Gaziemir Underground City

One of the most famous underground cities of Cappadocia is Gaziemir underground city. Cappadocia balloon tourBesides visiting the fairy chimneys, the best cultural activity you can do is to visit the underground city. It is not known exactly for whom the underground city was built. It is a sheltering, protective and surprising place. The geological formations of the underground cities are unique to Cappadocia. There is none like it in the world. According to research, there are more than 200 underground cities in Cappadocia. But 36 of these underground cities are known for now. Gaziemir underground city is one of the last discovered places. The feature that distinguishes Gaziemir underground city from other underground cities is that it is also a caravanserai. It is quite an amazing place with travelers and innkeepers. People are wondering where the Gaziemir underground city is.

Gaziemir underground city is located in the square of Gaziemir village. It was discovered by chance towards the end of 2006. However, it took 6 months to clean the underground city and make it ready to be visited. Thus, it was opened to the public in 2007. Underground cities were generally established for protection. However, it is known that Gaziemir underground city was established for accommodation. Another reason why there are so many underground cities in Cappadocia is that it is located on the Silk Road. It is also a place with hundreds of caravanserais and underground cities. However, the use of Gaziemir underground city as a caravanserai is a first in the world. So much so that the history of the underground city is based on the Hittites. However, it was used extensively in the Byzantine Period.

Aksaray Gaziemir Underground City

Gaziemir underground city was used as a stopover place for caravan camels during the Seljuk Period. At the same time, the Gaziemir underground city entrance fee may vary. Also, the Cappadocia museum card is not valid here. The entrance to the underground cities is usually made through narrow tunnels, corridors and labyrinths due to its structure. However, there is no such situation at the entrance to the Gaziemir underground city. Gaziemir underground city is spread over an area of ​​50 square meters. At the same time, the entrances are quite comfortable and there is a watchtower with water arcs running from the top.

The upper part of the Gaziemir underground city is completely open. However, there is a 10 meter long corridor at the entrance. In this corridor, there are patterns made with the stone overlap technique and reflecting the Hittite art. These are structures that have never been seen before in underground cities. The patterns we see especially in the corridor at the entrance of the Gaziemir underground city are only seen in the shadow of Hattusha Bogazkale, the capital of the Hittites. At the end of the corridor, there is an open space that provides passage to different parts of the underground city. Since the open area was filled with soil before, it was not understood that it existed until the area was opened. However, when research was conducted in the underground city, it was seen that there were two churches. There is a very large Şırahane here. Thus, grapes were crushed to make wine, and many wine jars were also found here. At the same time, warehouses for supplies, small and large stoves, tandoor, Turkish bath, kitchen, special resting rooms for bedrooms were discovered. However, it has been understood by historians that it was an underground city established for shelter.

Gaziemir Underground City
Gaziemir Underground City

How was Gaziemir Underground City Found?

There are many structures to ensure security in the Aksaray Gaziemir underground city. Many hiding places were found during the Gaziemir underground city works, which were made to be opened to visitors. In addition, these hiding areas connect the tunnels. It is seen that the details of ventilation, lighting, defense and transportation in the underground city were planned perfectly. For visitors who come to visit, this flawless workmanship and who lived here in previous times are a matter of curiosity. While entering the churches in the city, visitors have to pass through a narrow tunnel. The construction of churches in this way can be considered as a protection structure. So much so that these tunnels prevent anyone from entering the churches. The interior is quite large and decorated with columns. At the same time, the entrances of the churches were covered with large bolt stones. Especially Gaziemir underground city activities allow many people to have an unforgettable time every year.

The discovery of the underground city dates back to 2006. Previously, in 1974, İbrahim Hakkı Konyalı mentioned this place in his book titled “Aksaray History”. In addition, the underground city is also referred to as Gaziemir Inn in the book. However, local people have known about the underground city since ancient times. Archeology studies, on the other hand, took a long time to be discovered because it started late. In ancient times, there was a barn at the gate of the city. This barn was found closed because the flood waters brought mud. In addition, during the cleaning, camel bones were found in the underground city. This situation was seen as evidence that the underground city of Gaziemir was used as a caravanserai and excited historians.

The Legend of Gaziemir Underground City

When the structure of the Gaziemir underground city is examined, it is seen that the connections are made in the form of large cavities so that the camels can move freely. In addition, attention was paid to the comfort of the animals in the construction of the area. Gaziemir underground city entrance price and other fees are very suitable for everyone to visit. Barns were built here for the animals to be comfortable inside. These barns are quite large areas. Thus, there are hook holes on the barn walls for tying animals. In addition, bait cavities were made on the wall to put the baits. In order not to be dehydrated in the city, large water troughs were built. The columns used in its construction give the underground city a magnificent atmosphere. At the same time, the underground city, which has the atmosphere of the Basilica Cistern, fascinates many people. Gaziemir underground city prices are attractive for visits as they depend on the local municipality.

