Kaymaklı, Nevşehir

Kaymaklı is one of the large underground cities in Cappadocia, in Nevşehir Province, central Turkey, formed by a network of carved rooms and tunnels. It is notable for its multiple subterranean levels and carved communal spaces used historically as refuge.

The complex contains a sequence of chambers such as kitchens, stables, storage rooms and ventilation shafts linked by narrow tunnels; excavations indicate the system reaches several levels below the surface, with a number opened for visitors. Interpretation focuses on the city’s role as a defensive refuge and on the engineering of its ventilation and access systems.

The underground city was expanded and used over many centuries, most intensively in the medieval period when local communities retreated underground during raids and warfare. Archaeological work and conservation have exposed parts of the complex for public viewing while much remains backfilled or unstable.

Kaymaklı lies in the Cappadocian region of central Anatolia within Nevşehir Province, surrounded by the volcanic landscapes and fairy-chimney formations typical of the area. The site is reached by road from nearby towns in Cappadocia and is part of the region’s network of underground settlements.

• Visitor conditions: Only the upper portion of the underground system is accessible to the public; passageways are narrow and uneven, requiring cautious walking and stooping in places.

What to See #

• Underground levels: Multi-level subterranean complexes of living rooms, storage areas, stables and ventilation shafts carved into volcanic tuff, several levels of which are open to visitors.
• Surface village and entrances: Surface remains including entrances, courtyards and the surrounding modern village that sits above and beside the excavated sections.