5 ms·

Derinkuyu, the extraordinary underground city of Turkey

154 points by kjhughes 4y ago

renewiltord 4y ago
Visiting this place was totes fun. We played around inside. Very cosy. I remember wondering how safe it would have been to actually cook with fire inside. Don't recall what I concluded. Interestingly, I think there were armed guards around for some reason.
- jsnejrnrnrmn 4y ago
  What was your favorite place to visit
  - renewiltord 4y ago
    In Turkey? Ephesus was my absolute favourite. Cappadoccia is a fun time, too.
tromp 4y ago
Also discussed yesterday at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32625766 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32625766
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
tda 4y ago
I find this very fascinating, but when searching for more information online I only found very shallow aeticles rehashing the same bits of info. Where is the 3d pointcloud of this city? Sure the most intricate 3d structure of old os a prime candidate for 3d mapping. Actually I did not even find a proper 2d map of the place. https://matterport.com/discover/space/mehu-tomb-mqbrh-mhw https://matterport.com/discover/space/mehu-tomb-mqbrh-mhw of derinkuyu would be awesome!!
YouWhy 4y ago
Bret Devereux has recently written a great piece on foraging in ancient warfare [1]. TL;DR: foraging adds an unbearable burden on an already suffering populace. I can see why the countryfolk of Malakopi/Derinkuyu would go to almost any lengths to spare themselves. [1] https://acoup.blog/2022/07/29/collections-logistics-how-did-they-do-it-part-ii-foraging/ https://acoup.blog/2022/07/29/collections-logistics-how-did-...
picsao 4y ago
kubi07 4y ago
There are tons of abondened places like this in Turkey and no one cares about them. They are used as barns these days. Turkish government probably doesn't even know most of these places but treasure hunters loves them. If you are interested with this stuff check this youtube channels. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9f3EQl1eTWrLpS5o1fQMYQ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9f3EQl1eTWrLpS5o1fQMYQ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1b69YfMmuX6gOoWQaHI-Q https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1b69YfMmuX6gOoWQaHI-Q This Turkish guy is a treasure hunter which is illegal. There are many treasure hunter youtubers in Turkey but this guy is the best because he is not faking it. I enjoy it alot, highly recommended. No English subtitles but you can understand what's going on.
- pirate787 4y ago
  The ransacking of pre-Turkish Asia Minor continues...
  - kurupt213 4y ago
    Been happening since the bronze age
- plausibledeny 4y ago
  Thought it was amazing that around Göreme there are just miles and miles of abandoned cave houses with zero protection, not even fenced in. You could just wander through them freely.
aaron695 4y ago
jacobgorm 4y ago
I visited there as a child but had forgotten all about it until seeing this post. Magical place, though Göreme (where the last photo might be from) probably outshines it a little bit.
bspammer 4y ago
This post is making me excited, I have a trip booked to Turkey next month and we’re going to be spending a few days in Göreme. Any tips from other people who have been would be much appreciated!
ncmncm 4y ago
Mystified about how they could see, in deep levels, without smoking out everybody above. And, what happens to sewage. Maybe they ventured above ground at night to empty the chamberpots? The Egyptians had mile after mile of tunnels, and left no hint of soot on the ceiling.
yoran 4y ago
I remember visiting this underground city a couple of years back, and thinking, what were these people so scared off in the outside world that led them to build this? It's an incredible feat, I think even with today's tools, let alone back in the day. Very intriguing.
- bombcar 4y ago
  > Over 200 underground cities at least two levels deep have been discovered in the area between Kayseri and Nevşehir, with around 40 of those having at least three levels. I suspect that at least part of it was the ground in the area being easy to dig into to make a dwelling. Dry underground dwellings are very good in general if they can be made easily.
  - pmontra 4y ago
    Non only the ease of digging but also it being self-sustaining: it doesn't need reinforcements in roofs and walls. In modern times there is something similar in Coober Pedy, Australia.
- balentio 4y ago
  Antiochus was not exactly a nice guy if your beliefs happened to not be his.
  - MomoXenosaga 4y ago
    Religious tolerance is not mankind's strong point. Even in the Netherlands which prides itself on religious freedom it wasn't until 1848 Catholics were allowed to build churches again. It wasn't a popular move.
- AdmiralAsshat 4y ago
  Well my mind immediately went to the premise of A Boy and His Dog or Space Battleship Yamato where the surface was nuked and irradiated, but, might be a little premature for that.
- pikseladam 4y ago
bqmjjx0kac 4y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derinkuyu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derinkuyu
JoeAltmaier 4y ago
Better title: Derinkuyu, one of 36 underground cities in Turkey
- WithinReason 4y ago
  Maybe the other 35 aren't extraordinary

