Derinkuyu Underground City is an ancient multi-level underground city of the Median Empire in the Derinkuyu district in Nevşehir Province, Turkey.
Extending to a depth of approximately 60 m, it was large enough to shelter approximately 20,000 people together with their livestock and food stores.
It is the largest excavated underground city in Turkey and is one of several underground complexes found across Cappadocia.
One of the heavy stone doors. They have a height of 1–1,5 m, 30–50 cm in width and weigh 200–500 kg. The hole in the centre can be used to open or close the millstone, or to see who is outside.
It was opened to visitors in 1969 and to date, about half of the underground city is accessible to tourists. The underground city at Derinkuyu could be closed from the inside with large stone doors. Each floor could be closed off separately.
The city could accommodate up to 20,000 people and had all the usual amenities found in other underground complexes across Cappadocia, such as wine and oil presses, stables, cellars, storage rooms, refectories, and chapels. Unique to the Derinkuyu complex and located on the second floor is a spacious room with a barrel vaulted ceiling. It has been reported that this room was used as a religious school and the rooms to the left were studies.
Between the third and fourth levels is a vertical staircase. This passage way leads to a cruciform church on the lowest (fifth) level.
The large 55 m ventilation shaft appears to have been used as a well. The shaft also provided water to both the villagers above and, if the outside world was not accessible, to those in hiding.
History
First built in the soft volcanic rock of the Cappadocia region, possibly by the Phrygians in the 8th–7th centuries B.C according to the Turkish Department of Culture, the underground city at Derinkuyu may have been enlarged in the Byzantine era. During the Persian Achaemenid empire the city was used as a refugee settlement. There are references to underground refugee settlements built by the Persian king Yima in the second chapter of the Zoroastrian book Vendidad. Therefore many scholars believe that the city may have been built by the Persians. The city was connected with other underground cities through miles of tunnels.
Some artifacts discovered in these underground settlements belong to the Middle Byzantine Period, between the 5th and the 10th centuries A.D. It is speculated that the number of underground settlements, generally used for taking refuge and for religious purposes, increased during this era.
Derinkuyu Underground City, Cappadocia,
Unique experience
Dark and Mystic atmosphere
If u r claustrophobe, don't go there
the multiple levels were more than i had anticipated. more extensive than other cave areas in other countries.
Went on this as part of a Rock Valley tour – it was a great stop! You get to see history unfold as you go down different levels (up to 8 floors down) with the youngest excavations at the top and Cappadocian Christian excavations deep down. It's really great to see what life may have been like in those times:…
One of the most interesting site in cappadoccia region – A must see.
The whol idea of living underground and building 8 stories with bedrooms, community kitchens, church and cellars, it is unimaginable engineering this site. It is quite narrow and dark in some places and could be quite uncomfortable however if you can , do visit.
It was a life time experience to understand a bit about the History and the culture of the people who and how they lived. People interested in History should visit once in a life time, if possible.
When visiting the caves, apart from very early or late, it is difficult to avoid the tour buses. Fortunately they seem to rush through and if you wait patiently they soon pass and it is peaceful again.
Only part of the caves to 50 or so metres are open. Those farther down another 40 metres are considered unsafe.
To dig this out and to be able to move the entire town, produce and livestock in, in times of trouble, is staggering. It is surprisingly spacious and laid out very carefully for all its various uses. Fresh air circulates due to their well placed ventilation shafts and water wells.
Its about man kind and beginning of man kind in the caves and how well in kept with good guides that we had its a must that all must see .to protect from enemies / sun / show ect !
We visited both Derinkuyu and Kaymakli. Though both are amazing places, Kaymakli is the best. Read our other review to find out why. Derinkuyu is probably easier to go to (or to go in). It's hard to believe that so many people lived there. Worth visiting, both places.
This was the worst meal i've had after a week of traveling around turkey, which includes many meals of street food. It is unfortunately the restaurant tour companies choose to use as their inclusive lunch.