Not much, about 7 years before today, a new discovery was made in Cappadocia in 2014. As a result of the work carried out by Nevşehir Municipality and TOKI (Housing Development Administration of Turkey), historical settlements carved from the rock were re-uncovered. Kayaşehir, which is the settlement center of the slope, began to greet those who visited Cappadocia in all its glory in 20 July 2020, and the center of interest began to be Kayaşehir. There are must-see places in Cappadocia, must-experience activities, and now one of these destinations is Kayaşehir. If you are planning a trip to Cappadocia, you can add Kayaşehir to the top of your list, and you should not neglect to navigate the underground cities outside Kayaşehir.

Before Kayaşehir came to light, there were settlements in the area. Although it is known that there are small rooms carved out of rock under the houses in the area, it was not seen that such a developed historical settlement could emerge. The houses carved into the rocks that line the hillside created both bewilderment and admiration. As a matter of fact, the reactions that came soon began to confirm this discourse. With its opening to visit, Cappadocia's Kayaşehir became one of the most popular destinations.

Kayaşehir and Underground Cities are Worth Exploring!

Kayaşehir and underground cities, where historical beauties are seen together and offer important clues about the lives of people living in the past period, are shown among the most important icons of Cappadocia. Those who see the relatively newly discovered Kayaşehir are also more interested in underground cities.

Underground cities that show the difficulties of life in Cappadocia, which has often been subjected to enemy attacks throughout history, are settlements designed by the people of the region to escape Byzantine, Roman and Arab attacks. One of the most distinctive features of these places is the geological formations of Cappadocia. The absence of similar historical structures in no other region of the world reveals the uniqueness of Cappadocia.

Must-See Underground Cities

1. Kaymaklı Underground City

Located about 20 kilometers from Nevşehir, Cappadocia Kaymaklı Underground City has unique features. 4 floors of the settlement, which is open to visitors today, have been discovered, and the rest of the areas have not yet been discovered.

2. Derinkuyu Underground City

Derinkuyu Underground City, which introduced Derinkuyu district to the world, consists of 8 floors underground. It is also known that there is a missionary school in this unique structure, which descends 85 meters. Although a small part of the underground city, which houses ventilation chimneys, dining halls and stables, is still open to visits today, even these limited visits are enough to understand the glory of the region.

3. Özkonak Underground City

Özkonak Underground City, about 14 km from Avanos, is also one of the must-see underground cities in Cappadocia. In addition to the air chimney, water well, worahane and slider stones, it is strongly recommended that time be allocated for the settlement, which is noted for its hollows created for the purpose of pouring hot oil on enemies.