Man Discovers Massive Underground City After Tearing Down His Basement Wall

Jan 02, 2023

Cappadocia has earned massive popularity in recent years due to its hot air balloons that allow people to see its beauty from above, attracting millions of tourists across different parts of the globe. But that's not only what Cappadocia is known for. It is also famous for its stunning rock formations, which people can enjoy by hiking.

For those who want to witness its beauty from above, they can also do so by riding a hot air balloon. But some of these rock formations still have so much to offer than meets the eye – and people in the central Turkish region have known it for years.

That's right, Cappadocia has an ancient city called Derinkuyu (previously known as Elengubu) tucked away 250 feet below Earth's surface – and it has 18 levels of tunnels. It also happens to be the largest excavated cave underground city in the world. Yes, it's so big it can house 20,000 people at a time for a long period of time.

Having existed for thousands of years now, it has been under the hands of different empires throughout the years, including the Phrygians, the Persians, as well as the Christians of the Byzantine Era, among others. Unfortunately, it was abandoned in the 1920s.

Forty years later, Derinkuyu was re-discovered. There were several iterations of its re-discovery.

One of them was a man who supposedly discovered Derinkuyu while renovating a surface home, based on a story published on Historic Mysteries. When he knocked down a wall in his basement, he discovered a hidden room that led to a network of tunnels. It's very much like one of those thriller films, except Derinkuyu is filled with so much history – and it's a rare gem, too.

Another iteration was the local supposedly discovered it after he kept losing chickens while renovating his home. These chickens would enter a crack but never return. So, he did some digging and found out that there was a passageway leading to the network of tunnels. Years later, they would discover 600 entrances in different private homes around the area.

It is still unclear how Derinkuyu was built. But A Bertin, an expert in Mediterranean cave dwellings, told BBC that it was the Hittites "who may have excavated the first few levels in the rock when they came under attack from the Phrygians around 1200 BCE."

An associate professor of classical studies at the Florida State University named Andrea Di Giorgi said that while Derinkuyu could have been constructed for storage of goods, it may have been primarily used for protection from foreign invaders, wars, or even natural disasters.

"The succession of empires and their impact on the landscapes of Anatolia explain the recourse to underground shelters like Derinkuyu," Di Giorgi told BBC in an interview.

"It was at the time of the [7th-Century] Islamic raids [on the predominantly Christian Byzantine Empire], however, that these dwellings were used to the fullest," he added.

Researchers discovered kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, oil and wine presses, wells, weapons storage areas, churches, schools, tombs, and animal stables – further proving that it indeed served its purpose as a city.

In case you were wondering how they could breathe from down under, there were ventilation shafts and smaller ducts that distributed air throughout the city.

Those who wish to visit the ancient city can do so for only $3.38 dollars. But fair warning, going there is not advisable if you're claustrophobic.

Would you visit Derinkuyu? Let us know what you think, and share this story with your family and friends!