A Man Knocked Down His Basement Wall, Discovering Ancient Underground City That Housed 20,000 People (Video & Pictures)

Imagine knocking down a wall in your home as part of renovations, only to find a tunnel to a secret underground city behind it? Though this sounds like the plot from a fantasy movie, it actually happened to one guy in Turkey, in 1963. The man, from Cappadocia in the Nevsehir province of Turkey got the shock of his life when he discovered the tunnel, which led to the ancient underground city of Derinkuyu. Read on to discover more about this incredible find.

Derinkuyu is the largest excavated city in the world. "Life underground was probably very difficult," the guide, identified as Suleman, told the outlet. "The residents relieved themselves in sealed clay jars, lived by torchlight, and disposed of dead bodies in [designated] areas." The exact date the impressive city was built remains contested, but ancient writings dating back to 370 BC indicate Derinkuyu was in existence.