DERINKUYU

The first two shots are looking up the ventilation shaft of the underground city at Derinkuyu in central Turkey. The first is taken at about 30 metres (c. 100 feet down) the second at 56 metres. This was another amazing place in which 8 000 people could take refuge underground with their animals for up to (or down at) a month at a time.






Look carefully. This "millstone" - it's about 5 foot in diameter and a foot thick - rolled by gravity to block the tunnel to stop enemies getting in. (But how did the refugees get out?) And you thought Indiana Jones was made up!!













This is the underground church. You can see the two side aisles at right and left. I think I mean transepts. It's late.



This is the font. This'd be one to tell the kids. Being baptised under ground and under water at the same time.



An underground city impossible to detect from the surface - Ruth made it down to the first stone door like a tombstone and then freaked out - John went to the morgue 56 metres down! Incredible place - Turkey left me short of superlatives! I kept saying 'Extraordinary!'