OT Staff
Derinkuyu, in Cappadocia, is an ancient underground city dating back to the 8th century BC. It spans 18 levels and could house 20,000 people. The city features ventilation shafts, wells, kitchens, schoolrooms, etc.
Dating back to 4000 BC, the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum is a well-preserved prehistoric underground complex. It served as a burial site and ritual space, with multiple levels and chambers.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine, near Kraków, has been operational since the 13th century. It extends over 327 metres deep with nine levels. The mine includes historical chambers, chapels, and sculptures carved from rock salt.
Built during the Cold War, the Burlington Bunker is a 35-acre underground complex designed to house the British government in a nuclear strike. It includes office spaces, cafeterias, medical facilities, and even a BBC studio.
Beneath Orvieto’s hilltop town lies a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers carved into volcanic rock. Initially created for wells and cisterns, these spaces later expanded to include sanctuaries, olive presses, and bomb shelters.
Naours, an underground city in northern France, dates back to the Middle Ages. It comprises over 300 rooms, chapels, and stables. The city served as a refuge during wars, providing shelter and safety for its inhabitants during turbulent times.
Setenil de las Bodegas is a unique town built into and under large rock overhangs. The integration of houses and streets into the rock formations creates a picturesque setting, blending natural and human-made structures.
Known as the “Rose City,” Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is famous for its rock-cut architecture. The city includes temples, tombs, and an amphitheatre, all carved into the sandstone cliffs.
Coober Pedy is an opal mining town where many homes, churches, and shops are built underground to escape the extreme heat. These underground dwellings, known as “dugouts,” provide a unique living environment.
RESO, also known as the “Underground City,” is a vast network of interconnected complexes beneath downtown Montreal. It includes shopping centres, hotels, and metro stations.