Derinkuyu: Türkiye's 280-Foot-Deep Underground City Carved from Volcanic Rock
In 1963, a resident from a small town in Turkey discovered Derinkuyu, an extensive ancient subterranean city located beneath Cappadocia, which may date back to the 8th century BCE. This remarkable site extends 280 feet (85 meters) deep and covers an area of 27,000 square feet, including stables, kitchens, churches, escape tunnels, and a classroom. Constructed using hand tools, it features 52 air shafts for both ventilation and access to groundwater. Archaeologist Davide Tanasi estimates the city accommodated around 2,000 individuals, contrary to the common belief of 20,000. Derinkuyu was primarily utilized during the Arab raids of the Byzantine period and was last occupied by Cappadocian Greeks, who departed in 1923. Currently, eight of its eighteen levels are accessible to visitors, situated approximately thirty minutes south of Nevşehir.
Key facts
- Derinkuyu was discovered in 1963 when a resident knocked down a wall in his home.
- The underground city descends roughly 280 feet (85 meters) and spans about 27,000 square feet.
- It was carved into soft volcanic rock (tuff) and could date as far back as the 8th century BCE.
- The complex includes stables, kitchens, rock-cut churches, escape tunnels, and a school room.
- Fifty-two vertical air shafts provided fresh air and reached groundwater; some were sealed to prevent poisoning during sieges.
- Archaeologist Davide Tanasi estimates a population of roughly 2,000 based on room count, not the often-cited 20,000.
- The site was used, emptied, and reused over centuries, most actively during the Byzantine era's Arab raids.
- Its last residents, Cappadocian Greeks, were forced out in 1923 during the compulsory population exchange between Greece and Türkiye.
Entities
Artists
- Davide Tanasi
Institutions
- University of South Florida
Locations
- Derinkuyu
- Türkiye
- Cappadocia
- Central Anatolia
- Nevşehir
- Kaymakli
- Greece