Derinkuyu Underground City

First of all Derinkuyu underground city is located in the Cappadocia region. This underground city is in the Derinkuyu district of Nevsehir. The distance of Derinkuyu underground city from Nevsehir is 30 km. This is an underground city carved into stone on the Nigde-Nevsehir highway. Derinkuyu underground city is one of the biggest and oldest underground cities in the World. We must not only dream about this such a big underground city, but we also need to travel and also feel that spirit inside us. Then, before we go to Derin kuyu underground city let’s continue to get brief information about it.
The formation of Derinkuyu Underground city begins with a bronze age building an underground life full of secrets. According to some discourses, its history is almost as old as writing. However, the exact time is not known. Along with this timelessness, there are still unresolved parts about it. For this reason, the true size of Derinkuyu Underground City is not known exactly. The known situation is that enough people to fill the stadium can live here together. Among the unknowns of Derinkuyu underground city, it’s just not only about the time.İn addition to this situation, but there is also uncertainty about who made it. This obscurity is still controversial. Let’s take a quick look at these controversial situations.

Who Built The Derinkuyu Underground City?

İt is difficult to say for sure but there is some inconclusive information guided by the research. According to the uncertain information guided by the researches, the period when Derinkuyu underground city was built dates back to the Hittites. The researchers think it dates back to 2000 BC. İn the latest research, this opinion has increased on the Hattis. For this reason, it was seen as a higher probability that the Hattis might have laid the first foundation of Derinkuyu Underground City.İt is said that this mysterious underground city, has taken its name from the deep drinking water wells in it. The information on when it’s found is more detailed.

When Was The Derinkuyu Underground City Found?

Derinkuyu, the mysterious underground city, was discovered by the villagers by accident in 1963. İt was opened to ist visitors in 1965, two years after its discovery. Derinkuyu underground city is Turkey’s biggest underground city. İts depth is thought to be 85 m with the parts not open to the visitors. The interior of Derinkuyu underground city is a real-life center. İf you like to, let’s get some brief information about the interiors.

Sections Inside The Derinkuyu Underground City

The area where we can wander around the Derinkuyu underground city consists of eight floors. However, apart from these floors opened to us, some parts have not been discovered and unearthed. For this reason, researchers think about these unexplored parts up to fifteen-twenty times. And this means that the parts we can visit are only the visible part. So we can conclude from here: The size of Derinkuyu Underground City is equal to one thousand hundred football fields.
The interior of Derinkuyu Underground City is connected by short passages. These short passages are half-human-sized. The rooms are connected too. İn other words, next to a rock-carved room, it proceeds again in the form of another rock-carved room. The dark tunnels inside the Derinkuyu underground city were built by carving the stones. Derinkuyu underground city is known as an underground city that hosts life. This reason why there is every area of life in it.  We can list this area as follows:

• Burial chambers
• Water wells
• Kitchens
• Toilets
• Living rooms
• Storehouses
• Ventilation shafts
• Wineries
• Churches
• Monoasterier
• Shelter rooms
• Stables

The Legend Of Derinkuyu Underground City

The legend is the supernatural events of the heroes that are inherited in deep-rooted culture and also handed down from generation to generation. The heroes described in the legend are real, or they are legends because they are real. These hero stories are mostly encountered in the Hittite mythology. One of the places where the Hittites and legends are mostly found in the Cappadocia region.

Their underground cities in this region have some legends of their own deep-rooted culture. The legend of Derinkuyu underground city is ‘ yellow girl’ (sarı kız). According to the people of this region, they were aware of its existence before they discovered this place in 1963. They even used these mysterious rooms and also lived in them. According to the statements of the people living there. There was a woman called ‘yellow girl’ in the underground city brushing the hair of the woman’s living there. This story has continued to be told until today as the legend of the people of that period. Was there a girl or was she a legend it continues to keep its mystery? İf you want to go to this mysterious underground city, which is the spirit of legends, you can choose Cappadocia tours. the price and also other information of these tours are as follows.

Private Derinkuyu Underground City Tour Prices

Per person: 130 €
Vehicle, guide, museum entrances, and also transfer included.
you can enter with the museum card.
Derinkuyu Underground City is open between 08:00-16:15.

Places To See İn Derinkuyu

• Uzumlu Church
• St. Theodoros Trion Church
• Hakkı ATAMULU Culture park
• Mental Hospital-Aya MARYEROS

Uzumlu Church – ST. THEODOROS TRİON CHURCH

İt is located in Kızılçukur Valley, which is close to Ortahisar town of Derinkuyu district of Nevşehir. The Uzumlu Church got its name from the grape motifs found inside at the entrance. This 19th century Church was built during the reign of Abdülmecid. İt was opened to worship in 1856 for the Greek Orthodox who continue to live here. İnside the church; There is grape storage, a barn, cellar, ventilation room, water tank, and also priest’s house. The Uzumlu Church is now open for worship once a year.
When you come to visit the Uzumlu Church, if you want to drink tea or eat something, you can go to the women’s cooperative restaurant right across from the church.

Hakkı Atamulu Culture Park

Hakki Atamulu Culture Park is also in the Derinkuyu district of Nevsehir. The sculptor Hakkı Atasmulu, who worked for Derinkuyu to become a district, was born in 1912. He started to work as the district mayor in 1966. The reason why he accepted this task was to bring art to the district. Although it could not be as he imagined, he brought this district together with art according to the conditions of the time.

