Explore Turkey’s Hidden Underground City

Eighteen stories below ground in Turkey’s Cappadocia region, the ancient city of Derinkuyu remained hidden for centuries. The underground city was rediscovered in 1963 when a man knocked down a wall in his basement and stumbled across a hidden room. From there, an excavation revealed the impressive network of tunnels connecting ancient churches, schools and living quarters. In total, the city likely could have protected 20,000 people and their livestock from wars and natural disasters.