Man Found World’s Largest Ancient Tunnel Network Behind Wall in his Home

When doing repairs on your home you certainly don’t expect to find the largest underground tunnel network in the world.

But that is exactly what happened to one man in Turkey. An unbelievable discovery revealing a lost world, all right behind his household wall.

In 1963, a man in Turkey was digging out part of a stone wall to make room for an extension in his house. He was surprised to find that there was space behind the wall.

More than three hundred thousand square feet of space! He had stumbled across what is now recognized as one of the largest subterranean complexes ever found.

Located almost exactly in the center of Turkey in the region best known as “Cappadocia,” this particular complex is located in the modern town of Derinkuyu.

That the man found this complex while digging out his house was surprising, as was its size, but Cappadocia was already famous for its underground dwellings.

There are over two hundred known underground “cities” of various sizes in the region (most of them would more properly be called “villages” or “hamlets”).

At least forty of them have three or more levels, with Kaymakli and Derinkuyu having eight and eighteen (!), respectively.

Most archaeologists believe that the caves were begun by the Phrygian people (one of the many “sea peoples” that invaded the Aegean and Turkish area from the west, and who are mentioned in ancient texts) in about the 7th or 8th centuries B.C.

As one can imagine, there are many good reasons for building a city underground. First and foremost was likely defense, but of course, shelter from the weather was an important factor too. No wind, no rain or snow, protection from the blazing Mediterranean sun.

Another factor was access to water. Rivers and lakes run dry and enemies might control water sources in an effort to subdue your people, but if you are sitting directly on top of an aquifer, you’ve got all the water you’ll ever need.

The tunnels and stairways are just wide enough for one adult to make their way through – enemy warriors could only fight one on one in the corridors.

Oil lamps lit the halls, stairways and dwellings, and could be extinguished by retreating warriors and families to confuse invaders. Dead-ends known only to those living in the complex would also add to any confusion.

Large circular stones could be rolled into tunnels, blocking further advance. During the original Turkish invasions in the 10th century, and into the Ottoman era, these caves were used as refuge and defense.

Today, many of these underground cities and towns are open to the public and are Turkish national treasures.

Ref: Property Report