Cheese Cliffs (Kaskaval Cape)

Cheese Rocks are located northeast of Gökçeada, which belongs to the province of Çanakkale, east of Kuzu Harbour. Locally, they are also known as "Kaşkaval Cape". These formations are situated in a location inaccessible by land and can only be viewed by sea. They are approximately a 15-minute boat ride from Kaleköy Harbour and about a 5-minute boat ride from Kuzu Harbour. Access to the area is provided by fishing boats and tour vessels departing from Kaleköy or Kuzu Harbour.

Cheese Rocks (Gökçeada Subprefecture)

Geological Features

Cheese Rocks are natural rock formations recognized for their appearance, which resembles stacked blocks of cheese. This distinctive morphological structure is the reason the area is named "Cheese Rocks". The shape of the rocks draws attention with their stacked, block-like appearance reminiscent of large cheese wheels.

Cheese Rocks (Gökçeada Subgovernorship)

Local Nomenclature and Meaning

The local name "Kaşkaval Cape" derives from kaşkaval, a type of cheese widely known and consumed in the Balkans and Anatolia. The rocks’ resemblance to this cheese gives rise to the name. The term "Cheese Rocks" is the commonly used name among the local population.

Mythological Dimension

There is a folk legend about the Cheese Rocks preserved in the oral culture of Gökçeada’s inhabitants. According to the tale, a wealthy, elderly, and miserly woman on the island, who owned many goats and sheep, made numerous blocks of the island’s unique kaşkaval cheese in an attempt to reach heaven. She stacked them one upon another to reach the gods. One day, a hungry young girl asked the woman for some cheese for herself and her sibling, but the woman refused and drove her away. In response, the gods punished the woman for her greed. A sudden blizzard froze the woman and her stacked cheese blocks in place. This folk narrative is passed down as an explanation for the rocks’ current appearance.

Visual Characteristics and Natural Structure

The rocks form a striking visual element within the region’s natural landscape. These rock formations, characterized by their layered structure and appearance of being stacked one atop another, are among the island’s distinctive geological features. The area cannot be observed from land, as it is visible only from the sea.

Cheese Rocks (Gökçeada Subgovernorship)

Tourism Potential

Cheese Rocks are one of Gökçeada’s most notable natural attractions. Accessible only by boat tours, the site is promoted as one of the island’s natural treasures. The Cheese Rocks attract the interest of visitors to Gökçeada and hold a place in local tourism due to their visual uniqueness and mythological significance.