Excavation work underway in Turkiye’s Midyat to reveal huge underground city

By Halil Ibrahim Sincar and Selahattin Erol

MARDIN, Turkiye (AA) - Many artifacts from the second and third centuries AD were unearthed in an underground city here in Mardin's Midyat district.

Midyat, which is like an open-air museum with its history and culture, offers a magical atmosphere to visitors with its thousands-year-old stone houses, inns, mosques churches and monasteries.

Excavation teams discovered that a cave, which was found during works carried out in the historical streets and houses in the district two years ago, was not the only one, and that there were corridors within the cave which provide passages to different places.

Upon the recent discovery, excavation work was started in the area to reveal the underground city.

The underground city, which is called "Matiate," is home to many places of worship, silos, water wells as well as passages and corridors.

Anadolu Agency viewed the underground city where excavations continue at two separate points in the Ulu Cami neighborhood.

Midyat Mayor Veysi Sahin told Anadolu Agency that excavation work, which started to reveal the underground city, is underway.

Sahin said the underground city, where ancient and medieval structures are located, will increase the touristic importance of Midyat -- the shining star of the region.

He pointed out that authorities expect the number of tourists to increase from 2 million annually to 4 million after work to reveal the underground city is completed.

Sahin added that officials plan to open the underground city to tourism in parts when the excavation work is completed, adding that the area will be an important tourism destination for local and international tourists.