Inside the incredible underground city that once housed 20,000 people
Discovery was made in 1963 when a man who knocked down a wall in his basement stumbled across a secret room
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Pictures have been released of a hidden, 18-storey underground city that once housed up to 20,000 people in Turkey.
The discovery was made in 1963 when a man who knocked down a wall in his basement in the region of Cappadocia stumbled across a secret room.
Now photos of the maze of kitchens, stables, churches, tombs and schools up to 18 metres beneath the earth have been revealed.
Believed to have been created during the Byzantine era in 780-1180 AD, the city of Derinkuyu was likely used as a bunker to protect inhabitants during wartime or from natural disasters.
The city’s security system was complex with stone doors able to close from the inside to block intruders from entering, with each storey being closed off individually.
While only roughly half of the secret city is accessible, it is connected to other underground communities by tunnels that can stretch for miles.
The site has proved to be a popular tourist attraction in central Turkey. The historical region of central Anatolia is also known for its geological, historic and cultural features including its distinctive rock formations known as “fairy chimneys”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments