Deep underneath the Turkish region of Cappadocia, Derinkuyu, the world’s largest excavated underground city, stretches not upward towards the sky but deep into the earth. Discovered in 1963, the ancient underground city of Elengubu (now known as Derinkuyu) is carved from the soft volcanic rock that personifies this area.
It is a 2000-year-old engineering marvel planned to shelter as many as 20,000 people, extending 85 metres below the surface across 18 levels.
Derinkuyu, once a bustling underground metropolis, had dedicated areas for food storage, stables, schools, and places of worship. It had more than 50 ventilation shafts, multiple exits, and innovative defence mechanisms for a community to hide underground and thrive.
Discover how this ancient city reveals an advanced understanding of urban planning and engineering long before the modern era.
Geological and historical background
The discovery of Derinkuyu’s underground city was as unexpected as fascinating. In 1963, while making home improvements, a local man knocked down a wall to find behind it a passage leading to this subterranean network. This initial exploration revealed a labyrinthine arrangement of tunnels and rooms that once housed thousands, with sophisticated ventilation systems and access points hidden beneath modern homes.
The Cappadocia region of Anatolia, known for its distinctive landscapes shaped by millions of years of volcanic activity, is the site of the remarkable Derinkuyu underground city. Formed from volcanic tuff, a rock created from hardened volcanic ash, this soft but stable material allowed ancient builders to carve out extensive and complex underground dwellings.
Historical evidence suggests that the Phrygians first initiated these excavations in the 8th-7th centuries BC, utilising the tuff’s natural malleability to create initial structures. Over the centuries, these primitive caves were expanded into a vast multi-level city during the Roman period by Greek-speaking Christians.
By the Byzantine era, Derinkuyu had evolved into a full-fledged underground fortress spanning several levels and capable of housing thousands. It was a critical sanctuary during the Arab-Byzantine wars from 780 to 1180 AD, protecting its inhabitants from frequent invasions.
The network of tunnels connected Derinkuyu with other underground cities like Kaymakli and played a vital role in providing refuge during the Mongolian incursions led by Timur in the 14th century.
Even under the Ottoman Empire, these underground cities continued to serve as safe havens for the local Christian populations, particularly the Cappadocian Greeks, who faced sporadic persecution as late as the 20th century.
The city was largely abandoned following the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey, which saw the expulsion of Christian residents from the area.
Rediscovered in 1963 and subsequently opened to the public in 1969, Derinkuyu today stands as a profound testament to the ingenuity of its constructors and the turbulent history it survived.
Soft yet stable pyroclastic rock, predominantly tuff
Derinkuyu is constructed from the region’s soft yet stable pyroclastic rock, predominantly tuff. This rock, formed from compressed volcanic ash, allowed ancient builders to carve extensive and complex underground dwellings efficiently.
The city’s architecture includes self-supporting arches and vaults that contribute to the structural integrity of this massive underground complex. Key engineering innovations in Derinkuyu include more than 50 ventilation shafts that facilitate fresh air circulation, which is essential for supporting its large population and livestock.
Large, rolling stone doors, combined with half-ton stone wheels connecting the levels, could seal off floors individually, enhancing the city’s defensive capabilities and illustrating a sophisticated modular design. A notable feature is a well more than 55 metres deep, designed to be isolated from below to protect the water supply during sieges.
The urban layout was carefully planned, including residential areas, communal spaces, and essential facilities like stables and kitchens. This strategic planning supported daily life and optimised the city’s defence, with narrow passages that large circular stones could quickly secure to block intruders and facilitate crowd control during crises.
Daily life and defence in Derinkuyu
People in Derinkuyu lived within a well-organised community structure, allowing them to thrive in an enclosed underground environment. The city was equipped with commercial spaces, educational institutions, places of worship, and communal meeting areas, reflecting a vibrant social fabric.
Residents engaged in wine and oil pressing, utilised expansive cellars for food storage, and managed livestock in strategically located stables to minimise odours and allow grazing.
The underground city provided a stable atmosphere, ideal for storing perishables and creating comfortable living conditions away from the region’s extreme surface temperatures.
Daily life was illuminated by torchlight, with residents adhering to practical measures for sanitation and safety, including the use of sealed clay jars for waste and designated areas where bodies were disposed of with chemicals to accelerate decomposition and prevent odours.
Defence was a critical aspect of Derinkuyu’s design. Large stone doors at each tunnel entrance could only be operated from the inside, allowing residents to isolate themselves and effectively defend against intrusions.
The city’s main tunnel could also be sectioned off during attacks, enhancing its fortification. Moreover, numerous hidden passages and secret tunnels provided vital escape routes and communication channels, which were crucial during sieges.
The expansion of Derinkuyu followed largely organic processes, with property ownership and space allocation typically managed through mutual consent or divided among heirs. This contributed to this complex’s fluid but structured expansion, allowing it to evolve from a simple storage facility to a bustling underground community capable of supporting thousands of residents during turbulent times.
As of 2024, Derinkuyu underground city remains in excellent condition for visitors. Its well-preserved structures, including churches, living quarters, and storage areas, offer a fascinating glimpse into ancient history and continue to captivate tourists.