Gaziemir is an underground city located near the route connecting Ihlara Valley with Göreme in Cappadocia. Unlike other underground cities, Gaziemir is just below the ground, making it spacious and suitable for people with claustrophobia or restricted mobility. The history of Gaziemir dates back to at least the Hittite period, and it has been used as a monastery, underground city, and caravanserai over the centuries.
To visit Gaziemir, you can hire a car and follow the main road from Ihlara to Derinkuyu. 19 km from Ihlara (or 33 km from Derinkuyu), there is a junction where you turn off the main road in the direction of Gaziemir village. The underground city is exactly 1 km away from this junction. The intersection is marked with a brown signpost. Alternatively, you can book a sightseeing tour from a travel agency operating in Cappadocia. The tour typically includes trekking in the Ihlara Valley, a stopover at Gaziemir, and a visit to the Selime Monastery.
Gaziemir is divided into two parts, with the first part resembling a typical Cappadocian underground city, and the second part featuring a central courtyard surrounded by a variety of rooms, including two underground churches and a mysterious tank or baptistery. The only place where visitors with claustrophobia may have difficulties is a narrow and dark tunnel leading to a room described as a prison cell.
Gaziemir is open daily from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, and the admission fee is 3 TL. Please note that the staff only speak Turkish, and there is no public transport available to reach the underground city.