Where is Gaziemir Underground City

Gaziemir underground city, which is news to world televisions, has a unique structure. With this feature, it took its place in a documentary broadcast on many TV channels around the world. For those coming from Nevşehir city center, there is a distance of 55 km. In addition, those who will come from the Aksaray region can reach the underground city after 40 km. However, the underground city is in Güzelyurt district of Aksaray province. The entrance of the underground city in Gaziemir Village is located in the center of the village. For those who will go by private car, you need to turn from Aksaray center to Sevinçli road and proceed on the Aksaray-Guzelyurt road. When you come to Güzelyurt, the signs of the underground city give you the necessary directions. If you want to see other underground cities after visiting Gaziemir underground city, there are many tours.Cappadocia daily tours . You can visit other underground cities within the tour by joining the Blue, Green or Red tour included in this tour.

Gaziemir Underground City Map

Gaziemir underground city map helps visitors who come to visit the area better. You can get to the underground city using public transport. After taking the Güzelyurt minibus at Aksaray terminal, it is sufficient to inform you that you will get off at Manastır Valley. The distance between Güzelyurt and the underground city is 14 km. A private firm operates the underground city. For this reason, unfortunately, museum cards are not accepted at the entrances. Those who want to visit can visit the underground city every day. The distance from Aksaray city center to the underground city is 42 km. This underground city, which was built not for defense but for accommodation, is one of the most special structures in our country. When we look at the underground cities, we see giant wheel-shaped doors that close the entrances. However, there are no such gates in the Gaziemir underground city.

The gates inside the underground city were built in small size. But protection has not been forgotten either. Many private and safe areas have been made to hide in for any dangerous situation. You can enter the underground city from two places. When entering from the square, there is the first entrance in the eastern part. The entrance, made of the Hittite stone thrust method, presents a magnificent view. After the entrance, there is a large spacious area that serves the purpose of accommodation. You can learn more about this art by examining the stone overlay method. People who come to tour start the tour by examining the building at the entrance.

Gaziemir Underground City Contact

The region attracts visitors in all four seasons. Thus, Gaziemir underground city is open to visitors every day. Gaziemir underground city center  has very easy access. When you start your tour, there are signs to guide you in the open area when you pass the entrance and they are put in a way that everyone can easily understand. Large stables in the underground city are very interesting. They were built for the safe accommodation of animals and especially camels. You can visit the churches and the winery. You can examine the warehouses and kitchens. Rest rooms have also been built quite successfully. The camel stables built in the left section are very interesting and must-see areas for those who go for a walk.

The underground city, which holds its own secrets, attracts people’s attention. Gaziemir underground city allows you to spend a different day as if you are going to visit a museum. There is a lot of information to learn as you tour, thanks to the winery, the water troughs and the many different areas that have been built. Another part where you can enter the underground city is the entrance on the west side. After entering, you come to the entrance area, which has a large width. There are magnificently constructed water channels and lighting system here. It impresses you as soon as you enter. We can call this area a hall and it amazes the visitors with its impressive structure at the entrance. After entering the hall, continue on the right and you will have a wonderful experience by visiting all the areas in the underground city in order.

Where is Gaziemir Underground City

Gaziemir village gave the city its name. However, one of the most beautiful features of the Gaziemir underground city is that the area was built in a very large and spacious way. Gaziemir underground city is a place where you can easily go from Nevşehir region. It is located in the center of Gaziemir village. For people who are afraid of claustrophobia, it may be difficult to visit the underground cities, but this is not the case as the Gaziemir underground city is built as a very spacious area. There are no deep, long stairs or narrow corridors. It was built not like an anthill, but rather like a spacious house for people to stay comfortably. The underground city, which has also been the subject of a documentary, is one of the most special places in our country. If you are thinking of staying in a Gaziemir underground city hotel, there are good places to stay in the region.

Due to the very special nature of the region, it is visited by thousands of people every year. In addition to sightseeing, people come for information purposes as they are curious about the region. It is one of the places that foreign tourists want to visit the most, as well as local people. Since the underground city is hot in winter and cool in summer, you can visit whenever you want. Village people are also very helpful people who help everyone who comes to visit. When you want to have a different and informative experience at the weekend, one of your best options would be to visit the underground city of Gaziemir.

