Kaymaklı Underground City is contained within the citadel of Kaymaklı in the Cappadocia Turkey. First opened to tourists in 1964, the village is about 19 km from Nevşehir, on the Nevşehir-Niğde road. The ancient name was Enegup. The houses in the village are constructed around the nearly one hundred tunnels of the underground city. The tunnels are still used today as storage areas, stables, and cellars. The underground city at Kaymaklı differs from Derinkuyu Underground City in terms of its structure and layout. The tunnels are lower, narrower, and more steeply inclined. Of the four floors open to tourists, each space is organized around ventilation shafts. This makes the design of each room or open space dependent on the availability of ventilation.
A stable is located on the first floor. The small size of the stable could indicate that other stables exist in the sections not yet opened. To the left of the stable is a passage with a millstone door. The door leads into a church. To the right of the stables are rooms, possibly living spaces.
Located on the second floor is a church with a nave and two apses. Located in front of the apses is a baptismal font, and on the sides along the walls are seating platforms. Names of people contained in graves here coincide with those located next to the church, which supports the idea that these graves belonged to religious people. The church level also contains some living spaces.
The third floor contains the most important areas of the underground compound: storage places, wine or oil presses, and kitchens. The level also contains a remarkable block of andesite with relief textures. Recently it was shown that this stone was used as a pot to melt copper. The stone was hewn from an andesite layer within the complex. In order for it to be used in metallurgy, fifty-seven holes were carved into the stone. The technique was to put copper ore into each of the holes (about 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in diameter) and then to hammer the ore into place. The copper was probably mined between Aksaray and Nevsehir. This mine was also used by Asilikhoyuk, the oldest settlement within the Cappadocia Region.
The high number of storage rooms and areas for earthenware jars on the fourth floor indicates some economic stability. Kaymaklı is one of the largest underground settlements in Cappadocia the region. The large area reserved for storage in such a limited area appears to indicate the need to support a large population underground. Currently only a fraction of the complex is open to the public.
Kaymaklı underground city ( Turkish: Kaymakli yeraltı şehri ). Admission TL15; 8am-5pm, last admission 4.30pm) features a maze of tunnels and rooms carved eight levels deep into the earth (only four are open). As this is the most convenient and popular of the underground cities, you should get here early in July and August to beat the tour groups, or from about 12.30pm to 1.30 pm when they break for lunch.
Kaymakli Underground City, Cappadocia,
We visited Kaymakli in July on a day tour and were very lucky that we were practically the only visitors. Having a guide to explain the history and point out what different rooms, etc were used for really added to the enjoyment. We also visited Derinkuyu underground city and enjoyed both for different reasons (see separate review). Kaymakli was smaller…
This is a completely massive city that has been dug out underground. It is a massive complex of tunnels. It has literally thousands of chambers, and it goes down multiple stories. It is such a bizarre experience to walk around inside this cramped city.
it's unbelievable place, make such place in those time where fits 20 000 person with their horses?
it's great work and visit isn't expensive just 15lire
We have visited the Roman Catacombs in Rome but this was different and much better. There is a huge underground city. This is the most popular underground sightseeing in Cappadokia area. There are guides in the entrance if you want to hire one. The und. city is very big and it needs at least 1hour to see all the "rooms"….
If you visit the Cappadocia region in Turkey, the Kaymakli Underground city should definitely be on your iternary. These are centuries old undergound dwelling carved out of the volcanic soft rock. It is fascinating to view the living quarters, grannaries, even a wine cellar. But be warned that this tour requires you to be physically flexible and bend and walk…
This is an amazing place to visit but I agree with the previous TA that you wouldn't do so well if you didn't like small spaces or not mobile. The ladies selling the handmade dolls on the outside of the city all scream out for you to buy their dolls – for 3 turkish lira each they're worth it.
this is a very old underground city. If people are quite claustrophoic it could be a problem, but if not, well worth a look at how these people were able to live.
a real underground city – they got air, water, and food in, kept the attackers out with stone wheel doors. Can be claustrophobic – tight tunnels and low ceilings in some places. We got stuck in between 2 bus loads and had to wait a bit at times. Well lite and worth seeing. Kids will love it. One of the…
This is one of many underground cities built by the Christians to avoid persecution. It is possible to climb down 4 or 5 levels and see the living area for 600 people with kitchens, bedrooms, wine cellars & air shafts. There is also a church. The visit includes walking down stairs & through tunnels that get progressively smaller as you…
We travelled here in winter, and there were very few others visiting the underground city. It was great to wander around, crawl through tunnels and explore the nooks and crannies – it was kind of like being a kid again (although if you do take your kids… keep an eagle eye on them as there are holes and openings everywhere.)…