Information
Landmark: Kaymakli Underground CityCity: Cappadocia
Country: Turkey
Continent: Asia
Kaymakli Underground City, Cappadocia, Turkey, Asia
Overview
In Cappadocia, Turkey, the Kaymaklı Underground City sprawls beneath the earth, its cool, dim tunnels making it one of the region’s largest and best-preserved hidden cities.You’ll find it in the Kaymaklı district of Nevşehir Province, roughly 20 kilometers-about a fifteen‑minute drive-south of Derinkuyu Underground City.Like its twin, Kaymaklı reveals the ancient, clever warren of tunnels and stone rooms that once sheltered thousands when danger pressed at their doors.Like other underground cities in Cappadocia, Kaymaklı likely dates back to the Hittite period around 2000 BCE, its tunnels later widened and carved deeper between the 4th and 10th centuries AD, when early Christians made it a refuge from the world above.To escape persecution and Arab invasions, these Christians vanished into underground cities, carving homes, small stone churches, storerooms, and defenses straight into the soft, pale volcanic tuff.In 1964, explorers stumbled upon Kaymaklı, uncovering a warren of stone tunnels and rooms once used as a hidden city for defense and everyday life.The city was carved deep into the region’s soft rock, its tunnels and chambers stacked in layers that once sheltered thousands.Today, it draws more visitors than almost any other underground city in Cappadocia, its stone passages echoing with footsteps.Beneath the surface, Kaymaklı Underground City shows off remarkable ancient engineering, with tunnels that twist like cool stone veins through the earth.The city rises in eight stacked tiers, but visitors can wander only the lower four, where lanterns glow against worn stone.The lower levels are harder to reach, with cramped stone passages and sections still in need of repair, but the open areas give you a vivid sense of how the city was meant to work.Vertical Design: The city rises around tall shafts linked by a maze of rooms, like narrow towers joined with dim, winding corridors.Narrow passageways wind between the levels, while stairs or steep ramps connect the floors above and below.Beneath the surface, the city is carved straight into volcanic stone, its winding tunnels and shadowy chambers designed for both defense and the hum of everyday life.Much like in Derinkuyu, the people of Kaymaklı lived, cooked meals that filled the air with the smell of bread, stored supplies, and hid from danger in the safety of their underground city.The rooms come equipped with the essentials-small kitchens, simple storage alcoves, wine and oil presses, and tucked-away sleeping quarters.The underground complex has communal spaces where people can gather, like little neighborhood squares tucked beneath the earth.Ventilation and air circulation stand out in Kaymaklı Underground City, thanks to a clever system of shafts that once carried cool, dry air deep below the stone.Ventilation shafts push fresh air through the city, carrying the faint scent of rain on stone.The shafts kept the air clean and breathable, a lifeline in the cramped, stale darkness.In Kaymaklı, as in Derinkuyu, massive round stone doors could be rolled across the passage, grinding into place to block the entrance and keep invaders out.The stone doors slid forward from the inside, locking into place and blocking any enemy from breaking into the city.The tight corridors and twisting passageways kept only a few attackers from rushing in at a time, forcing them into natural choke points where footsteps echoed off the stone walls.Kaymaklı Underground City’s entrance is easy to miss-a low, plain doorway tucked into the heart of the town.Once inside, visitors step down narrow stairways, the air cool and faintly echoing, as they make their way to the underground levels.The passageways twist in tight, low stretches, so you find yourself ducking under rough stone and feeling that rush of exploration and discovery.The Living Quarters: Each floor holds shared rooms where people cook together, sleep side by side, and gather to talk over the smell of something warm on the stove.Many kitchens have cooking areas carved straight into the rock, their edges worn smooth, and tucked nearby are small storage spots for food.Wine and oil presses, like those in other underground cities across the region, were cut straight into the stone, their basins still etched with smooth grooves from years of use.These presses kept the city fed and stocked, turning out rich wine and golden oil for the people who lived there.Ventilation shafts were essential in Kaymaklı, carrying cool, fresh air deep into the underground city so its people could breathe easily.Workers dug these shafts straight down from the surface, some plunging so deep the air felt cool and damp, keeping fresh air moving through the lower levels.Wells: In the underground city, workers dug shafts so deep you could feel the air grow cooler, securing fresh water for everyone who lived there.Wells stand as yet another sign of the city’s self-reliance, their cool water drawn straight from the earth.The Church: Kaymaklı, like many underground cities in Cappadocia, has a church carved straight into the soft volcanic rock, its walls still cool to the touch.Early Christians likely gathered in this church to pray, share bread, and find shelter, clinging to its stone walls for safety from invaders.Kaymaklı’s underground maze even hides stables, where the warm smell of hay once lingered, giving livestock a safe refuge whenever danger closed in.Food Storage: The city kept vast rooms stocked with grain sacks, dried meat, and other supplies.The storage rooms were built with care to keep pests out and protect the food, ensuring there’d still be grain and dried meat on hand if a siege dragged on.Kaymaklı Underground City sits in the village of Kaymaklı, about 20 km (12 miles) south of Nevşehir, and you can reach it easily from nearby towns like Göreme or Ürgüp, often passing rolling hills dotted with apricot trees along the way.The site stays open all year, and you can join a guided tour to get a clearer sense of its history and winding paths.Guided Tours: You can wander through Kaymaklı on your own, but a guide can point out hidden tunnels and stories you’d likely miss.Local guides bring the underground city to life, sharing vivid stories about its history, glimpses into how its people once lived, and the ingenious tunnels and chambers that make it unlike anywhere else.Here’s what to expect: you’ll wind down narrow staircases, the air cool against your skin, before wandering through a maze of rooms and passageways.The tunnels get pretty tight, so wear clothes you can move in and shoes that can handle the grit underfoot.It stays cooler inside than it does above ground, a welcome break from summer’s heat, like stepping into a shaded stone cellar.You can explore Kaymaklı Underground City any time of year, but spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are ideal-cool, comfortable days with fewer crowds wandering the tunnels.Summer in Cappadocia can scorch, but step into the underground city and the air turns cool, almost damp against your skin.In the end, Kaymaklı Underground City stands as a striking reminder of how ancient people carved out safety and survival deep beneath the earth, winding through dim tunnels to escape danger.Kaymaklı, with its winding tunnels, sprawling rooms, and sturdy defenses, offers an extraordinary glimpse into life underground.