Gaziemir Underground City
Gaziemir Underground City

Gaziemir Underground City Features

Gaziemir underground city, which draws attention in terms of its features, is located in the square of Gaziemir village. Thus, both the departure and the visit of the underground city are quite easy. Gaziemir underground city project started to be cleaned in 2006 and opened to visitors a year later. With an open top entrance and large areas, the underground city surprises those who visit it. Because it does not resemble the structure of a normal underground city. The water channels coming from the upper parts of the underground city also prove to us that the upper part of the city is open when the city is active. Underground cities are built for defensive purposes. For this reason, the entrances are narrow enough for a person to pass by crouching. However, this situation is not observed in the Gaziemir underground city. When the Gaziemir underground city picture is examined, you can see that the entrance is spacious.

In the entrance part of the normal underground cities there is a bolt stone. This bolt stone also allows the entrance to be closed. There is an exile stone in Gaziemir underground city, but it is quite small in size. The entrance part is also built wide so that you can walk comfortably while standing. Considering all these features, we understand that there is an underground city built to be a caravanserai. When you pass through the closed areas, you will see that it is built in such a way that a camel can fit comfortably. These features prove that it is the first and only underground city built in the form of a caravanserai in our country. Maybe it’s the only one in the world.

Travel Guide Gaziemir Underground City

Trip planning is important, especially in cultural trips. In this context, when you enter the Gaziemir underground city, you will encounter signs that will guide you easily. Gaziemir underground city history dates back to Byzantine times and Byzantine coins have proven this. Kitchen rooms, tandoor rooms, barns built for animals are wide enough for everyone to walk around comfortably. As you begin to tour the underground city, the beauty of each section fascinates the visitors. In order for the animals to be comfortable in the underground city, the barn sections are built very spacious and wide. It can be said that it was built more beautifully than the areas where people will stay. This is because animals are very important. Mangers are built in hollows inside the walls.

The section with the narrowest entrance in the underground city is the church entrance. You can also reach Gaziemir underground city by phone and inform about the days you want to visit. After passing through the entrance, you can visit the church, which was built with columns and has a large area. In order not to spoil the atmosphere in the church part, the lighting was not made too high. Another feature of the church entrance is that it has a large bolt stone unlike the entrance of the underground city. This bolt stone used at the entrance of the church is proof that they were very careful to keep the church safe. Another part of the underground city you can visit is the winery district. The people staying here used this region to make wine. After the grapes are placed in the field, grape juice starts to fill in the large pool in the middle and the process proceeds.

Transportation

There are also many people who want to watch the Gaziemir old city live, because people may not have time to visit. Gaziemir underground city is a place that excites everyone who visits it. Since it is the first underground city used as a caravanserai in history, it is one of the places that attract the attention of many travelers. Its coincidence also increases the interest in the region. In the underground city, both the people and the people traveling to do business stayed. The underground city is completely underground, but it is designed as if it was built above the ground. This is also a first. The most used period is the Byzantine Period. It has also provided accommodation for many animals other than humans. Gaziemir underground city directions are very easy both by private car and public transportation.

Compared to other underground cities in terms of structure, the biggest difference is that the upper part is left open. The length of the corridors is 10 meters. It was built using the Hittite art using the stone overlay technique. When we think about this feature alone, we will understand why it differs from other underground cities. The presence of two churches, a winery and a wine jar proves that the region is a caravanserai. Liters of wine fit into wine cubes. The places built for ventilation and lighting system, transportation and protection were designed and built with a magnificent architecture. It fascinates everyone who visits.

Visits to the Underground City

Gaziemir underground city fascinates everyone who visits it with its unique architecture. When you want to visit Gaziemir underground city, you can do it in any season. While the underground city was being built, you can see with your eyes that the entire structure was designed in a perfectionist way. Gaziemir underground city is known by the people of the region long before the necessary restoration works. However, it took time to discover this magnificent structure as no work was done. The underground city mentioned in the history books as Gaziemir Inn is the only underground city used as a caravanserai. The stone masonry corridor at the first entrance preserves a special place among its peers. The underground cities were carved into the rock, and the corridor built without stonework in this way is not found in any other underground city.

After entering through the corridor comes an open area where you can pass to different parts of the underground city. The discovery of the underground city was delayed this much, as this area was covered with mud before it was cleaned. Having two churches makes the underground city even more interesting to visit. One of the most interesting areas is the winery, which is used for winemaking. Christians used these areas specifically to make wine. During the cleaning, many Byzantine coins were found in the area. This shows us that the underground city was used frequently at that time.

