Turkey is The Country of Underground Cities

The territory of modern Turkey is a whole historical epoch, thousands of cultural and architectural monuments, hundreds of thousands of artifacts. And one of the most interesting attractions of the country is its underground cities. There are quite a few of them; in Cappadocia alone, several dozen underground structures have been found. Underground cities, while not unique, are found in many countries around the world, but they are always special settlements with incredible living conditions and lifestyles of our ancestors. Visiting all of Turkey's underground structures is certainly quite challenging. But there are several of them that are definitely worth visiting.

Cappadocia. Derinkuyu Underground City

Cappadocia is a unique place on the map of Turkey. There's plenty to see there; the region is abundant in various attractions. One of the main ones is the ancient underground city of Derinkuyu. It is the largest of the underground cities in Cappadocia. It is believed to have been built by the Hittites, but people lived there even during the Byzantine Empire. The city is located at a depth of 80 meters and can accommodate around 20,000 people at a time. During times of war, people lived there, and it had everything for a comfortable long-term stay. The entrances were closed with stones, providing complete isolation for the city's inhabitants. By the way, Derinkuyu was connected to other underground cities, so even if entrances were discovered, people could escape from it. It is a complex architectural structure: tunnels, passages, halls—leaving one to wonder how our ancestors managed to design and build this underground marvel of a city.

Cappadocia. Kaymakli Underground City

Another interesting underground city called Kaymakli is also located in Cappadocia. By the way, it is connected to Derinkuyu by an underground tunnel. Only four upper levels of this city have been found so far, and Turkish archaeologists continue to excavate. According to preliminary data, up to 5,000 people could have lived in the city at once, and various rooms from stables to warehouses have already been found. The levels that have been discovered are very convenient for tourists to explore. There is lighting on the underground floors, comfortable passages, and everything is well worth seeing.

Mardin. Matiate Underground City

A few years ago, Matiate, also known as the "city of caves," was founded as another large underground city in the Turkish province of Mardin. The entire finding of the underground capital was by chance. During completing study in one of the caves, archaeologists found not just a few rooms but a whole city that was thought to be 2,000 years old. The city is thought to have been a haven during Roman persecutions, where the earliest Christians found safety. There have already been several rooms and tunnels found, including an underground church. However, scientists believe that not much of this underground town has been found to date. In fact, it was huge and could accommodate up to 70,000 people at the same time. So, perhaps, Matiate is even larger than Derinkuyu. The underground city is currently closed to tourists; excavations are ongoing.

Turkey's rich historical heritage never ceases to amaze the world. Be sure to come to Turkey, visit the unique attractions of our country. And for those who want to stay and live in Turkey, we will definitely help with purchasing real estate. After all, living in places where every stone literally "breathes" ancient history, in places where people lived millennia ago, changing the course of history, is truly wonderful.