 CAPPADOCIA
/ Underground Cities
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 Nobody
knows just how many underground sites there are in Cappadocia
although the number has been estimated at around 300. Some
say that there is one for every village and settlement in the
region but certainly not all of the sites can be described
as cities.
This subterranean way of life resulted from several different factors.
The dramatic landscape of Cappadocia is formed from tufaceous rock
which is easy to work (and actually gets easier the deeper you
go) but which dries to a hard surface resistant enough to allow
the excavation of wide rooms with horizontal ceilings. Trees producing
wood suitable for building use are scarce in Cappadocia (and apparently
always have been) so even the surface dwellings are barrel vaulted
using squared tufaceous stone.
This negative building culture, making use of
existing formations rather than creating specialist building
materials, can be found throughout the world but is particularly
strong in the Mediterranean region. Cappadocia`s underground
cities are however unique in their range, their complexity,
their variety and possibly in the time periods in which they
were developed.
The first mention of these subterranean sites
occurs in the works of Xenophon written around 400 BC. Xenophon
was a Greek mercenary who took charge of the Ten Thousand after
the death of Cyrus, marching across Cappadocia with them:
 The
houses were built underground; the entrances were like wells
but they broadened out lower down. There were tunnels dug in
the ground for the animals wkile the men went down by ladder.
Inside the houses there were goats, sheep, cows and poultry
with their young [...]
There was also wheat, beans, and barley wine in great bowls [...]
When one was thirsty, one was meant to take a reed and suck the
wine into one's mouth. This barley wine is exceedingly strong and
is best mixed with water; but any man who is accustomed to it and
drinks it undiluted enjoys its flavor to the full.
Some authorities suggest that the underground
cities were created during the earlier period, as storage areas,
by the Hittites and were much later extended and brought into
use as refuges for Christians persecuted by the Romans. Others
maintain that the cities were created somewhat later, by the
Phrygians, as a line of defense against the Assyrians. The
most commonly held view is that the cities were excavated during
Roman and/or Byzantine times. Certainly during these years
the region was often beset by internal strife in the form of
persecutions of (and by) local Christian communities, and external
attacks by the Arabs. After the region was incorporated into
the Ottoman Empire, in the 14th Century, the external threat
abated, the Byzantines were forced to leave the area and, with
the outbreak of peace, the abandonment of the underground cities
began.
It is unlikely that the underground cities were
ever intended as permanent, or even long stay, settlements,
but they were clearly built to withstand attack and could support
large numbers of people and their domestic animals, for long
periods of time. The urban organization was very complex, and
there was probably always work in progress. Extensive networks
of passages, tunnels, stepped pits and inclined corridors link
family rooms and communal spaces where people would meet, work
and worship. The cities were complete with wells, chimneys
for air circulation, niches for oil lamps, stores, water tanks,
stables and areas where the dead could be placed until such
time as conditions on the surface would allow their proper
disposal. Most importantly, carefully balanced moving stone
doors, resembling mill stones, were devised to quickly block
the corridors in the event of an attack. Of course, these doors
operated from one side only!
Cappadocia`s subterranean way of life is not
all history. Around Göreme subterranean canals are still used
for water regulation on the terraced farmland. In the villages
of Zelve, Soganlı, and elsewhere. there are still some semi-subterranean
rooms in use. The underground storage of produce is common
practice particularly around Ortahisar where large quantities
of locally grown potatoes and citrus fruits brought from the
South coast are stored. The underground sites are particularly
useful for storage because, while the outdoor temperature can
vary from minus 20° C to nearly 40° C. the internal temperature
of the sites remains constant throughout the year at 7° to
15° C (depending on proximity to the air shafts).
Several underground cities are open to visitors.
The largest of these, at Derinkuyu has 8 levels open to the
public, there may be as many as 12 more levels as yet unexcavated.
There are about 600 outside doors to the city, hidden in the
courtyards of surface dwellings. There is some speculation
that Derinkuyu may be linked to another underground city, Kaymaklı,
which is 9 kilometers away.
