Derinkuyu Underground City

Derinkuyu Yeraltı Şehri

An underground city reaching 85 meters deep that could house 20,000 people. Its eight open levels contain stables, churches, wine cellars and ventilation shafts, a marvel of ancient refuge.

Derinkuyu Underground City lies about 30 kilometers south of Nevşehir. It is the deepest of the dozens of underground cities discovered in Cappadocia, reaching about 85 meters and at least 18 levels, of which about 8 are open to visitors. Its origins go back to the Phrygians in the 8th and 7th centuries BC. During the Byzantine period, Christians expanded it into a shelter from Arab raids, and it could accommodate about 20,000 people and their livestock for long periods. A resident discovered it by accident in 1963 while renovating his house, and it opened to the public in 1969. Inside are stables, wine cellars, an oil press, storerooms, kitchens, a cross-shaped church, a school, and vertical ventilation shafts and wells. The levels are connected by narrow, steep passageways. At key points, giant round stone doors can be rolled shut from the inside. A roughly 5-kilometer tunnel links it to the neighboring Kaymaklı underground city, which is not open to the public. Admission costs about €15–20 (priced in Turkish lira). The museum pass can be used here. The one-way circular route, marked with arrows, takes about an hour. Most visitors come on the Green Tour, a one-day trip that also includes Ihlara Valley and Pigeon Valley, or they take a minibus from Nevşehir. Be careful: some passages are so low you must bend over, and some staircases are extremely steep, so wear non-slip shoes. It's damp and cool underground, so bring a light jacket. In peak season, the passages get crowded and stuffy, so it's best to go in right when it opens in the morning. Visitors with heart conditions, claustrophobia or mobility issues can visit only the first two levels.

Derinkuyu Underground City

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