Kaymakli Underground City: A Maze of Tunnels Deep Beneath the Earth Where Ancient Turkish Lived for Centuries

In the historical region of Central Anatolia, Turkey, is the ancient district of Cappadocia, which is famous for hot air balloons, natural landscapes, and caves. While tourists are attracted to the beauty of its surface, there are also amazing things to discover in this semi-arid place.

Kaymakli Underground City

The Cappadocian region is home to around 200 underground cities, many of which are still waiting to be discovered. Three subterranean dwellings can be visited: Ozkonak, Derinkuyu, and Kaymakli.

Kaymakli underground city is considered the biggest and best-preserved underground city in the region. It is composed of an intricate system of chambers, tunnels, and galleries excavated deep into the volcanic tuff rock.

The underground city has eight floors, although only four are accessible to the general public. It is more than 279 feet (85 meters) deep and can hold up to 3,500 people. As one explores Kaymakli's underground city, one can come across steep stairs, winding passages, and rooms used for various purposes.

Other remarkable features, such as ventilation shafts, storage spaces, and water wells, can also be found. Some spaces, like kitchens, stables, and a church, were used for social gatherings. A massive circular stone was also used to protect the underground city from invaders.

The construction of the Kaymakli underground city was credited to the Phrygians, an ancient civilization that flourished in central Anatolia from 1200 to 700 BC. Later, these people became Christians who expanded the subterranean dwelling around 800-700 BC. Early Christian communities used the city as they tried to hide from persecution during the Arab-Byzantine wars of 780-1180.

When the city was utilized as a hiding place against raids, it was deepened, expanded, and connected to the Derinkuyu underground city. Both towns were still in operation at the turn of the century until they were completely abandoned in 1923 after the Greek residents were driven out as part of the population exchange between Turkey and Greece.

Is It Safe for Humans to Live Underground?

In our modern times, humans have traveled underground for short periods, like in ancient catacombs and subways. Historically, entire societies have learned to live underground during emergencies or when there is no other option for safe dwellings.

During the 1980s, there were so-called "mole people" in New York who lived in tunnels beneath the streets. Some homeless people dwelt in tunnels under the abandoned infrastructures in Las Vegas, while Romania has large communities of orphans living in modern cities.

Physiologically, the human body is not designed to live in underground environments. Yet, living beneath the Earth has not yet been shown to cause adverse psychological effects. Underground living may be possible if lighting, ceiling height, room size, and other physical attributes are consistent with aboveground.

Technologies can also help achieve these conditions. For instance, light wells allow natural light from the Sun to illuminate subterranean spaces using materials like reflective paint. They can help fight depression, which arises from a lack of sunlight. While some people may feel a lack of control, these feelings are still manageable.