He Knocked Down His Basement Wall And Gasped At What He Discovered



What started out as just a seemingly ordinary DIY project, turned into a once-in-a-lifetime discovery for one unsuspecting Turkish man.

Just a Small Town Man


The man in question lived in a small village in a remote region of Turkey, but living conditions were becoming cramped for his family. He couldn’t afford to hire a skilled laborer, so he was forced to expand his home by himself. When he decided to undertake the project alone, he never imagined he would discover this under his house…



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It All Started With A Tunnel


He began chipping away at the outer layer of one of his home’s walls, but as the hole got larger and larger he began to notice an opening from behind the first brick layer. What he was about to discover was bigger than he could have ever fathomed.

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Into The Darkness He Went


Once the opening of the dark hole was large enough to fit through, he flicked on his flashlight and crawled inside. When he did, he found himself within some sort of makeshift tunnel with a slope leading down towards a small doorway. When he stepped through it and began to learn more about the strange opening, he was soon overcome with shock.



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Fear of the Unknown


Turkey is home to a wide variety of spectacular and sometimes venomous reptiles, including snakes, scorpions, and spiders, so it was quite a concern for the man as he explored a deep, dark cave not knowing what could crawl out at any second. The man became gripped by fear as he ventured further and further into the dark cave.

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Opening Up


The man soon began noticing outlines of some man-made features in the tunnel, including stairs leading to an arched doorway. Was he discovering an tomb? He was shocked to have made the startling discovery. Did someone dwell within these walls? Soon, all his questions would be answered.

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Definitely Not Natural


This was no an ordinary cave. Even with the etched-out rooms that were scattered about, it was clear to the man that he had stumbled upon something big. It looked as if the cave had been untouched for years, centuries even, so he was sure that he had found some long-lost archeological discovery. But there was more to this unfathomable story…

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What Had He Discovered?


On the opposite end of the room was a narrow doorway, which led to another larger area that branched off into several more corridors, rooms and stairways. What could this place have been? What had it been used for? He was determined to find out as much information about this mysterious place as he could.

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Seeking the Professionals


He was very confused about what he had stumbled upon in his own home, something that he was unaware of for years. What he found was more than just an underground labyrinth of  caves. He called the Turkish Antiquities Authority and waited for them to reveal the truth about the startling underground mystery.

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The Lost City


Authorities were as bewildered as he was when they entered the magical man-made labyrinth. It would seem that would have to do some serious research to uncover more about the finding, but they were quite sure that they were looking at the ancient city of Derinkuyu. The city had a historically rich past, but there were so many incredible aspects to it.

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Ancient Security


One of the primary uses of an underground city is for protection from surrounding armies, and this was quite obvious by its spectacular and intricate layout. For starters, the corridors were narrow enough for only one person to enter at a time, which made it ideal if invaders would have tried to enter.  But also….

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They Could Seal Off Entryways


Large boulders were strategically placed on the side of every passageway which could be rolled easily by only a few men to block whole areas. If there ever was an emergency where they needed to flee or be protected, the inhabitants had 18 entire lower levels to flee to. To look down that gaping hole was both incredible and terrifying at the same time…

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Stop Who Goes There?


These heavy stone doors could close Derinkuyu from the inside in order to ward off dangerous intruders, and each storey could be shut off individually by each boulder. It is remarkable how they carved the stone and made their own utensils in order to do this.

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Intricate Infrastructure


The city of Derinkuyu was completely self-sufficient in having a water source. Vast wells ran deep into the depths of the city and provided a constant supply of fresh water to the inhabitants of the mysterious city. To prevent enemies from accessing and poisoning the water, the well wasn’t even accessible on ground level. The man power and hard work was very impressive. What else would they discover?

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Ancient Ducts


The residents at work were also extremely forward thinking when it came to the construction of the underground city. On the surface, you’d have to search pretty thoroughly to find the vents, and even if you did they weren’t large enough for a human to fit through.

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Genius Work


From the surface, however, cool air flowed down to all 18 levels of the city. It was truly astonishing for the man and the authorities. In an interview he claimed “I cannot believe what was sitting under my house all this time, and how clever all these details are”.

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Tiny Hidden Entrances


The man discovered that if one wanted to get into the underground city, they would either have to know exactly where in the maze the secret entrances were or do hours of searching the surrounding area. Since the discovery of Derinkuyu, over 100 of these little animal sized holes have been found, hidden behind rocks and walls or even hidden in courtyards. So what exactly was this spectacular underground city used for?