He organized the Derinkuyu district as a cultural park that turned into an open-air museum with his works. There is a picnic area, swimming pool, casino, skating rink, and also an open-air theater in this park. The favorite work of the park is also Turkey’s biggest Atatürk statue. This statue is the work of Sculpture Atamulu. He made the Atatürk statue in uniform and 9m tall. We can visit the works of Hakkı Atamulu, who led his life for art. This is how we can thank him.

Aya Maryeros Monastery Mental Hospital

İt is located in the Cumhuriyet neighborhood of the Derinkuyu district of Nevşehir. Aya Maryeros is a carved monastery from the Byzantine period. This is the World’s first mental hospital. Aya Maryeros monastery has a single story and also there are two different passage tunnels inside. One of the tunnels leads to Derinkuyu underground city and also the other tunnel leads to the Kaymaklı underground city. İnside the mental hospital, there are gloomy rooms. Nowadays, the fate of the mental hospital is left to the treasure hunters.

Cappadocia Turkey Underground Cities

Cappadıcia is one of our regions that continues to live in its history. The most important indicator of this is that it hosts underground cities that are unique in the World. İn addition, investigations and archaeological excavation in the underground cities are kept up to date and continue to present us with new findings and traces of history.

The fate of this region changed when the first Christians flocked here. The reason why Christians flocked to this region is the famous Council of Nicaea. Councils from all over the world were brought to the Council of Nicaea, and also most of them were not accepted and destroyed. However, some parts of the bible coming from Cappadocia were accepted by the Council. Thus, the Cappadocia region was flooded by the Christians. Another reason is that they were protected from Roman soldiers and took shelter in this region. This has an important place in the history of Cappadocia. To touch the mystery of such an important history, there are thirty-six underground cities in the Cappadocia region. Some of these underground cities are those :

• Kaymaklı underground city
• Ozluce underground city
• Mazı underground city
• Acıgol underground city
• Ozkanak underground city

Kaymaklı Underground City Turkey, Cappadocia

İt is an underground city connected to the Kaymaklı town of Nevşehir. This underground city, built during the Hittite period, has eight floors. However, it is only four floors that we can tour and see. The other doors are not open for now. Kaymaklı underground city is connected to Derinkuyu underground city by a tunnel. But since this tunnel is closed today, there is no transition. The most important thing about Kaymaklı underground city is that it has been included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage since 1984. İn the Kaymaklı underground city there are ;

• Church
• Living rooms
• Wineries
• Tunnels
• Burial chambers
• Refuge rooms
• Food warehouse

Ozluce Underground City

Ozluce Underground City is located in Ozluce Village with its old name Zile Village of Nevsehir. İt is close to both Kaymaklı and also Derinkuyu. Therefore from the others, this underground city was built with an arched system against the possibility of collapse. The stone system of this underground city is also different from the others. There is no floor system in it. İnstead, it consists of an entrance that spreads over a large area. This entrance part is divided into two parts, right and left. On the right side, there are storage warehouses, on the left side, there are living rooms.

Ozluce underground city has not been opened to visitors with a museum system yet. However, if you happen to be here, you should visit the Church of the Twelve Apostles of Saints. This Church has been used as a Mosque for 84 years. The construction date of the church dates back to the reign of Abdülmecid 1. At that time, the Greeks were living in the Village of Ozluce. The Greeks built this church with their means. After the Greeks left the village, the altar and also minaret was added to the church and it started to be used as a mosque. Apart from these additions, the ornaments of that period of the church have continued to be preserved until today.

Mazı Underground City

İt is located in Mzi Village or Mazata Village with its ancient name, which is connected to Nevşehir Ürgüp. The architecture of the underground city is a little more complex than the others. The ventilation system still maintains itself at its best. For this reason, it is one of the easiest underground cities to visit. The communıcation holes in the Mazi underground city still maintain their functionality today.
The museum card is valid.
Check-in hours are between 08:00 and 17:00
The closing time of the box office 16:15

Acıgol Underground City

Acigol underground city is also located in the Acıgol district of Nevsehir. İt is 10 km away from Acıgol district. Acıgol underground city was discovered in 1975 and opened to service in 1991.

The interior of this underground city is more airy and spacious. But the tunnel sections are narrow. Care must be taken while visiting these parts. İt is recommended that those with claustrophobia do not pass through these tunnels. İnside there are mortar stones, prisons, cemeteries, water cisterns, and narrow toilets. The toilets inside this place do not exist in the other underground cities. It is also made with a system that is Turkish style. You have to go through the tunnel to go to the section where the toilets are. İt takes half an hour to visit the underground city from these sections. At the end of half an hour, when you go out of the state’s underground city, a magnificent view awaits you. İn this view, first, you can live the moment and then take a lot of photos and immortalize your day.

Ozkonak Underground City

Ozkonak Underground City is located in the town of Ozkaynak, which is connected to the Avonos district of Nevsehir. There is also no definite information about the history of this Ozkonak Underground City. But, it is thought to date back to 400 BC. Located in the Cappadocia region, this underground city has a constant temperature. This temperature is 20 degrees in summer and winter. The tunnels in it are narrower than the other underground cities. After visiting the Ozkonak underground city, do not forget to visit the Avonos district. This is also a town that keeps its history alive.

Places you can visit in Avanos:

• Pasabag Valley
• Genoese Valley
• Haci Nuri Bey Mansion
• Belha monastery
• Suspension bridge
• Zelve Valley
  There are many historic and beautiful areas.
  Check-in hours are between 08:00-17:00.
  The closing time of the box office is 16:15.

Cappadocia Underground City Tours

Kaymaklı Underground City Tour

Fee per person: 130 €

Ozkonak Underground City Tour

Fee per person: 130 €
The price includes transfer, guide, and museum entrance.