret Municipality official website, entry "Aynalı Mağara" (2015).

Other sources

  • Amasya Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism: "Kral Kaya Mezarları" (Royal Rock-Cut Tombs).
  • Göksu Demircan, "Aynalı Mağara", Online Turkey Tourism Encyclopedia, 2019.
  • Amasya Governorate, announcement "Vali Varol, önemli tarihi yapılardan olan Aynalı Mağara'da mimari restorasyon programı öğrencileri tarafından uygulanan bakım çalışmasını inceledi".
  • Subterranea of Turkey: Aynalı Mağara, Showcaves; Tombs of the Kings of Pontus, Wikipedia; Aynalı Mağara, Vikipedi. showcaves.com
  • Tatil Ana, Bayburt Manşet, Gezgin Dergi and Objektif Amasya: accounts of Aynalı Mağara and Güzelce Kız.

Online sources