Derinkuyu vs Kaymakli Underground City: Key Differences

Derinkuyu Underground City vs Kaymakli Underground City at a Glance

About Derinkuyu Underground City

Derinkuyu is the deepest known underground city in Cappadocia, extending approximately 85 meters beneath the earth’s surface. Discovered in 1963 when a local resident knocked down a wall during home renovations, this vast subterranean complex once sheltered up to 20,000 people along with their livestock and food stores. The city features remarkable engineering including ventilation shafts, water wells, wineries, oil presses, stables, and even a missionary school on the second floor. The deepest accessible level houses a cruciform church carved from living rock, demonstrating the spiritual importance of these hidden communities.

Key Highlights

• Deepest underground city in the world (85m)
• 8 open levels with missionary school
• Massive ventilation shaft visible from surface
• Heavy rolling stone doors for defense
• Underground wine press and oil production
• Tunnel connecting to Kaymakli (10 km)

About Kaymakli Underground City

Kaymakli Underground City, located just 10 km from Derinkuyu, is the widest underground settlement in Cappadocia. While not as deep as its neighbor, Kaymakli spreads horizontally across a vast area, with four of its eight floors currently open to visitors. The city was continuously used from the Hittite era through Byzantine times, serving as both permanent dwelling and emergency shelter. Kaymakli’s passages are generally wider and more comfortable than Derinkuyu’s, making it more accessible for visitors who might feel claustrophobic. The storage rooms, kitchens with blackened ceilings, and wine cellars provide vivid insight into daily underground life.

Key Highlights

• Widest underground city in Cappadocia
• Comfortable wider passages for easy exploration
• Well-preserved kitchen areas with soot marks
• Large communal storage rooms
• Wine cellars and copper smelting areas
• 4 accessible floors with clear signage

Historical Significance

Both underground cities have origins dating to the Hittites (around 1200 BCE) who carved the first rooms from soft volcanic tuff. The Phrygians expanded them significantly, but it was early Christians fleeing Roman persecution who developed them into vast multi-level complexes. During Arab raids in the 7th-8th centuries, entire communities retreated underground for months at a time, using rolling stone doors weighing up to 500 kg to seal entrances. A remarkable 10 km tunnel once connected Derinkuyu and Kaymakli, allowing communication between the two cities during sieges. The cities were used periodically through the Ottoman period before being abandoned and rediscovered in the 20th century.

Visitor Experience

Derinkuyu offers a more dramatic, adventurous experience with its steep staircases and narrow passages descending deep underground. Some corridors require ducking and single-file walking, which can be challenging for claustrophobic visitors but thrilling for adventurers. The sense of descending into the earth is powerful and memorable. Kaymakli provides a more comfortable exploration experience with wider corridors and gentler slopes. It’s better suited for families with children and visitors who prefer less physically demanding sightseeing. Both cities maintain a constant temperature of 13-15 degrees Celsius year-round, making them refreshingly cool in summer but chilly – bring a light jacket.

Practical Tips

Both cities are open daily 8 AM-7 PM (summer) and 8 AM-5 PM (winter). They are 10 km apart and easily combined in a half-day trip. Most guided Cappadocia tours include one underground city. If choosing between them, consider your comfort level with tight spaces. Arrive early at either site to avoid tour group congestion in narrow passages. Photography is allowed but tripods are not practical. Both have parking areas and small shops at the entrance.

Which Should You Visit?

Choose Derinkuyu if: You want the deepest, most impressive underground experience, enjoy adventure and don’t mind tight spaces, and want to see the full scale of ancient engineering. Choose Kaymakli if: You prefer a more comfortable visit, travel with children or elderly relatives, have mild claustrophobia, or want a shorter visit. Best plan: Visit both in a single morning – they are only 10 km apart and together give a complete picture of Cappadocia’s underground civilization.