15 lesser Known Facts About the Underground City Derinkuyu

In the books of history, Underground Cities is not a new topic. History is full of wars, inventions and the stories of King and Queen. Besides that there were some topics like underground cities and popular kisses  that came into the recognition when people got to know about them through the books. 

One of its kinds is Derinkuyu City located down the surface of the Derinkyuyu district in the south of Nevşehir Province, Cappaodocia, Turkey. You would be amaze to know that this city is situated over 250 feet below the Earth’s surface and has the entire stuffs like meeting rooms, passages tunnels, wells etc. Read what makes Derinkuyu the Underground city so special? When it was built? And other related questions below in the list of the facts.

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Some Hidden Scoops About the Underground City Derinkuyu

1. How long is the City?

Derinkuyu has a total area of around 7,000 square feet. Even the city has a building of 11 floors, looks surprising even at that time the workers were able to do the incredible constructions. 

2. The city was well equipped with the modern facilities.

It is to be believed that the underground city Derinkuyu has all the modern facilities like rooms, halls, meeting centers etc to around 50,000 people.

3. You can only visit 10% of the city

If you ever wish to visit this city, it may disappoint you that you can only visit 10 % of the whole city. The reason is that the city itself is so big and you have to enter the city through small passages. The small passages were built to make it difficult for enemy troops to enter the Derinkuyu. 

4. Derinkuyu is the deepest city in the world.

The other underground cities which are 3-4 levels deep, Derinkuyu is 18 stories deep and runs approx 60-70 meters below the surface. It is not the largest underground city, nor it is the oldest but Derinkuyu is the deepest city in the world. 

5. The city was closed with Large Stone Doors.

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Each floor of the city could be closed off separately.

6. Derinkuyu is the deepest in the world still it supplies fresh air and water.

Although the city is the deepest in the world, it doesn’t compromises with the supply of water and air. It supplies the fresh air and water throughout the year.  

7. People could live without any problems underground for several years.

Together with the storage rooms, and deep well, extremely designed air shafts etc people could live that deep for several years without any problem.

8. A great connection of family Rooms and other Space via tunnels. Derinkuyu has an exclusive interconnection of tunnels, stepped pits and passages that helped to connect family rooms and places.

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9. The actual age of Derinkuyu

A lot has been speculated about Drinkuyu’s age, but the accurate age of the city is still not known. But the writings of Xenophon (ca. 41-355 BC) were believed to be the examples of written evidences of the city.

10. Who built Derinkuyu city? 

The exact builder of the city is still not known but it was believed according to the Turkish Department that the city was built by the Phrygians in the 8th and 7th centuries B.C.

11. The subterranean city was kept open for visitors in 1969, but tourists were only allowed to explore till 8th level. 

12. How the city came into existence?

It was in 1963 when a man was renovating his house, he accidently found a mysterious room behind the walls of his house. He dug the place and noted the tunnels that eventually revealed the Derinkuyu city.

13. Derinkuyu City was used as a bunker

The city was used as giant bunker to save the people from natural disaster or from sudden wars.

14. Even the schools were built under the ground.

You won’t believe that Derinkuyu city also had schools and that too were completely furnished with modern facilities.

15. All the levels were not interconnected.

All the levels of the city were not connected with the wells; some of the wells were interconnected while some were left open in order to prevent sudden attack by invading troops.