Mazi Underground Cities

The village of Mazi, named ‘Mazata’ in ancient times, is 18km south of Ürgüp and 10km east of Kaymakli Underground settlement. On the steep slopes of the valley are rock tombs dating back to the Early Roman Era, whereas on the plateau there are tombs in great number dating back to the Byzantine Period.

The underground settlement was hollowed out on the west slope of the village, which is situated in the steep valley. Four entrances have been discovered in different places and the main entrance is a corridor made from irregular stones. The big millstone door in the short corridor enabled them to control the access to the city. The small room inside made the movement of the millstone door easier. Besides, there is an alcove opposite the millstone door to seal the passage completely. Therefore, it becomes impossible to get into the passage.

The places with columns, opposite the entrance, are the stables. The stables, covering a large area of the underground settlement are the same as the others. However, the presence of a trough, hollowed out of rock, in the middle of one of the stables is a feature that makes this underground settlement different from the others. The great number of stables indicates that many animals were raised; therefore, the people had a high economic standard.