154 points by kjhughes 4y ago

Visiting this place was totes fun. We played around inside. Very cosy. I remember wondering how safe it would have been to actually cook with fire inside. Don't recall what I concluded. Interestingly, I think there were armed guards around for some reason.

jsnejrnrnrmn 4y ago
What was your favorite place to visit
- renewiltord 4y ago
  In Turkey? Ephesus was my absolute favourite. Cappadoccia is a fun time, too.

tromp 4y ago

Also discussed yesterday at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32625766 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32625766

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

tda 4y ago

I find this very fascinating, but when searching for more information online I only found very shallow aeticles rehashing the same bits of info. Where is the 3d pointcloud of this city? Sure the most intricate 3d structure of old os a prime candidate for 3d mapping. Actually I did not even find a proper 2d map of the place. https://matterport.com/discover/space/mehu-tomb-mqbrh-mhw https://matterport.com/discover/space/mehu-tomb-mqbrh-mhw of derinkuyu would be awesome!!

YouWhy 4y ago

Bret Devereux has recently written a great piece on foraging in ancient warfare [1]. TL;DR: foraging adds an unbearable burden on an already suffering populace. I can see why the countryfolk of Malakopi/Derinkuyu would go to almost any lengths to spare themselves. [1] https://acoup.blog/2022/07/29/collections-logistics-how-did-they-do-it-part-ii-foraging/ https://acoup.blog/2022/07/29/collections-logistics-how-did-...

picsao 4y ago

kubi07 4y ago

There are tons of abondened places like this in Turkey and no one cares about them. They are used as barns these days. Turkish government probably doesn't even know most of these places but treasure hunters loves them. If you are interested with this stuff check this youtube channels. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9f3EQl1eTWrLpS5o1fQMYQ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9f3EQl1eTWrLpS5o1fQMYQ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1b69YfMmuX6gOoWQaHI-Q https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1b69YfMmuX6gOoWQaHI-Q This Turkish guy is a treasure hunter which is illegal. There are many treasure hunter youtubers in Turkey but this guy is the best because he is not faking it. I enjoy it alot, highly recommended. No English subtitles but you can understand what's going on.

pirate787 4y ago
The ransacking of pre-Turkish Asia Minor continues...
- kurupt213 4y ago
  Been happening since the bronze age
plausibledeny 4y ago
Thought it was amazing that around Göreme there are just miles and miles of abandoned cave houses with zero protection, not even fenced in. You could just wander through them freely.

aaron695 4y ago

jacobgorm 4y ago

I visited there as a child but had forgotten all about it until seeing this post. Magical place, though Göreme (where the last photo might be from) probably outshines it a little bit.

bspammer 4y ago

This post is making me excited, I have a trip booked to Turkey next month and we’re going to be spending a few days in Göreme. Any tips from other people who have been would be much appreciated!

ncmncm 4y ago

Mystified about how they could see, in deep levels, without smoking out everybody above. And, what happens to sewage. Maybe they ventured above ground at night to empty the chamberpots? The Egyptians had mile after mile of tunnels, and left no hint of soot on the ceiling.

yoran 4y ago

I remember visiting this underground city a couple of years back, and thinking, what were these people so scared off in the outside world that led them to build this? It's an incredible feat, I think even with today's tools, let alone back in the day. Very intriguing.

bombcar 4y ago
> Over 200 underground cities at least two levels deep have been discovered in the area between Kayseri and Nevşehir, with around 40 of those having at least three levels. I suspect that at least part of it was the ground in the area being easy to dig into to make a dwelling. Dry underground dwellings are very good in general if they can be made easily.
- pmontra 4y ago
  Non only the ease of digging but also it being self-sustaining: it doesn't need reinforcements in roofs and walls. In modern times there is something similar in Coober Pedy, Australia.
balentio 4y ago
Antiochus was not exactly a nice guy if your beliefs happened to not be his.
- MomoXenosaga 4y ago
  Religious tolerance is not mankind's strong point. Even in the Netherlands which prides itself on religious freedom it wasn't until 1848 Catholics were allowed to build churches again. It wasn't a popular move.
AdmiralAsshat 4y ago
Well my mind immediately went to the premise of A Boy and His Dog or Space Battleship Yamato where the surface was nuked and irradiated, but, might be a little premature for that.
pikseladam 4y ago

bqmjjx0kac 4y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derinkuyu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derinkuyu

JoeAltmaier 4y ago

Better title: Derinkuyu, one of 36 underground cities in Turkey

WithinReason 4y ago
Maybe the other 35 aren't extraordinary