Turkey layers more distinct types of historical abandonment per square kilometre than almost any country on earth — Byzantine cave churches with intact frescoes left when Greek Orthodox communities departed in 1923, the largest wooden building in Europe decaying on a Princes' Island, a medieval Armenian capital home to nine civilisations crumbling on the Armenian border, and 583 identical castle chateaux rising from a pine forest above a bankrupt developer's dreams. Atlas Obscura calls Burj Al Babas "the world's most epic ghost town." Europa Nostra lists the Prinkipo Orphanage among Europe's seven most endangered heritage sites. And Kayaköy — CNN documented it as a ghost town frozen for over a century — held 10,000 Greek Orthodox residents until a single political decision emptied it in weeks. Discover the 5 best abandoned places in Turkey, selected from our Turkey Urbex Map — 200+ verified GPS locations.
Why Turkey Is One of the Best Countries in the World for Urban Exploration
No other country combines Byzantine cave churches, Ottoman imperial ruins, a modern castle ghost town, a Belle Époque wooden palace in advanced decay and a medieval city abandoned for centuries — all within a single road trip. Turkey's abandonment landscape reflects three distinct historical forces: the 1923 Lausanne population exchange that emptied entire communities; a string of economic crises that collapsed ambitious development projects; and 3,000 years of civilisational succession that left each era's built heritage at the mercy of the next.
1. Prinkipo Greek Orthodox Orphanage – Büyükada, Princes' Islands, Istanbul — Largest Wooden Building in Europe, Built 1898, Never Opened as Casino, Abandoned Since 1964, Europa Nostra Listed (Known Location)
The Prinkipo Orphanage sits atop a hill on Büyükada, one of the nine Princes' Islands off the coast of Istanbul. Taking up 20,000 square metres, the structure can only be gazed at from afar because its utterly dilapidated state could pose dangers — yet the wooden structure is stunning nonetheless and one of Europe's largest wooden buildings. Designed in 1898 by French-Ottoman architect Alexander Vallaury as a luxury Orient Express hotel that Sultan Abdul Hamid II refused to license for gambling, it operated as an orphanage from 1903 to 1964 then stood derelict for six decades. The enormous six-story building features about 220 rooms, a ballroom with balconies and boxes, elaborately carved wooden columns and decorative panelled ceilings. Today sections of the roof have caved in. 90-minute ferry from Kabataş.
🔗 Source: Atlas Obscura – Prinkipo Orphanage
2. Burj Al Babas – Mudurnu, Bolu Province — 583 Identical Castle Chateaux, $200 Million, Bankrupt 2019, Atlas Obscura's "World's Most Epic Ghost Town" (Known Location)
Burj Al Babas is the world's most epic ghost town — in the hilly woodlands of northwestern Turkey, in Bolu Province, halfway between Istanbul and Ankara, rows upon rows of turreted chateaux sit in silence, the only residents a few stray dogs and cats. The Sarot Group managed to complete 583 castles at a cost of $200 million before economic disaster struck and the project was abandoned in 2019. Each identical turret rises from the pine valley in a scene Atlas Obscura describes as "part ghost town, part fairy tale." Freely accessible from Mudurnu; the castle streets are walkable and driveable.
🔗 Also read: Top 5 Abandoned Places in Turkey →
3. Kayaköy (Levissi) – Near Fethiye, Muğla Province — 10,000 Greek Orthodox Residents Departed 1923, 2,500 Stone Houses, Two Churches, Overlooking the Aegean
Just over a century ago, Kayaköy was a bustling town of at least 10,000 Greek Orthodox Christians, many of whom were craftspeople who lived peacefully alongside the region's Muslim Turkish farmers. In the upheaval surrounding Turkey's emergence as an independent republic, their simple lives were torn apart. The newly arrived Turkish settlers from Greece left almost immediately — reportedly disliking the blue-painted walls. A 1957 earthquake caused further damage. Snatches of that blue colour can still be seen on the surviving walls of the 2,500 or so houses that make up Kayaköy. CNN documented the village as "frozen in time — a physical reminder of darker times in Turkey." Freely accessible, small admission fee, 8km from Fethiye. GPS in our Turkey Urbex Map.
4. Çavuşin Village – Cappadocia — Abandoned After Rockfalls 1960s–70s, Dozens of Cave Churches Open, Byzantine Frescoes, Freely Walkable (Exclusively on Our Map)
Çavuşin was evacuated after a series of rockfalls in the 1960s and 1970s — the inhabitants moved to the modern village below while the old rock-cut settlement was left in place. The result is Cappadocia's finest freely accessible abandoned troglodyte village: carved facades, cave interiors with surviving plasterwork and the Church of St John the Baptist at the top of the cliff, among the oldest dated rock churches in the region. Ancient Origins confirms: "In the quaint village of Çavuşin, dozens of abandoned houses and churches remain carved into the hillside and are open for exploration." Two kilometres north of Göreme on the main road; freely accessible, no admission. GPS in our Turkey Urbex Map.
5. Ani Ruins – Kars Province, Armenian Border — Medieval Armenian Capital, 9 Civilisations, Cathedral 989–1010 AD, Abandoned for Centuries, Freely Accessible (Off the Radar — Our Map Only)
Ani was once a city rivalling Constantinople — the medieval capital of the Bagratid Armenian kingdom and home to 100,000 people at its 11th-century peak before successive invasions and earthquakes reduced it to the remarkable ruin field visible today on the Kars plateau. Atlas Obscura lists it as "an abused and forgotten metropolis, abandoned for centuries." The Cathedral of Ani (989–1010 AD), the Church of St Gregory and the Seljuk palace remain as extraordinary architectural survivals on the windswept plain above the Arpaçay River gorge. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site (listed 2016). Find them on our Turkey Urbex Map.
❓ FAQ
What is the most famous abandoned place in Turkey?
The Prinkipo Greek Orthodox Orphanage on Büyükada — the largest wooden building in Europe, built as an Orient Express casino that never opened, abandoned since 1964 and listed by Europa Nostra as one of Europe's seven most endangered heritage sites. For pure spectacle, Burj Al Babas — 583 castle chateaux abandoned in a Bolu pine forest — is unlike anything else on earth. For historical depth, Ani — the medieval Armenian capital crumbling on the Armenian border — is widely regarded as the most historically significant.
Is Turkey a good country for urbex?
Exceptionally so — and significantly underexplored by the international urbex community. No other country combines Byzantine cave churches, Ottoman imperial ruins, a modern ghost town, a Belle Époque wooden palace and a medieval abandoned city of nine civilisations in the same landscape. Several Turkish sites are among the most extraordinary abandoned places in the world by any measure.
What is the best time of year to visit Turkey for urbex?
Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer the finest conditions across all zones: mild temperatures, excellent light quality and low vegetation that exposes ruined structures. Summer (July–August) is prohibitive in the south and east at 40°C+, though underground sites (Cappadocia cave churches, underground cities) are naturally cool year-round. Winter offers extraordinary snow at Ani and Cappadocia with near-zero visitor numbers.
Safety Tips
- Prinkipo exterior only: the building is at genuine structural risk — never attempt to breach the fence
- Kayaköy unstable masonry: 1957 earthquake damage and a century of weathering have left many walls structurally fragile — assess before approaching
- Ani border zone: Ani is close to the Armenian border — follow all signage and stay on designated paths within the site
- Never explore alone — always bring at least one other person and share your location
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