Turkey's underground city of 20k people (2022)
8 hours ago
- #Ancient Architecture
- #Subterranean Cities
- #Turkish History
- Derinkuyu is the largest excavated underground city in the world, located in Cappadocia, Turkey, extending over 85 meters deep with 18 levels.
- The subterranean city, which could accommodate up to 20,000 people, was used for thousands of years by various groups, from the Phrygians to Byzantine Christians, primarily as a shelter from invaders.
- Rediscovered in 1963 due to a homeowner's lost chickens, Derinkuyu includes dwellings, stables, schools, wineries, a chapel, and a sophisticated ventilation system and protected well.
- Constructed from malleable volcanic rock, the city features intentionally narrow tunnels and rolling stone doors for defense, with evidence suggesting it was part of a larger network of underground cities.
- Derinkuyu was abandoned in the 1920s by Cappadocian Greeks, but today it's a UNESCO World Heritage site open to tourists, offering a glimpse into ancient subterranean life.