In 1963, a renovation in Cappadocia, Turkey, revealed a tunnel. It led to Derinkuyu, a city carved into soft rock, reaching about 85 metres deep. It could shelter thousands of people with their animals.
Truth label: Established. Strong evidence and broad agreement among experts.
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A city below
It had stables, wells, chapels, wine presses and air shafts. Huge rolling stone doors sealed each level from inside.
Who used it
Its origins are uncertain. It was expanded over centuries, and people hid there during raids well into the 1900s.
Learn
- Connected cities. Cappadocia has hundreds of underground settlements, some linked by tunnels kilometres long.
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How was Derinkuyu rediscovered?
During a home renovation. A man knocking through a wall in 1963 found the entrance.
Sources
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