First off, some miscellaneous stuff.

To live in an underground city, you need at least two things: light

and air. The upper levels of the city are connected to the surface via shafts that provide natural
daylight and fresh air. This only works for the upper levels, though. Once you get to a certain depth,
you can no longer properly reflect the light to illuminate entire areas, and the airflow is too weak to
ensure a fresh supply of oxygen. That’s why, starting from the lower areas of the main city (see
below), bioluminescent plants are more commonly used. These plants grow well in dark and damp
places. These and other types of plants can also take care of filtering the CO2 from the air the same
way surface plants can. Richer Dwarves may be even able to afford lighting certain areas with a
daylight​ spell, allowing for surface trees to grow.
Another thing I wondered about is living underground itself. Dwarves may have darkvision, but if they
wouldn’t visit the surface on a somewhat regular basis, the entire race should probably have gained
a sensitivity to sunlight similar to the Drow a long time ago. I like explanations, so that’s why I figured
that Dwarves try to visit the surface as often as they can. This may have to do with the fact that
many Dwarves like to trade with other races, but it could also serve to create a distinction between
“Underdark dwellers” and Dwarves.
Living underground also comes with certain dangers. Monsters with a tunnelling ability are a
constant threat to the city. Covering the walls with worked stone might stop some of them, but not all
of them. Most cities would therefore have trained guardsmen that are constantly on the lookout for
such creatures.
Something else I should mention is that I consider Dwarves to be a combination of stereotypical
Germans, Vikings, and Scotsmen. Their society has many rules and conventions, and some cultural
nuances may seem weird to outsiders. They value protocol and tradition, and work hard. On the
other hand, they also love to drink and let loose after a day of hard work. Now for the actual structure
of a city:

ENTRANCE

Level:​ surface
Starting depth:​ approximately 0 meters below the surface
Facilities:​ The entrance into the city. Large stone gates protect the city from intruders. Built around
the entrance are at least several watch towers with archers. Depending on the city, the area around
the entrance may also be used for herding cattle and the like, as well as light farming. In an
underground society, products from the surface become luxury goods. The entrance opens into a
hallway that contains barracks on both sides. A group of guards is stationed here at all times in order
to deal with aggressive visitors.

RECEPTION

Level:​ -1
Starting depth:​ approximately 20 meters below the surface
Facilities:​ A long hall supported by large stone pillars. Contains multiple counters where visitors
must register themselves, as well as a waiting area with tables, chairs, and benches. There are
different doorways with stairs leading further down into the city. The royal family, nobles, major
clans, and commoners each have their own doorways. Visitors use a separate doorway from
everyone else.

MAIN CITY

Level:​ -2
Starting depth:​ approximately 50 meters below the surface
Facilities:​ Central area, this is where most of day-to-day life takes place. It contains the following
sub-areas:

● Living Area.​ All shops can be found in or around the central plaza, as well as the
church of whatever Dwarven deities your setting has. From here several tunnels
branch out, leading to the different quarters of the city. Each quarter is usually home to
a single clan, but everybody mingles in the market place. Nobles and the royal family
live in the same quarter, separated from the other Dwarves. The current king or queen
resides in a large palace-like building.
● Farming Area.​ Most Dwarves’ diet is based on meat, bread and edible fungi. Surface
vegetables, such as cabbages, potatoes, or carrots, are usually reserved for the rich
and affluent. The fungi are grown in small tunnels that are about 30cm in diameter.
This is done in order to maximise farming space. Meat comes from subterranean
‘cattle’, such as Giant Bats, Giants Insects, and fish that can be caught in
subterranean lakes.
● Foodstuff Storage.​ Pretty much what it sounds like. Meat is salted and stored in
barrels, cheese is left to ripen, and bread is baked regularly. Vegetable are cooled
when possible (see “Bonus content” below).
● Prison Area.​ Simple, uncomfortable chambers hewn out in the rock. These chambers
are somewhat further removed from the living area, and partially reach into the next
layer.
● Catacombs.​ Final resting place for the dead. Only accessible via one of several
entrances in the living area.

WORKING DISTRICT

Level:​ -3
Starting depth:​ approximately 150 meters below the surface
Facilities:​ Mines and forges are located on this level.

● Mining Area.​ Branches out in all directions, even further down. Dwarven mines can
reach several kilometres down into the earth, only stopping when the potential danger
outweighs the potential treasure. Dwarven stubbornness should, however, not be
underestimated. Smaller tunnels sometimes follow individual veins. Depending on the
level of technology your Dwarves have access to, mine cart tracks could be found here
that speed up transport. Areas that have been fully mined out are either collapsed or
used for expanding parts of the main city.
 ● Forging Area.​ The temperature is a lot higher here. Depending on the size and
complexity of the city, the forges make use of geothermal heat or magma. Particularly
advances Dwarven cities might have opened small portals to the Elemental Plane of
Fire for their forges, or employ bound/contracted Fire Elementals. One special thing
about the forging area is that it is connected to the surface directly through multiple
shafts. This is done in order to allow the smoke and steam that is produced during the
forging to escape. These tunnels are fitted with reinforced grates, and possibly even
traps, in order to prevent outsiders from climbing into the city unnoticed.
● Underdark Entrance.​ Dwarves trade with all kinds of races, including some in the
Underdark. Drow silk, for example, is considered very trendy amongst some Dwarven
nobles, and the Duergar make a strong, spicy alcoholic brew called Firelichen Wine.
For trading purposes, one or two former mine tunnels are usually repurposed into
entrances into the city. These entrances connect to a part of the main city where the
barracks are located, and are heavily guarded.

Dwarves wishing to visit the Underdark can do so via this entrance as well.

VAULT

Level:​ -4
Starting depth:​ approximately 300 meters below the surface
Facilities:​ Storage for the city’s valuables, such as precious minerals, treasures, artefacts and
important documents. The entrance is protected by a large metal gate. Visitors are expected to
remain in a waiting chamber while requests are being processed. Only the appointed Treasurers
may enter the Vault in order to store or retrieve items. Below the vault is a special ‘sub-floor’, that
keeps intruders out. The vault itself is heavily guarded as well, to the point where it should be one of
the most secure locations in your setting.

BONUS CONTENT

If you want to add more realism, you can try to keep track of the natural temperature below the
surface. Considering a planet or world that is similar to our Earth, the temperature at a depth of 25
metres remains constant, around 9°C. For each 33 metres of descent, the temperature increases by
1°C. To find the temperature for any given depth, you therefore take the depth and subtract 25.
Then, divide the result by 33, and add 9 to the result.