Derinkuyu
is an underground city placed in Derinkuyu city (Cappadocia, Turkey). In Cappadocia, in the center of Turkey, there
are about 36 underground cities known and there were probably some hidden.
Can you
guess how many people lived in this underground city during the invasions?
Around 10,000 people! Think how big and deep Derinkuyu is. Nowadays, it has been discovered 20
underground levels but the tourists can visit only eight of them.
The
citizens of the Derinkuyu needed to be protected during the attacks to
Cappadocia so they decided to create a city under the ground. Although the city
was provided by stable, kitchens, domestic living rooms or water, it was not a
place to live. When they were sure that there wasn’t any danger, they went back
up.
In case some
invaders entered from outside to the underground city, there were stone wheels
which were opened only from the inside, so there wasn’t any possibility for them
to attack.
If you have
time to visit Derinkuyu, we highly recommend you to do it as it is something difficult
to find in another part of the world. You must know that the tunnels and some
rooms are very tight, so if you suffer from claustrophobia or another problem,
don’t try to get in. Thanks that there are some lights which allow you to see
the details and imagine how the life for the citizens were.
After visiting,
you will find many women and kids trying to sell you any kind of souvenir. At
first I thought they wanted to steal me because they pushed me to buy but Isak
(the Turkish man here ;) ) told me that they just sell that stuff. I bought this
traditional doll from this area.
Derinkuyu city |
Derinkuyu city |
Regards! :D
Irene
Jiménez & Isak Uzun