Recently the underground cities at Kaymakli Underground City and Derinkuyu Underground City near Nevşehir have been opened up for tourists. These also were early Christian centers and must have housed several thousand people in the eighth and ninth centuries. They extend downward in the earth for at least eight floors in a maze of tunnels and rooms and were easily defended by blocking the entrance with large rocks.
The sheer mechanics of organization, supply, and administration of such communities are staggering. A short, interesting description of life in such a place can be found in Xenephon’s Anabasis. In relating the retreat of the Greek army of Ten Thousand from Babylon to the Black Sea he describes a village in which they were entertained briefly in the winter:
“The houses here were underground, with a mouth like that of a well, but spacious below; and while entrances were tunnelled down for the beasts of burden, the human inhabitants descended by a ladder… It was here also that the village chief instructed them about wrapping small bags round the feet of their horses and beasts of burden when they were going through the snow; for without these bags the animals would sink in up to their bellies.”
Derinkuyu and Kaymakli,
This underground city was very interesting, except if you suffer from claustrophobia, and is quite deep. I would however recommend that it be done with a guide as they provide valuable incites into the various chambers and nooks and crannies. The air quality inside was surprisingly good.
This site requires a lot of climbing so be prepared and understand that…
I was told by a few of my coworkers that I should check out an underground city in Cappadocia, so this is where my family and I decided to go. It was a huge disappointment. The drive from Goreme was boring (nothing to see along the way), and the wait in line was long. Those two things were enough to…
Within a couple of days you are familiar with the Cave landscape and Valleys of Central Anatolia…then you enter Derinkuyu and you are left 'Breathless'! Literally too!! 8 levels of accommodation, storage, pathways even a church…all underground! Historically, Derinkuyu is a very significant structure with the city being built as a refuge from the enemy but even as a structure…
There are many underground cities carved out of soft rock in the Cappadocia region and Derinkuyu (in the town of the same name) is arguably the most extensive.
If you are touring privately, make this your FIRST stop of the day (or perhaps just after a balloon ride) as it gets very busy with tours by mid-morning. A guide is…
8 to 9 floors under the earth you would think they reached hades!!
Selfsufficient, air shafts, storage space for months, the round doorwhich could be opened only from the inside, intelligent people.As one has to crouch and crawl most of the time I'm wondering if they were really short people or those who persicuted them were too tall
Cappadocia is great. A really unusual place to visit with of natural phenomena, as the fairy chimneys and beautiful valleys, and strange underground cities and cave dwellings which give real insight into the way of life in this part of.
My visit to Derinkuyu Underground City was something that I just could not have imagined. This is truly a city of tunnels and underground caverns that are mysterious as well as a remarkable engineering feat. The construction of this maze of tunnels has to be seen to be truly appreciated. I would even go as far as to say, even…
This trip is usually included on tours leaving Goreme. It usually crowded and the entrance is controlled. Some places (sometimes long stairs) are made for just one pearson each time.
Do not go if you have any kind of claustrophobic problems.
We arrived in our own rental car at about 2pm and the crowds weren't too bad. We didn't have a guide, but did have several people offer. I have a tendency too get nervous in small places, but this really wasn't too bad for me. It was cold, which helped, along with the lack of crowds. We spent a little…
Very unique destination. An underground city to imagine how people stayed there in the past. It showed how people at that time thought about all the important things in the past.Well-built city and a must see destination