Derinkuyu Underground City

In our most popular package program, the 2-Day Cappadocia Tour, we take you to one of the most fascinating and unique experiences: a place we can call a “groundscraper,” in contrast to the skyscrapers people live in today. During our tours, depending on the tourist density in the region, we usually visit either the Derinkuyu Underground City or the Kaymaklı Underground City. Are you ready to delve deep into the depths?

In Cappadocia, 85 meters beneath the earth, lies Derinkuyu, a mysterious underground city capable of housing thousands. With its sprawling tunnels, labyrinthine chambers, and rock-hewn passages, this enigmatic refuge remained hidden for centuries. Discovered by chance in 1963, Derinkuyu’s 8 accessible levels may extend to 12-20 floors, covering 4.5 square kilometers—equivalent to 1100 football fields. Who built this vast civilization in the heart of Anatolia, how, and why? What secrets does Derinkuyu hold?

What Is Derinkuyu Underground City?
Hidden beneath the rolling landscapes of Cappadocia, Turkey, Derinkuyu emerges as an extraordinary subterranean marvel. This sprawling underground city, sculpted from soft volcanic rock, plunges 85 meters deep across 11 levels, with an expanse rivaling 1100 football fields. Boasting 600 entrances and a maze of tunnels linking it to other underground complexes, Derinkuyu could shelter thousands of people alongside their livestock. Inside, the city teems with life’s essentials: sleeping quarters, stables, kitchens with tandoor ovens, storage rooms, and even a necropolis. Ventilation shafts—some dropping 55 meters—channel fresh air and double as wells, while massive stone wheels serve as security doors, guarding this self-sufficient underworld. From its mottled grey-brown walls to its church and wineries, Derinkuyu reveals a blend of practicality and mystery, a testament to ancient ingenuity thriving beneath the earth.

Who Built Derinkuyu Underground City?
The architects of Derinkuyu remain a historical enigma, their identities pieced together through archaeological clues. Evidence points to the Hatti civilization, around 2000 BCE in the Bronze Age, as the likely pioneers, carving the city’s earliest chambers from Cappadocia’s volcanic tuff. Pottery fragments and bronze tools unearthed in the upper levels support this theory, while stone seals inscribed with Hittite cuneiform, uncovered in 2018, suggest later expansions by the Hittites. The effort was colossal—specialized teams of diggers and haulers shifted 500,000 tons of rock by hand, guided by a masterful understanding of ventilation and stability. Centuries later, early Christians reshaped Derinkuyu, adding frescoed churches and a seminary with benches hewn from stone, their presence marked by 5th-century CE artifacts. This underground haven likely evolved over millennia, reflecting the hands of multiple cultures.

How Was Derinkuyu Underground City Built?
Crafting Derinkuyu was an ancient engineering feat, born from the region’s pliable volcanic rock—a gift from Mount Erciyes’ ancient eruptions. Workers began with vertical ventilation shafts, ensuring breathable air before expanding outward, level by level, like an ant colony taking shape. Using metal tools, they excavated roughly 3 cubic meters of earth daily, a painstaking process that demanded coordination among thousands. The city’s asymmetrical design, with uneven ceilings and curving passages, reflects a pragmatic approach to structural integrity. Features like footholds in airshafts enabled movement between floors, while linseed oil lamps illuminated the corridors. Stone wheels, carved directly from the floors, were rolled into place as defenses, their central holes allowing spear thrusts during sieges. This reverse architecture transformed natural rock into a living, breathing city.

Why Was Derinkuyu Underground City Built?
Derinkuyu’s purpose sparks debate, its design offering tantalizing hints. Its defensive elements—narrow tunnels, escape routes, and rolling stone doors—suggest it was a refuge from invaders, possibly during the Hittite king Anitta’s campaigns around 1800 BCE. Some propose it shielded residents from natural threats like volcanic ashfall or diseases such as plague, though no remains confirm this. Beyond survival, spiritual echoes resonate: a cruciform church and missionary school hint at religious sanctuary for Christians fleeing Roman persecution. Local legends enrich the tale, whispering of celestial beings instructing the Hatti to carve this sanctuary against a cosmic disaster. Parallels with Jerusalem’s subterranean networks, like the Siloam Tunnel, suggest a shared ancient tradition, perhaps traded across Near Eastern routes, blending utility with mystique.

What Are Some Myths and Legends About Derinkuyu?
Derinkuyu’s depths cradle a tapestry of myths that blur history and fantasy. Cappadocian lore speaks of “sky people” guiding the Hatti to hollow out the earth, a narrative mirroring Zoroastrian tales of Ahura Mazda’s underground refuge against calamity. Hittite myths weave in Lalwani, the underworld goddess, casting Derinkuyu as a bridge between life and death. Locals murmur of “Sarıkız,” a ghostly bride haunting a sealed chamber, her golden hair flickering in torchlight. Some imagine a vast subterranean web spanning Anatolia, guarded by jinn or ancient spirits, fueled by Cappadocia’s ancient moniker, “Kermala” (Place of Angels). These stories, rooted in the city’s unearthly ambiance, amplify its allure, hinting at origins both divine and otherworldly.

What Has Been Discovered in Derinkuyu Underground City?
Since its rediscovery in 1963, Derinkuyu has yielded treasures that deepen its mystery. Eight levels are accessible, though estimates suggest 12 to 20 floors remain buried, with only 10% explored. Excavations near Nevşehir in 2014 revealed a 5,000-square-meter extension, including a church adorned with 5th-century Christian frescoes. Hittite stone seals from 2018 point to bureaucratic use, possibly an archive, while pottery and tools trace back to the Hatti. The city’s infrastructure—52 airshafts pumping 1.2 million cubic meters of air hourly, a primitive “phone system” via wall holes, and a constant 20°C maintained by rock insulation—showcases advanced planning. Each find, from stables to wineries with grape-crushing hollows, peels back layers of a civilization poised between survival and sanctity.

What Mysteries Remain About Derinkuyu?
Derinkuyu stands as a portal to an uncharted past, its full story tantalizingly out of reach. With 90% of its expanse unmapped, questions linger: Do larger cities lie hidden nearby? Could untouched chambers hold artifacts linking it to Jerusalem’s underground heritage? Future digs might uncover evidence of its builders’ inspirations or clarify its role across millennia. The city’s blend of human grit—seen in hand-carved tunnels—and ethereal legends—like celestial architects—fuels speculation. Today, Derinkuyu invites exploration, its shadowy depths whispering of lost worlds beneath Cappadocia’s surface, waiting to rewrite Anatolia’s ancient narrative.