For centuries, Alexandria was one of the most important cities of the ancient world. Founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great on the northernmost coasts of Ancient Egypt, this city rapidly grew as a...
In the heart of Paris lies a subterranean world of catacombs , a network of underground tunnels and rooms that span hundreds of kilometers beneath the city’s streets. These catacombs house the...
Beneath the streets and buildings of many of the world's most historic cities lie mysterious and ancient catacombs. These underground burial sites hold the remains of thousands of people and have...
Religious visions have frequently taken place in the dark damp setting of caves and subterranean chambers making them attractive locations for shrines, chapels, pilgrimages and healing. One of the...
The Palermo catacombs is a huge crypt full of mummified monks, professionals, and children. The child mummies in the Palermo catacombs literally look as if they are asleep in time. Now, 41 of these...
The ancient man-made subterranean catacombs of Malta, make up an artificial tunnel system first built in prehistoric times. This vast network of tunnels connects temples, dwellings, sanctuaries and...
Human beings have always had a fascination with death. In some cultures, the dead are never left alone, but continue to interact with the living. For instance, some set up ancestor cults to...
In July of 2016, seventeen-year-old Mike Mansholt, a tourist from Germany, vanished after setting out to explore the catacombs of Rabat on Malta, also known as the “Realm of the Dead”. Mike’s frantic...
Saint Januarius is a saint venerated in the Roman Catholic Church . He is the patron saint of Naples but is best-known for a miracle that happens several times each year – the liquefaction of what is...
The city of Naples in Italy has much to offer and is said to be the birthplace of pizza as well as being known for its beauty, culture, and art. One of the most unique historical sites in Naples are...
Walls constructed of human bones and skulls have been discovered beneath a Belgium cathedral. The nine walls composed of bones and shattered human skulls were discovered by archaeologists while...
Ukraine. A vast country that prides itself on a history rich with heroes and artists. A nation whose foundations stand on centuries of struggle and fighting for independence. Many of Ukraine’s cities...
Paris, the capital of France, is often called La Ville Lumière (meaning ‘The City of Light’), however, beneath this bustling European city of 12 million people, lies a dark subterranean world holding...
Located just some 60 miles of the coast of Sicily, smack in the middle of the Mediterranean lie the Maltese Islands. The three small islands are Malta, it's sister island of Gozo and the small island...
Few visitors recognize that there is a forgotten world below the Roman Colosseum and Forum. The ancient maze of tunnels and quarries date back to the very beginning of this famous city. Locals, on...
Formerly blacked-out frescoes and ancient graffiti in some of Italy’s largest catacombs have been revealed using laser and scanner technology. Restorers, employed by the Vatican, have unveiled...
In many countries, laws prohibit employers from discriminating based on sex. However, exemptions to this law are often made for religious orders. The Roman Catholic Church is adamant that women...
Beneath the city of Rome, among its ancient remains, lie many complexes of catacombs. One of the oldest of these is the one dedicated to Saint Agnes. Agnes (or Agatha) was a beautiful young woman who...
The discovery of some 2,000-year-old tombs from the Roman era in Malta have archaeologists buzzing. They say the bones are so old they can’t be called by the name “Maltese,” but the deceased were...
The Znojmo Catacombs are a series of subterranean passageways located beneath the city of Znojmo, in the Czech Republic. The underground tunnels were built to protect and shelter people in times of...
Beneath Paris, the bustling European city, lies a dark subterranean world holding the remains of 6 million of its former inhabitants. These are the Paris Catacombs: a network of old caves, quarries...
In 1578, the Roman catacombs near Via Salaria were discovered by curious vineyard workers and later fully uncovered by archeologists, revealing a vast unearthly spectacle. Between 500,000 and 750,000...
A UNESCO committee has named an ancient Jewish necropolis outside Haifa, Israel, a World Heritage site, which will afford it special protection. The Necropolis of Beit She'arim is in an ancient town...
Read Part 1 Millions of animal mummies have been found in the dark, carved stone tunnels beneath the location of Egypt’s earliest pyramid, in the Catacombs of Anubis in North Saqqara. The astounding...