Kız Hill Natural Monument

About

Kız Hill Natural Monument is a 542-hectare site in the Nallıhan district of Ankara, registered in 2019 because of its colourful soils. The brown and red tones come from minerals formed by the oxidation of iron, while the grey and dark grey tones result from organic material added during deposition. The monument exposes a thick sedimentary sequence from an ancient lake; its sediments and the remains of organisms and lakeside plants of the time provide information on past climate, tectonic activity and environmental conditions. For this reason the area is a geological heritage site where local and foreign researchers have carried out many studies. The valley floors, with their saline steppe character, support nine plant species of critical distribution, three endemic and six rare; among them are the endangered Anabasis aphylla and Salsola grandis. The endemic Muscari adilii grows on the gravelly slopes at the entrance. The site lies 109 km from Ankara and 27 km from Nallıhan and is reached via the Akçabayır road off the D140 highway; it is suited to nature photography, birdwatching and walking.