Sources:
Cappadocia Sotteranea Commissione Nazionale Cavita` Artificiali
(A Commission of the Italian Spelaeologic Society)
Cappadocia
Murat E. Gülyaz and İrfan Ölmez
Published by Dünya Kitap/Kırtasiye Turizm ve Ticaret, Nevşehir,
Turkey
Cappadocia
Published by Bonnechi / Net
Özkonak Underground City
The underground city in Özkonak Town that is
14 km to Avanos, is constructed on a location where the tuff
layers consisting of volcanic, granite layers are too thick
on the northern slopes of İdiş Mountain. The underground city
has not been completely cleaned yet, but the galleries spread
to cleaned large areas are connected to each other through
tunnels.
Kaymaklı Underground City
It is in Kaymaklı Town of Nevşehir Province.
It is 20 km to Nevşehir. It has 8 floors and its first floor
has been made in the Hittite Period. It has been converted
into an underground city by carving and expanding other areas
in the Roman and Byzantine Periods. Today, its 4 floors are
illuminated and opened for visit.
This underground city, which is carved into tuff
rocks, has the necessary shelter conditions for temporary living
of a group. They have rooms and halls connected to each other
via narrow corridors, wine depots, water tanks, kitchen and
provision depots, ventilation tunnels, water wells and large
bolt stones that close the door from the inner side in order
to prevent any dangers that may come from the church and external
environment.
Derinkuyu Underground City
It is in Derinkuyu District that is 30 km to
Nevşehir, on Nevşehir - Niğde highway. As in Kaymaklı Underground
city, there are locations that can shelter a big group and
meet their needs. This underground city consists of 8 floors.
Being different from Kaymaklı underground city, there is a
missioner school, one confession place, baptism pool and a
well drawing the attention of the visitors.
Underground cities are structures special to
the geological formations of Cappadocia region and such samples
are not met in other regions.
Mazı Underground Cities
Mazı Village, whose archaic name was "Mataza",
is 18 km south of Ürgüp and 10 km east of Kaymaklı underground
city. 4 entrances could be determined at different locations;
its main entrance is provide with the corridor made of irregular
stones. The large bolt stone in the short corridor takes the
entrance and exit of the underground city under control. The
small room in the internal side has been made to provide easy
movement of the bolt stone. The stables that are spread to
the wide areas of the underground settlement are not different
from the others. From the stables, the church of the underground
city is reached via a short corridor. The entrance of this
place can be closed with a bolt stone. The absis of the church
is carved at the corner and its front side is ornamented with
relief.
Özlüce Underground City
The underground city in the center of Özlüce
Village, whose old name was "Zile" is 6 km west of
Kaymaklı town on Nevşehir - Derinkuyu highway.
At the entrance, there is a place having two
arches interlocked to each other. After that, through a passage
of 15 m made of rubble stones, the main tuff rock is reached.
The places made of stone providing access to the underground
city are newer in comparison with the rock - carved locations
forming the main underground city. At the end of this corridor,
the bolt stone made of hard granite stone having a diameter
of 1.75 m exists.
The main place at the entrance is the largest
area of the underground settlement and consists of two parts.
On the right of the large place, there are provision depots
and on the left of it there are the living rooms. There are
cell - type rooms at the sides of the galleries which are very
long, and there are traps on the floors.
In case the electrical installation and layout
arrangement are made, Özlüce underground city can be opened
for tourism.
Tatlarin Church and Underground City
It is 10 km to Acıgöl District of Nevşehir Province.
It is at the slope of the hill of Tatlarin town, which is called
as the "Fort". The nartex of the church, which has
two nefs, two absissa and cradle vault, has been destroyed.
The scenes in the frescos that are protected very well are
separated from each other with bands. Grey is used on the floor
and purple, mustard and red are used in the representations.
The underground city, which is opened for visit
in 1991, reminds the military garrison or monastery complex
because of the big number of its provision depots, its large
places and the big number of churches. The underground city
has spread to very large areas, but only a small part could
be cleaned. The most important feature of the underground city,
two floors of which can be visited now, is its having a toilet,
which is not found in other underground cities.
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