The Underground City of Derinkuyu

Lore & Background

The underground city at Derinkuyu was carved mostly into tuff, a soft volcanic rock. It could be closed from the inside with large rolling stone doors, and each floor could be sealed separately. The complex included wine and oil presses, stables, cellars, storage rooms, refectories, chapels, and kitchens with tandoor ovens. A unique barrel-vaulted room on the second floor is reported to have been used as a religious school. Vertical ventilation shafts, including a 55-metre well shaft, provided air and water.

Reader's Guide

Derinkuyu's significance lies in its scale and continuous use as a refuge over many centuries. Initially carved by the Phrygians in the 8th–7th century BC, it was expanded during the Late Roman Empire and fully formed in the Byzantine era. It sheltered local Christians during the Arab–Byzantine wars (c. The city was connected to Kaymakli via 8–9 km of tunnels. The site demonstrates sophisticated defensive and ventilation engineering.

Did You Know?

• The name Derinkuyu means 'deep well' in Turkish.
• The city could be closed from the inside with large rolling stone doors.
• A 55-metre vertical shaft served as a well, providing water to both the village above and those in hiding.
• The city was connected to another underground city, Kaymakli, through 8–9 km of tunnels.