Widely accepted38.3736° N · 34.7347° E · 1320 m
Derinkuyu Underground City
Derinkuyu Yeraltı Şehri
Byzantine (with Hittite/Phrygian antecedents debated)·Byzantine Cappadocian / earlier Phrygian/Hittite use·🇹🇷 Cappadocia, Nevşehir Province, Turkey
About
About Derinkuyu Underground City
Deepest excavated underground city in Cappadocia, connected to Kaymaklı and 200+ subterranean complexes via 8 km tunnel. Rolling stone doors 500 kg, ventilation shafts, chapels, wineries. Likely Byzantine refuge from Arab raids.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 15th BCE (Hittite foundation?) to 10th c CE expansion
- Period
- Byzantine (with Hittite/Phrygian antecedents debated)
- Culture
- Byzantine Cappadocian / earlier Phrygian/Hittite use
- Purpose
- Refuge city from invasions
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 15th BCE (Hittite foundation?) to 10th c CE expansion
Initial construction
c. 1060 CE
Rediscovery
Location
Where it is
38.3736° N · 34.7347° E · 1320 m
Gallery