Man on chicken pursuit stumbles upon hidden city in Turkey

Chickens can run so quickly and far that you should never underestimate their speed because you never know what you might find while chasing them. While chasing his chickens around his house in Turkey, a man came across a deserted ancient city that had once been home to 20,000 people.

The bizarre incident took place in the basement of an unidentified Turkish resident whose chickens escaped through a hole in the wall where construction was taking place when he attempted to remove his chickens from the area.

He discovered a tunnel when he tore it down, and that tunnel led to one of the most amazing unintentional historical discoveries in centuries.

Although the man's chickens' whereabouts are still unknown, he was the one who found the ancient city of Elengubu in 1963.

According to The Sun, the underground city, which is now called Derinkuyu, is believed to be the biggest ever excavated and was located about 280 feet beneath Cappadocia, where the man lived.

Additionally, it had two levels that could accommodate about 20,000 people.

Along with these, it had additional public spaces for the inhabitants of the area at the time, such as a church, a school, homes, and more.

However, 200 additional smaller underground cities have been found since the discovery, all branching off from Derinkuyu, even though only 40 metres of the site have actually been dug up.

The city's origins are either dated to the 15th or 7th centuries BCE, respectively, by the professionals at Made In Turkey.

They said: "Despite the disagreement on the architects of the town, there is a general consensus that the underground metropolis served to hide its inhabitants from their enemies. This purpose was especially crucial during the Byzantine period when Christians were fleeing from their Roman persecutors."

They continued: "When the Christians got to Cappadocia and discovered the city, they expanded and modified its existing structures by adding churches, schools, wineries, and other chambers that suited their needs."

They added: "It is estimated that Derinkuyu could sustain up to 20,000 inhabitants and their animals at a go."

It is believed that the area was partially used in the early 1920s but was forgotten when Christians left Turkey and moved to Greece. Excavation work continues at the site, and it is open to public tours.