They discovered an underground city 500 feet deep in 1963, Derinkuyu

With dozens of underground cities and thousands of troglodyte dwellings in the region, the Cappadocians could hardly be accused of being claustrophobic. We took a day trip to Derinkuyu Underground City from Goreme to visit the deepest underground settlements in Turkey.

Chamber in the underground city of Derinkuyu

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I had been fascinated by the idea of communities spending months sheltering in the underground city of Derinkuyu ever since I first read about it while researching our trip to Turkey. Here’s what we discovered…

How was Derinkuyu discovered?

The Derinkuyu Underground City was discovered in 1963 when a man decided to do some renovations to his house and knocked down a wall.

He was shocked to discover a hidden passage beyond which led to a room and more passages. He continued exploring and found a complex system of tunnels and caves and ultimately a massive underground city carved out of volcanic rock. The man had discovered the ancient underground city of Derinkuyu.

Where is Derinkuyu Underground City?

Derinkuyu is located about 40 kilometers south of Goreme, in Nevşehir Province, Cappadocia region, Central Anatolia, Turkey. To get there you will need to fly to Kayseri Airport from Istanbul and then take a bus transfer to Goreme. Our hotel in Goreme offered a shuttle service. Check rates and availability for Derinkuyu Underground City Tours Derinkuyu Signs

Visiting the underground city of Derinkuyu

We arrived by minibus and from ground level it looked like any other village with a few stalls selling refreshments and souvenirs. There is a mosque and some small houses. However, hidden beneath the dusty streets, the ancient Derinkuyu is carved into the rock, spanning eight floors and reaching a depth of 85 metres.

The city could once have housed many thousands of people. Derinkuyu is believed to be thousands of years old and was created by the Hittites in the 7th-8th centuries BC as a refuge during the Byzantine wars.

Later, Derinkuyu was used as a hiding place for Christians fleeing persecution. In fact, some of the towns are linked to each other by kilometres of underground tunnels.

Derinkuyu Underground City, Cappadocia

Go underground

I was nervous at the thought of making my way through a maze of tunnels, but the hallways were fairly easy to walk through (I’m short), well-lit, and pleasantly cool. It was the thought of being so far underground that gave me the creeps, but I took a deep breath and stepped out of the dazzling sunlight into the gloom.

There are believed to be hundreds of underground cities in the region, of which only six have been excavated. Derinkuyu is the deepest currently open to the public. Excavation is ongoing, but archaeologists estimate there could be as many as 18 levels in total.

A honeycomb of tunnels, passages and inclined corridors connected family rooms, stepped pits and community spaces where people could gather, eat, study and worship.

Cities were complete with cooking areas, food storage, animal pens, and even wine and oil presses. Inhabitants could live for weeks and months underground until it was safe to come out.

Weapons depots and warehouses were also an important part of the network. Check rates and availability of guided tours to the Derinkuyu Underground City

Derinkuyu water supply

Deep wells drew water from an underground river that flowed beneath the city. The fact that the water supply originated on the lower floors protected people from attempts to poison them. A basic irrigation system transported drinking water to each level.

It is from them that Derinkuyu (deep well) takes its name. The underground city had everything needed to survive a siege. Although I never found the toilet…

Thousands of ventilation shafts up to 30 m (100 ft) deep throughout the city allow fresh air to flow freely. Shafts were also used to communicate between levels.

Inside the underground city of Derinkuyu

Derinkuyu Church

Chamber of religious instruction

A large cruciform church lies between levels three and four of Derinkuyu. It is reached by one of the many deep “vertical stairs” that are just basic footholds dug into the rock.

These are the only means of accessing floors from the third floor down, so the lower levels are closed off. Only 10% of the city is accessible to the public.

The passage shown below led to a temporary tomb that was used until it was safe enough to bury the dead properly. It is ironic that the dead remained underground until they could be brought to the surface for burial.

Tunnel leading to Derinkuyu mortuary

I went down this slanted tunnel but got a little nervous; I’m only five-foot-two and had to bend almost double to get through.

We had to keep going into the tomb area before we could get up, turn around and go back. Probably the limit of my underground explorations at that point and my heart rate definitely accelerated! A big guy gave way a meter inside the tunnel and backed out again. Check rates and availability for guided tours to Derinkuyu Underground City

Securing Derinkuyu

There are over a hundred hidden entrances to Derinkuyu behind walls, courtyards, caves, fairy chimneys and hollowed-out volcanic rocks.

Each floor of the underground city could be isolated from each other and from the outside world to keep intruders out.

Huge circular stone doors, like millstones, up to 1.5 m (5 ft) in diameter and weighing up to 500 kilos (1,100 lb) were rolled along the passages to seal off the entrances from attackers. Of course, these could only be operated from the inside.

Stone gate in Derinkuyu

Narrow tunnels forced attackers to enter in single file, allowing them to be killed one by one as they entered an expanded area. Dead-end corridors and mazes were also used to trap intruders and kill them, while secret escape routes offered the city’s residents a last-ditch attempt at escape.

Opening hours and entry fees.

Opening hours

Open daily from 08:00 to 19:00 (from 01 April to 01 October), from 08:00 to 17:00 (from 01 October to 01 April).

Ticket price

50 Turkish liras at the ticket office. This is without a guide, but to learn more about the city and see the most important parts it is better to book a guided tour of the Derinkuyu Underground City.

Map of Derinkuyu Underground City

Derinkuyu Map

It is also possible to take a guided tour of Kaymakli, the largest underground city in the region. Kaymakli has been continuously inhabited since its first construction. A 5-kilometer-long tunnel once connected from Kaymakli to the third level of Derinkuyu, although it has now collapsed.

Have you ever visited an underground city? Would you spend a night there?