dönütürenler

Dönütürenler refers to a group of tunnel systems and underground spaces created by the inhabitants of Karsa, a city in western Turkey, prior to 1923. The word "dönütürenler" itself means "those who turn inward" in Turkish.

The dönütürenler were a result of Turkish people being forced to migrate from eastern Thrace, Anatolia, and Istanbul to western Turkey as a result of the Treaty of Lausanne. This migration was a large-scale forced relocation that occurred in the aftermath of the Turkish War of Independence. The new residents of western Turkey, who were primarily Turkish Muslims, required a way to preserve their cultural and social practices, traditions, and ways of life.

The dönütürenler systems included various types of tunnel networks that served different purposes, including habitation, cultural activities, and agriculture. The tunnels were constructed primarily in Turkey's rural areas, particularly in the foothills of the Toros Mountains. Some of these tunnel networks were built underground to facilitate subterranean dwellings, buildings, and waterways, allowing the communities to maintain their customary practices, secrecy, and security.

Today, these historical tunnel networks are well-preserved in Turkey's countryside and rural areas, with some examples having been discovered as recently as the early 2000s. Efforts are still being made by the Turkish government to document and preserve the remnants of these complex tunnel systems for future generations.