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Its Fascinating History


The Byzantine era was a turbulent time as Christians had to suffer raids from threatening Muslim-Arab nations. To provide a place of safety for themselves and their loved ones, the locals found solace in the underground city, complete with storerooms for supplies and stables for their livestock.

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Life Carried On As Usual


Though at first living life underground took time to adjust to, the many citizens of Derinkuyu soon found the living conditions quite manageable. they had little option but to adjust to their surrounds; their alternative was death. The population had acquired adequate provisions, such as running water, fresh air, wine cellars, and even a school and a church to worship in.

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Used During Multiple Eras


The Byzantine Christians were not the only ones who needed this underground network or rooms, caves and corridors. It also received heavy use during the 14th century as protection against invading Mongolian hordes. Even religious objects were safely stored underground to protect them from intruders.

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Blackened Ceiling


Fire torches were the only means of  providing light in the depth of the dark tunnels of Derinkuyu. This was evident due to charred and blackened ceilings by years of smoke and ash from the torches. Though this is an incredible example. did you know Derinkuyu isn’t actually the only underground city?

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Derinkuyu is Connected to Other Networks


Derinkuyu wasn’t the only underground city that was used by many to seek protection from perilous danger above. Other tunnels and networks have since been discovered that are connected to Derinkuyu which lead to other neighboring cities, most of which have around three levels. In the event that the city experienced a full-on siege, the 20,000 citizens had multiple places to flee to while the tunnels were easily defended by local troops.

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Mindblowing


This is a fascinating illustration of an underground city network just like Derinkuyu. Look at the church on the bottom level. Cities like this were used during times of Christian persecution, so religious items would be placed on the lowest levels for protection. This is amazing to think that they had the ability and provisions available in order to protect themselves.

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School Took Place


This large room with its vaulted ceiling was used as a religious school for the city children. It has been discovered that the city of Derinkuyu was used by Christian populations from the early Middle Ages up until the early 20th century. Even in times of persecution, they saw the importance and need for the education of the city’s youth.

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Who Built It?


While it’s still not very clear who originally burrowed out the underground city, archeologists have concluded that it was likely constructed by the Phrygians all the way back to the 8th or possibly even the 7th century B.C. It still remains the largest underground community found in Turkey and the man who found it is still astounded to this day that it was under his home.

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Crazy Conspiracy Theories


There are some other ideas about Derinkuyu’s purpose, but no one knows for sure the true intentions behind those who created the underground network. There are some theorists who claim that the city was indeed used for protection, but not from Mongols or Muslim-Arabs. Some conspiracy theorists have even suggested the city was built as a means to escape alien invasions… but who knows?

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The Man’s Identity Is Still Unknown


The name of the man who discovered this vast underground city is still unknown. All we know of him is that he was fortunate enough to stumble upon one of the most impressive archeological finds of the 21st century through a simple DIY project to enhance his home. It wasn’t until then that he was aware that his home had actual ties to such ancient history.

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Worth A Visit


The region of Cappadocia is home to this underground city and is a very popular tourist destination. Cappadocia is a geological wonder, full of honeycombed hills and towering boulders of beauty that feels like its a fantasy world. As many ancient tribes sought shelter underground here, it has left the countryside scattered with fascinating cavern architecture. Now this underground village has started to become one of the most famous sights.

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Food For Thought


To think this underground world was found all because one man needed to expand his home. It is truly incredible how it happened, and we bet the world is thankful that it did. So much can be learned about history from this one village, and about the people that lived on the land before us.

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So What Now?


“This new discovery will be added as a new pearl, a new diamond, a new gold” to Cappadocia’s riches” stated Ünver, the mayor, who wants to build “the world’s largest antique park,” with boutique hotels and art galleries aboveground, and walking trails and a museum below. “We even plan to reopen the underground churches,” he says. “All of this makes us very excited.”

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Risky Business


A team of archaeologists have continued to clear rubble from tunnels and explore deeper underground— this of course is a risky undertaking, since the terrain is prone to collapsing. “When the underground city beneath Nevşehir Castle is completely revealed,” he says, “it is almost certain to change the destination of Cappadocia dramatically.” So start booking your trip to Turkey!