Archaeology: He knocks down a wall and discovers an underground city that can house 20,000 people
An ancient underground city was unearthed in 1963, completely by chance: it is now considered the deepest in Turkey
If you are sightseeing in Turkey, you cannot miss visiting this ancient city, now underground, which has an incredible history.
A secret city under a cellar
It is absolutely necessary to take the opportunity to get lost in the tunnels of the Turkish city of Derinkuyu, in the region of Cappadocia. How was it discovered? In 1963, a man living in the house located just above the underground city, gave a hammer blow in his cellar in order to do some work.
Without knowing what was waiting for him behind the wall, he discovers a tunnel leading to other tunnels and so on. After some exploration, the specialists discovered that it was a real city that could accommodate more than 20,000 people.
Chapels, schools and stables have been unearthed. Archaeologists assume that it has 18 floors, but only 5 are accessible: Derinkuyu would be the deepest underground city in Turkey, if not the largest .
No less than 18 underground levels
According to the Turkish Department of Culture , the city was built in the 8th century BC . Its ventilation system is incredibly constructed: the air circulates through ventilation shafts (52 have been identified to date). But there was also a river of drinking water and each floor was impeccably organized.
Bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, stables: each level had its own separate rooms . A veritable maze of life.
According to historians and archaeologists, it was common to build cities underground at the time to protect themselves in the event of war or simple attacks, but also to store food thanks to the mild temperatures in its basements in Cappadocia.
Today the city is open to the public, but only 10% is accessible to the public.
Source: websites