5,000-Year-Old Ruins Discovered in Turkey—Older Than Derinkuyu’s 18-Level Underground City

▲ Ancient City in Turkey (Photo /http://imgsoup.com/1/derinkuyu-map/)

By Rita

As a bridge between Europe and Asia, Turkey has been home to various ethnic groups throughout history. Its rich cultural heritage is an absolute must-see for visitors.

It is said that there are over 300 underground ancient cities in Turkey, among which the most renowned is the“Derinkuyu” site, which was accidentally found when locals were renovating a house and drilling through a wall. This underground city is about 18 stories deep, capable of housing 20,000 people, and features well-developed living facilities such as wine-making and oil-pressing operations, as well as stables and chapels. The tunnels even connect to another city.

From another perspective, the Derinkuyu site also served as a “refuge.” It was occupied by different powers throughout history and, before Christianity became widespread, was a hiding place for early Christians fleeing persecution.

▲ Inside the tunnel (Photo / Wikipedia)

According to the Daily Mail, in 2013, workers in Nevşehir were demolishing a building when they removed rubble at the construction site and unexpectedly discovered several massive underground tunnels. Experts believe this site is older than the nearby Derinkuyu, dating back 5,000 years. Due to geological changes from volcanic activity, this underground city was previously hidden deep in the wilderness. Now unearthed, it is known to be the largest underground city in Turkey to date, featuring 7 kilometers of tunnels, secret churches, tombs, and also serving as a refuge—very similar to Derinkuyu but on a much larger scale.

The local mayor stated that this new discovery is like a pearl, a diamond, or even gold for the region.

The Ancient City of Derinkuyu
Transportation: Take a bus headed for Nevşehir from the Göreme Bus Terminal in Nevşehir, and inform the driver you want to go to the Derinkuyu Underground City.
Ticket: 15 TL (640 NTD)