Derinkuyu Underground City has a historical significance for our country. All the underground roads passing through our country are interconnected. There are some places that have been discovered and some that have not been discovered yet… As long as there are still unexplored places, our land continues to keep its secrets from the past. The most remarkable of the discovered places is, of course, the Derinkuyu Underground City located in Nevşehir. Because this underground city is the largest one. There are 36 cities, like interconnected roots of a tree, underground just like in Cappadocia.
About Derinkuyu Underground City
There is no definite information about the history of Derinkuyu Underground City. However, it is believed that there was a settlement in 3000 BC. It is especially thought to have been heavily used during the Byzantine periods. We can say that the secret of Derinkuyu Underground City is still being kept. It was used to protect against enemy occupation and hosted the first Christians. This city is so big and unbelievable that 50,000 people could live here at the same time. Until the 1800s, there was no settlement other than this city around.
It covers a total area of 4 kilometers. There are wells in it that allowed people to live without seeing the sunlight for a long time. This may seem strange to you, but unfortunately, the conditions of that time required it. There are a total of 52 wells in the underground city. There are 8 floors that can be visited in the underground city and the other floors are not yet accessible. When you see and hear these, you really get amazed. According to estimated information, we can call it an underground skyscraper consisting of a total of 12 floors.
There are kitchens, living rooms, and wineries in the rooms in the city. There is even a stable inside. This is a city like you know. The only difference from the ones on the surface is that it does not see the light. They used the 3rd floor of the city for religious purposes. There are churches, cemeteries, and places of worship in that area. Everything necessary for a person to live in the city has been thought of, there are even ventilation channels.
Entrance Fee for Derinkuyu Underground City
You need to pay a fee of 50 TL to enter the city. Although this may seem a bit expensive, you can see that it’s worth it after exploring inside. You can visit between 08:00 and 19:00 every day. However, there is also the beauty of being able to explore it for free with a museum card.
How to Get to Derinkuyu?
Firstly, you need to reach Nevşehir. The distance between Istanbul and Nevşehir is a total of 728 kilometers. You can reach it by car, bus, plane, or rental car. However, if you want to make a real city tour, you must rent a car. You can reach it from Istanbul by car after an 8-hour and 50-minute journey. You can also reach Nevşehir Airport by plane in 1 hour and 10 minutes.
There is no transportation vehicle that goes directly to Derinkuyu. You can reach the area from Nevşehir city center by personal car or taxi after a 36-minute journey.
Address: Bayramlı, Niğde Cd., 50700 Derinkuyu/Nevşehir
For the location, click here.