Around the world, many towns and cities were built on the vast network of tunnels, aqueducts, medieval houses and mines that, although long abandoned, allow visitors Go back in time and go down in history.
Mysterious legends and rumors… are what the underground cities keep and attract tourists to visit around the world.
From Krakow to New York, here are 6 places to have your underground adventures.
WIELICZKA SALT MINE, KRAKOW, POLAND
The Wieliczka salt mine, located not far from the city of Krakow, Poland, was discovered in the 13th century, and this place still produced table salt until 2007. Today, it is a world-famous destination before the pandemic.
As you descend to visit the area on the 378-step wooden stairs, you have many options to learn more about the salt mines. If you’re interested in history, you can book the Miners’ Tour and learn more about the hardships of salt miners.
If you want to learn about another aspect like religion, you can join a Pilgrimage Tour.
CITY HALL SUBWAY STATION, NEW YORK, USA
If you’re planning a trip to the Big Apple, be sure to head down to the heart of the city for a quaint New York experience.
Opened in 1904, New York City’s subway system has become immensely popular, especially as the first station was built underneath City Hall. However, the last train arrived at the station on December 31, 1945.
Restrictions on tours of the station can be booked in advance, with its vaulted ceilings, stained-glass skylights and tiled archways, still a mark of the times that the Spanish architect House Rafael Guastavino created.
HISTORICAL METRO PILSEN, PILSEN, CZECH REPUBLIC
Pilsen, a city in the western part of the Czech Republic, is home to the historic metro station of the same name – a maze of more than 20 kilometers long. This underground world, consisting of walkways, cellars and wells, was built beneath the city’s streets in the 14th century.
These tunnels were once a place to store food, kegs of beer and an escape route for many people. Legend has it that underground is also a place to hide a huge treasure, but until now no one knows the exact location of that treasure in the walls.
DERINKUYU UNDERGROUND CITY, NEVSEHIR PROVINCE, TURKEY
Large enough to hold more than 20,000 people, along with livestock and food stores, the size of the underground city of Derinkuyu – one of a number of cities in the historic Cappadocian region is considered breathtaking.
Throughout the years, they have been used by groups fleeing religious persecution and war, as the large stone doors can be sealed off floor by floor.
The tunnel complex was rediscovered in 1963 when a local resident found a room behind the wall in his home and continued to dig more paths to the city.
TUNNELS OF MOOSE JAW, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA
The peaceful city of Moose Jaw located in southern Canada is home to many tunnels divided into two separate floors. In the early 20th century, the government imposed taxes on immigrants from China. Worried about not being able to pay taxes, illegal immigrants are forced to choose to live underground.
The Tunnels of Moose Jaw
Many families of Chinese descent lived in this Moose Jaw tunnel, and made their money by working for owners with businesses on the ground. One of the famous rumors associated with this place is that the mafia boss Al Capone used this underground labyrinth to carry out his smuggling activities.
However, so far, rumors are still just rumors and there is no real proof. Today, it is one of the main tourist attractions of the city
EDINBURGH VAULTS, EDINBURGH, UK
Beneath the streets of the Scottish capital lies a dark, damp, 18th-century world known as the Edinburgh Vaults. This underground city opened in 1788, originally built as a tavern, a smelter, a place to store illegal materials…
One of the scary legends associated with this place is that it was once the serial killers Burke and Hare hid the bodies of their ill-fated victims. Today, they still evoke a creepy, chilling feeling for many people.
Even so, it is still a destination worth visiting for thrill-seeking travelers. Today, you can visit this place and listen to the chilling legends about this place told by tour guides.
