While many tourists crowd familiar above-ground landmarks, beneath the city streets lie some of the world’s most interesting historical places. Such underground worlds offer peeks at times past that are extraordinary, where ancient passages and forgotten chambers reveal extraordinary tales of human ingenuity and survival.
Here’s a list of the most interesting underground places around the world.
Portland’s Shanghai Tunnels
The infamous Portland Underground hides very dark secrets of the city’s maritime past. These mysterious tunnels connect Old Town to the waterfront, allegedly used for kidnapping sailors—increasingly known as ‘Shanghaiing.’
Today, guided tours reveal fascinating artifacts and stories from this dark chapter of history.
Edinburgh’s Real Mary King’s Close
Beneath Edinburgh’s Royal Mile lies a perfectly preserved 17th-century street, frozen in time. These atmospheric passages give an insight into medieval Scottish life, complete with the original houses and shops and tales of plague outbreaks that have shaped the city’s history.
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Seattle’s Underground City
When the Great Fire of 1889 razed Seattle, the city took the extraordinary step of rebuilding on top of the remains. Nowadays, modern visitors can take a walk through those amazingly preserved underground streets, exposing former ground-level storefronts and sidewalks that show the innovative spirit of urban renewal.
Paris Catacombs
Beneath the elegant streets of Paris, there exists a haunting network of tunnels housing the remains of millions. Now an elaborate ossuary made from former limestone quarries, it offers a deep journey through the complicated relationship that the city has with mortality and remembrance.
Cappadocia’s Underground Cities
Ancient engineers carved out complex settlements from the volcanic rock of Turkey, creating multi-level cities that could shelter thousands. Many of these multi-functional complexes had very sophisticated ventilation systems, storage facilities, and living quarters.
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Hospital in the Rock – Budapest
Tucked away in the caverns under Buda Castle lies this former secret hospital, which served patients during World War II and the 1956 Revolution. This well-preserved facility shows original medical equipment and lifelike exhibits to give powerful insights into healthcare during the wartime period.
Little Chicago tunnels in Moose Jaw
Its underground tunnels became famous during Prohibition as hideouts for bootleggers and organized crime figures. Modern tours bring this colorful era to life, showing unexpected connections between a Canadian prairie town and Chicago’s notorious gangsters.
Beijing’s Underground City
Built during the Cold War tensions, this huge network of tunnels was designed as a giant civilian shelter. These include theaters and recreational facilities—rather unusual features that provide endlessly interesting insights into the mindset of civil defense planning.
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Montreal’s RESO underground
This modern wonder links more than 19 miles of climate-controlled tunnels, offering a welcome respite from the harsh Canadian winter. The network shows innovative urban planning, with no separating commercial plazas, metro stations, and office buildings.
Naples’ Bourbon Tunnel
Originally engineered as a royal escape route, these tunnels later served as crucial World War II shelters. The passageways now contain an impressive collection of vintage vehicles and wartime artifacts that solemnly chronicle the indomitable spirit of Naples.
Krakow’s Underground Market
Beneath the historic Market Square, state-of-the-art museum exhibitions bring to life medieval trade routes. With interactive exhibits and archaeological treasures, an immersive trip through a millennium of Polish history and commerce is afforded.
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Moscow Metro-2
This classified transit system has long captured the public imagination with its mysterious network of government tunnels. Though much remains restricted, the open portions give a rare glimpse into Cold War infrastructure and planning.
Derinkuyu Underground City
The most amazing of the subterranean wonders of Cappadocia goes eight levels beneath the earth. This engineering feat could house 20,000 people with such facilities as wineries, schools, and pens for livestock—a brilliant work of ancient architecture.
Rome’s Underground Basilicas
Layers upon layers of religious history lie beneath the streets of modern Rome, preserving exceptional early Christian art and architecture that offer unique perspectives on centuries of spiritual evolution.
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Cincinnati’s Abandoned Subway
This unfinished transit system is a pretty interesting monument to early 20th-century ambition. The preserved tunnels and stations provide very crucial insights pertaining to historical urban planning and the challenges of public infrastructure projects.
Great Finds Ahead
Each site offers a unique chance to learn something new and, by digging, discover great spaces where past and present collide – proving that some of the world’s most incredible discoveries are just beneath your feet.
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