The Ibnu Al Battutah's Apprentice: Kaymakli Underground City

Kaymakli Underground City: Entrance from main road

Kaymakli underground city (KUC) is one of the most famous underground city in Cappadocia, Turkey (actually it wasn't a city but only small town). It is situated in Nevsehir district in the central region of Turkey. There are many underground cities in Cappadocia. Click. Tatlarin, Derinkuyu, Kaymakli, Gaziemir, Ozkonak etc. Derinkuyu is the biggest. As I came to Cappadocia from Ankara via Aksaray, I met the Nevsehir town first. The nearest underground city to Nevsehir is the Kaymakli - and because of time and money I went there click. If you're going further using the same road you'll find the Derinkuyu Underground city. The entrance fees for KUC is TRL 15 (USD7.60). It is believed that the age of this underground city is around 1600-1700 years old. Prior to the entrance gate, there are shops selling souvenirs, restaurants, toilet and car park. Inside the KUC, there are networking tunnels, and these tunnels bring you to certain compartment. These compartments was meeting room, church, kitchen, winery and grain storage and well. In addition, there is air riser for ventilation to keep a comfort and fresh environment inside the KUC. What'ta creative dwellers. What can we see from outside is just an old and small fortress, seems nothing and surrounded by old houses. This KUC did impress me much. Just like the Cu Chi tunnel museum in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, initially this KUC was built for protection purpose. According to the history told by local people here, this KUC was built as a fortress to defend the Christians from the non-Christian Rome armies. At that time, Christianity began to spread in Europe. The weird geographical shape of Cappadocia and soft volcanic rock that form the hills are two main factors why the ancient Christians had chosen Cappadocia as their dwelling area.