By Sinead Barry with TRTRT
Published on •Updated
Archaeologists have estimated that the city was probably built in the late Byzantine period, 600-800 years ago.
The underground city of Aydintepe is attracting throngs of visitors to Turkey's least populated region.
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Nearly two decades ago, a chance find during construction work unveiled an entire city just below the surface of Bayburt. Archaeologists have estimated that the city was probably built in the late Byzantine period, 600-800 years ago.
The site largely consists of small galleries, which are rooms carved into the main foundation rock without using any independent building material.
In 2018 alone, 15,500 tourists visited Aydintepe — an extremely high number for the province of Bayburt.