In 1963, during a home renovation in the Derinkuyu District of Cappadocia, central Turkey, a local man discovered a hidden underground room after breaking through his basement wall.
This city, named Derinkuyu, spanned 18 levels and could house up to 20,000 people.
The origins of Derinkuyu remain unclear.
This has led to speculation that Derinkuyu could be much older than previously thought.
In 1964, another underground city was discovered in Kaymakli, just 8 kilometers from Derinkuyu.
This city, connected to Derinkuyu by a tunnel network spanning 8 kilometers, featured over 100 tunnels, housing areas, storage rooms, wineries, stables, and a burial chamber.
This complex extended over 465,000 square meters and reached a depth of more than 112 meters, surpassing Derinkuyu in size by approximately 30%.
In 2020, another massive underground city was found in Midyat, potentially three times larger than Derinkuyu.
The most famous of these is Derinkuyu, an underground city capable of sheltering up to 20,000 people, along with their livestock.
Derinkuyu and other underground complexes in Cappadocia may have been built in response to the Younger Dryas event, serving as refuges during extreme climate conditions.