Kaymaklı Underground City

Kaymaklı Underground City is located in the town of Kaymaklı, within the Nevşehir Province of Türkiye’s Central Anatolia Region. It is approximately 20 kilometers from the city center of Nevşehir. The region hosts numerous underground settlements due to the workability of soft tuff rock formations resulting from Cappadocia’s volcanic geology. Kaymaklı Underground City is one of the most extensive and multi-layered examples among these settlements.

Dating and Construction Process

The underground city consists of eight levels. The construction of the first level dates back to the 3000s BCE, during the Early Bronze Age. This section is generally believed to have been built during the Hittite period. During the Roman and Byzantine eras, the structure was expanded with additional levels excavated to form a comprehensive underground settlement system. As a result, the complex evolved into a multi-level habitation designed for defense and shelter.

Kaymaklı Underground City. (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye)

Architectural Features and Structural Elements

Kaymaklı Underground City was carved directly into tuff rock. The structure is organized as a system of levels that deepen downward. Connected by narrow and low passageways, the levels contain the following units:

• Rooms and halls
• Wine cellars
• Food and water storage areas
• Kitchen areas
• Water wells
• Ventilation shafts
• A church
• Passageways sealed by large movable stone doors

These elements provided the necessary infrastructure for a community to sustain prolonged life underground.

Kaymaklı Underground City. (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye)

Defense and Security Measures

The underground city was designed with defense against external threats in mind. Some passageways are equipped with large stone doors that can be closed from the inside. This system was intended to ensure the safety of the population after they retreated underground. The narrow passageways facilitated defense during potential external attacks.

Ventilation and Water Supply

Air circulation within the structure is maintained through vertical ventilation shafts that reach the surface. Water necessary for sustaining life underground is supplied by wells fed by subterranean sources. This system enabled the underground city to function independently without direct contact with the outside world.

Tourism and Current Status

Kaymaklı Underground City was opened to tourism in 1964. Today, only the first four of its eight levels are illuminated and accessible to visitors. These areas are equipped with informational signage and safety measures. The underground city attracts significant interest from both domestic and international tourists and is regarded as a major cultural-tourism asset of the Nevşehir region.

Access and Address Information

Access to Kaymaklı Underground City is via road. The address is as follows:

Cami Kebir Mahallesi, Yeraltı Şehri Belediye Caddesi, 50760 Kaymaklı / Nevşehir