Ancient Sites
Price Without Pass: €3
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There are many unexpected natural wonders in Cappadocia, but the underground towns are by far the most remarkable. There are 36 underground cities hidden beneath the landscape of this wonderful area. These majestic buildings have housed Cappadocians for ages, giving them refuge from those who desired their destruction. Ozkonak underground city is among the best underground cities in the area. With a special communication system and defensive holes to pour hot oil on the enemy, you'll be amazed during your visit!
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Highlights
Explore Ozkonak Underground City
Walk in the corridors built thousands of years ago
Discover the amazing history of the underground cities of Cappadocia
Includes
Entrance to Ozkonak Underground City
The Cappadocian region was coated in ash from numerous volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, which ultimately hardened into soft volcanic rock. The majority of Cappadocia's features, including its underground cities, are now mostly attributed to the area's soft volcanic rock.
In light of this, around the fourth century BCE, Ozkonak Underground City was established. Later, the Persians and later the Romans arrived, but the Byzantine Empire's Christians are solely responsible for the underground city's expansion. When these Christians arrived in the area, they fled persecution, and they added churches and religious schools to the previously developed underground city of Ozkonak.
There was a rudimentary communication system established throughout the 10 decreasing levels of Ozkonak, a characteristic that was peculiar to the city, allowing each level to speak to the one above or below it. The city also has a series of holes right above the entrances through which hot oil could be poured on any invading army. There were other ambushes in the little tunnels to deal with the intruders if they managed to enter the city in addition to the oil holes, which served as the city's primary line of defense.
Open every day
Opening time: 08:00
Closing time: 17:00
Camii Kebir Mah. Turizm Cad. No:34 Özkonak/NEVŞEHİR
One of the most intriguing cultural treasures of Cappadocia is its approximately 200 underground towns, which range in size. Since there are both large and tiny rock settlements in every town and village in the Cappadocia Region, this number may rise even more. The majority of these rock villages were carved out by severely depressing soft tuff. Building underground cities is accomplished so that people can protect themselves. In underground cities, hundreds of rooms are linked to one another via protracted hallways and labyrinth-like passageways. To restrict the movement of the enemy, galleries are low, narrow, and long.
The Underground City of Ozkonak which is located 14 km from Avanos, was constructed on the steep northern slopes of Mount Idiş, where thick layers of volcanic granite and tuff are present. Tunnels link the galleries, which are dispersed across a wide region. The communication between the levels is made possible via extremely long and thin openings, unlike in the underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli. These five-centimeter-long and thin holes serve as ventilation even when the doors to properly carved chambers are closed.
Ozkonak, one of three vast underground strongholds in the area (together with Kaymakli and Derinkuyu), was found in 1972 by a farmer who noticed the water he would give to his crops seemed to strangely seep into the ground. Each of the towns had numerous, stacked levels of underground rooms that were linked to a startlingly sophisticated water and ventilation system. However, Ozkonak differs significantly from its sibling cities in two crucial ways.
The city's ten descending levels were connected by a rudimentary communication system that allowed each level to speak with the one above or below it. The city's system of holes directly above the city gateways, through which they could pour hot oil on any invading army, is another distinctive feature. There were other traps in the little tunnels to deal with the intruders if they managed to enter the city in addition to the oil holes, which served as the city's primary line of defense.
Today, four of Ozkonak's ten floors are accessible to the general public so that people can experience living underneath. It is a must-see if you are not claustrophobic.
Cappadocia Travel Pass comes with several benefits. Price reduction is one of the biggest benefits but surely not the only one! You can not only save a lot of money by purchasing a Cappadocia Travel Pass but also save a huge amount of precious time by skipping long queues with your pass. Feel like a VIP unlocking the doors of the top attractions and experiences in Cappadocia. Moreover, you can even fly over Cappadocia with a DISCOUNTED hot air balloon and get to experience the mysterious fairy chimneys from the sky!
The city's ten levels were connected by primitive communication that enabled each level to speak with the one above or below it. A system of holes above the city gateways, through which they could pour hot oil on any invading army, is also distinctive.
Yes, Ozkonak Underground City has a very distinctive character with its primitive but effective communications system and oil holes as a defense mechanism. It is a must-see in Cappadocia.
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Ozkonak, one of three vast underground strongholds in the area (together with Kaymakli and Derinkuyu), was found in 1972 by a farmer who noticed the water he would give to his crops seemed to strangely seep into the ground.