They are impossible to detect from aircraft or satellite.
Bunkers, tunnels, catacombs and entire cities built deep in the earth or carved into rocks, still attract the attention of scientists all over the world. The history of some places date back hundreds of years and shrouded in mystery.
Derinkuyu, Turkey
One of the most unexpected discoveries of mankind – the underground city of Derinkuyu in Cappadocia. It was discovered in 1965, and, according to archaeologists, to date, studied only a tenth part of the maze. The city carved into soft volcanic rock, tuff, hardening on exposure to air.
The entrance to the city is within a one-story house. Further, the network of tunnels and stone rooms leaves to a depth of about 85 meters. In the walls of the underground city there are many premises – cells to repentance, chapels, schools, missionaries, bedrooms, meeting rooms and a shared meal, warehouses for weapons, workshops, wineries, barns.
Here we found the crypt with the resting bodies of the dead and stalls for cattle. Access to open air ventilation shafts, even on the lower floors to breathe easily. These mines were the wells with ground water, ensuring the needs of all the inhabitants of the maze. The air temperature in the cave is stable at 13-15 degrees above zero.
Experts agree that Derinkuyu in the II-I century BC it served as a shelter for 20 thousand people fleeing from raids of nomads and other pursuers. In another version of the maze was created even earlier, in the VII-VIII century BC the Phrygian tribes who migrated to the Central regions of modern Turkey.
It is not known whether there lived here people constantly or from time to time, but the facts indicate that an active life in the underground city lasted until the 8th century. Then he was forgotten and abandoned, only the farmers are kept in a cool room of Derinkuyu harvest. Now the city is open to tourists who can explore the first eight floors of the maze. Lower tiers, stretching deep under the earth, scientists have yet to explore.
The temple complex of Lalibela
Rock city in Central Ethiopia, founded in XII century BC, recognized by UNESCO as one of the greatest symbols of Christianity and the eighth wonder of the world.
The complex of ten temples have been carved on the orders of the representative of the dynasty of Zagwe king of Lalibela, three more were created after his death. According to legend, the monarch, who has lived in Jerusalem for thirteen years, made the decision about creating your own “heavenly city” in the African mountains. To work on the construction of temples was brought the famous master-masons from Israel and Greece.
The scale of construction is astonishing. The temples are not only deepened, and inscribed around the perimeter, a huge volume of volcanic rocks was taken out from the inside of underground buildings. Stonemasons gave the stone the outline of the dome, opened the Windows and doors, formed of columns and arches, having no right for mistake, because bruised tuff could not be reattached. To divert flowing water had dug numerous channels. The Church of the temple complex connected by tunnels-a maze located under the ground.
The architecture of the buildings maintains its local footprints has worked on the project masters. There are ancient swastikas, and Israeli star of David, Roman columns and Egyptian Windows and arches. Inside the buildings it is quite dark. The altar, icons, the crucifixion, carved ceilings, murals – decor and decoration of the temples completely carved from the rock, and the mountain climate keeps them from destruction. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year to enjoy the amazing aura of this place and admire the greatest legacy etiopiske culture.
Beijing Disya Cheng
Underground city under Beijing – a legacy of the era of Mao Zedong. The growth of tension in relations between China and the USSR in the 60-ies of the 20th century prompted the leader on the project bomb shelters in case of nuclear attack. A network of tunnels and chambers with a total area of about 53 square kilometers were dug by the inhabitants of the city in the period from 1969 to 1979. At the rear of the houses and businesses were placed and carefully disguised more than 90 entrances to the maze.
On the orders of Mao Zedong refuge was to ensure not only the survival of 40% of the population in a nuclear war, and leisure of citizens. In the underground city was equipped with a game room for children, hairdresser, cinema, shops, restaurants and even a roller skating rink.
The utility tunnels served as warehouses for storage of food, weapons and other supplies. Leading Chinese scientists were engaged in selection of crops that could be grown without sunlight.
Fortunately, Disya Chen did not have to use as directed. Many Beijing residents have long forgotten about its existence. However, foreign tourists are an object of great interest. Among the numerous corridors that lead tourists you will find inscriptions made by the builders – “dig deeper, keep the grain, don’t flatter yourself, you’re not the Emperor” and “For the people: prepare for war, prepare for famine”.
Today, a large part of the maze is closed for reconstruction. Some rooms are used as shops and offices, low cost housing and dormitories.
French Naur
In the province of Picardy near the town of Naur is one of the most famous underground cities. “Much” (Muche) – the so-called French such refuge, established to protect the population from enemy attacks.
City residents were hiding here from the Normans who came to occupy the North of France, the English during the hundred years ‘ confrontation and Spaniards in the Thirty years war. In peacetime, the premises used for commercial purposes. By the mid-19th century dungeon order decayed, and there is a real danger of collapse of the arch.
The facilities on Nauru could accommodate about three thousand people. The building was settled in the 9th century and then was used by the inhabitants of the town for several hundred years. Sometimes people had to stay in the labyrinth for several months, saving his own life and property.
Total area of the building, located at a depth of 33 meters under forest, up to two square kilometers. The maze includes a network of corridors, squares, galleries, chapels, bakeries, 400 living rooms and freshwater sources. Engineers Naur form was designed by a clever system of ducts providing outlets for smoke from the burning hearths, but it is not allowing to give the location of the asylum to the enemy.
Wieliczka salt mines
History is replete with examples where tunnels and quarries eventually turned into the underground city. A striking example – mine Wieliczka near Krakow in Poland, entered in the list of world heritage of UNESCO.
The development of the mineral was carried out here for over 700 years. Mine over time grown a complex of underground industrial and domestic structures: windmills for processing salt, warehouses, chapels, taverns for the workers. Some have settled here with their families, formed a small community, played the wedding, raise children.
Work has become a lifelong hard labor because of the prevailing stench from human and horse excrement. However, the air here had healing properties. It is possible, so could people survive in such difficult conditions, many were cured from the infections of the respiratory tract and allergic diseases. Even the horses took ill here, for a few months getting to his feet.
The walls of the corridors on all nine levels of the mine is covered with salt crystals – green due to impurities of clay in the upper layers and clear at the bottom. In some places they are reinforced by wooden piles, eventually impregnated with mineral.
Production of salt in the “Wieliczka” was discontinued in 1996 due to the depletion of deposits. The complex was equipped for excursions. The greatest interest is the Palace at the bottom of the mine, on the shores underground lake, the salt statues and sculptures and chapel of St. Kinga – one of a kind 19th century Church, entirely carved out of rock salt. To it difficult to get to, but despite that here every Sunday hosts a Catholic service, sometimes there are concerts with participation of world stars.
In the middle of the last century, known in Poland halterapis Felix Bochkovsky was founded in the mine sanatorium for patients with lung diseases. Some time through the corridors of the underground city strolled sick, breathing in the healing salt crystals. Medical center still works, however its customers are under the ground only 6-7 hours a day.
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