Conservation Studies

Gaziemir underground city is a structure that is very important to protect because it is the only one in our country in terms of its features. The people of Gaziemir village are also very helpful to those who want to get information about the Gaziemir underground. The bath, different living areas, small and large stoves were built for the comfort of the people staying here. There are also large mangers and stables for animals. In addition, the corridors in the underground city are wide enough for people, as well as large animals such as camels, to roam comfortably.

During the cleaning operations, camel bones were found in the area. This is another proof that the underground city was used as a caravanserai. Cleaning the area took 6 months. Cappadocia is a very rich area in terms of underground city. Gaziemir underground city has also been one of the areas that make the region unique. Cappadocia is one of the most special regions of our country with its unique features. For this reason, many tourists come to visit this place every year. The discovery of the Gaziemir underground city in 2006 also contributed to the uniqueness of the region. In June 2007, the underground city was opened to the public. Underground cities are cities built underground to protect people against dangers. Its entrances are closed with both narrow and large stones. The situation is different in the Gaziemir underground city. This is the only place that has the distinction of being a caravanserai built for accommodation.

Underground City Aksaray

Cappadocia region is on the Silk Road. For this reason, many people throughout history have needed accommodation while passing through this area. Researches on why underground cities were built have revealed that they are for protection purposes. However, when we examine the Gaziemir underground city, we are sure that it was used as a caravanserai. It is an underground city dating back to the Hittite period and contains many elements of history. It is understood from the Byzantine coins found during the cleaning that it was used quite extensively during the Byzantine Period. People traveling for commercial purposes stayed comfortably in the underground city of Gaziemir. Camel caravans used the underground city to stay. The entrance located in the square of Gaziemir village allows people to find the area easily when they want to visit.

A classic underground city has narrow staircases and rather small corridors. The reason for this is to be protected and safe. But in Gaziemir underground city, the situation is the opposite. The corridors were built wide enough for camels to pass. People’s accommodation areas are also quite spacious. It is seen that the underground city was built on an area of ​​50 square meters. The entrance areas are also very comfortable and the animals are made to roam freely inside. It is very important that the animals used in the trade are safe and healthy during the period they are made. For this, the areas where the animals will stay are designed and secured to be very prosperous.

Information About Underground Cities

Underground cities are one of the special areas that receive quite a lot of visitors around the world. The unique structure of the Gaziemir underground city has brought many foreign researchers to our country. The fact that the upper part of the city is open is a structure encountered for the first time in our country. It is normally built for the purpose of protecting underground cities in a covered way. However, the Gaziemir underground city is open and many water channels pass through the upper part. This is another evidence of its use as a caravanserai. The corridor at the entrance is not narrow, on the contrary, it is a very spacious area with a length of 10 meters. It was built with the stone thrust technique peculiar to the Hittites. It is impossible to see this technique in another underground city. The legend of the underground city has always been a subject that attracted people’s attention.

Our country is very rich in terms of underground cities. Gaziemir underground city is in a very special location compared to others. The fact that there are two churches indicates the presence of Christians staying in this area. In addition, the winery used for winemaking was built for the Christians staying here. Many wine cubes were found during the cleaning. The rest rooms, designed in the form of rooms, are made for the comfort of the visitors. The fact that it is a Turkish bath also shows the importance given to the comfort of the visiting passengers. There are also supply warehouses. There are many hearths, large and small, and are used for cooking for the people staying here.

Underground City Entrances

Gaziemir city is in a separate location from different underground cities because it was built for accommodation. The underground city is also a very professional structure in terms of ventilation. In addition to the purpose of shelter, there are still many hiding places for defense purposes. These hiding places connect the tunnels in the underground city. People have made sure that they are both comfortable and safe here. The lighting system is also perfectly designed. The church remains shaded compared to other parts. The entrance to the church is also narrower than other areas. This is to ensure that worshipers are safe and that not everyone can enter churches. Every detail was thoughtfully thought through during construction. Brief information about the underground city is very useful during the tour.

While visiting the Gaziemir underground city, you will have visited an underground caravanserai, which is the only one in the country. While people are visiting the underground city, they are fascinated by the area by wondering who came and lived here. Columns were used during the construction of the churches, as in the rest of the underground city. Columns add spaciousness and elegance to the underground city. Although there are no entrances to the underground city, there are bolt stones at the church entrances. Bolt stones are used to close the entrances in underground cities used as shelters. Gaziemir underground city, which is used for accommodation, is the only underground caravanserai in our country and in the world. It is known that approximately 2 million visitors coming to the region every year visit this place within their means.

Leave A Comment