The Mysterious Underground City Found in a Man’s Basement

A simple renovation project in Turkey led to the astonishing discovery of a massive underground city in 1963.

Hidden beneath the town of Derinkuyu, this subterranean world spans 18 levels, reaching depths of 280 feet (76 meters), and once housed up to 20,000 people. Built into the soft volcanic rock of Cappadocia, the network of tunnels, chambers, and halls was likely designed as a refuge from invading armies.

Origins and Craftsmanship
While its exact origins remain unclear, historians speculate that the Hittites (around 2000 B.C.), Phrygians (700 B.C.), or early Christians may have carved the first sections. Over the centuries, the complex grew and evolved, with its final Christian touches dating from the 6th to 10th centuries A.D. Masterful engineering ensured structural stability, with large support pillars preventing cave-ins despite the soft stone.

Life Underground
The upper levels served as living quarters, while deeper levels were used for storage, dungeons, and religious spaces. The city’s ventilation system was remarkably advanced, with over 15,000 narrow shafts providing airflow. Some shafts also doubled as wells, unknowingly supplying water to locals long after the city was abandoned. Among the fascinating features is a cruciform church located on the seventh level.

A Safe Haven Through History
Throughout history, Derinkuyu’s underground city offered sanctuary during turbulent times, from the Byzantine-Arab conflicts to Mongol raids and Ottoman conquests.

Even in the early 20th century, local Greeks instinctively sought shelter in the city during regional massacres. However, the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923 marked the end of the underground city’s use, as the Greek community of Derinkuyu known as Malakopia left for good.

A Modern Tourist Attraction

Today, Derinkuyu is one of Cappadocia’s most popular tourist sites, showcasing the ingenuity and resilience of past civilizations. But the story serves as a reminder: undiscovered worlds could still lie hidden, perhaps just behind an unassuming basement wall.