Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. With over 1,500 miles of subterranean tunnels, Odessa's catacombs even beat out the well-known Paris Catacombs in terms of length. Kostya Pugovkin, who identified himself as a veteran of Ukraine's Antiterrorist Operation based in Odessa, claims to be the one who personally hefted the body in that photograph out of the depths. Hiding in the catacombs for as much as 13 months, literally below the noses and feet of the Nazis above, the rebels waited for a chance to strike or relay information. Masha always struck me as an urban legend. She ventured farther down the tunnels and quickly got turned around. During WWII, although the Soviets had been forced out of the city, they left behind dozens of soviet-organized Ukrainian rebel groups hidden below the city in the expansive catacombs. An Unbreakable Story: The Lost Roman Invention of Flexible Glass, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Unleashing the End of the World, Alleged Sighting of the Mythical Manananggal in the Philippines Causes Public Anxiety, What is Shambhala? Masha had died, still trying to escape. The image, it's said, is of a girl who went missing in the catacombs of Odessa, Ukraine a girl, it's said, named Masha or Mashenka, who went down into the twisting tunnels beneath the city in which she lived for a party, but got lost while she was down there. They go on multi-day underground treks, known as expeditions, to document and map the system. One interesting aspect of the tunnels is the fact that they are subject to a variety of highly imaginative urban legends. The partial mummification made for a successful identification of the victim and the autopsy revealed that she died from dehydration three days after getting lost. Creepy stories about the Odessa catacombs range fromdead bodies found in catacombs, topeople who have gotten lost in catacombs and were never seen again. There is little to no record of a girl named Masha ever disappearing into the catacombs, and there are those that refute Lata'saccounts. But in their foggy states, they absentmindedlyor maliciouslyleft Masha in the catacombs. direct entry speech pathology programs near illinois. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. As the Vice article states, other bodies have been found within the catacombs, including one found during the search for a man who went missing in 2004. Which Animated Disney Movie Should Get A Horror Adaptation Next? However, the catacombs began to truly grow into their astonishing, labyrinthine form in the early 1800s, when the limestone quarried from them was used to build much of the city. Come for the severed heads, stay for the book bound in human skin. masha odessa catacombs photolet us break bread together meaning peaky blinderslet us break bread together meaning peaky blinders Clearly, this was a bad idea. A large portion of these tunnels due to the sheer extent and the number of corridors remains completely unexplored. Everyone at Odessas School Number 56 had talked about there being a working entrance to the mine, just outside of school property. It's always good to hear from a local. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Odessa, just outside of Ukraine's capital, Kiev, is home to one of the largest catacombs in the entire world. Offer subject to change without notice. Try not to get lost. So it's a photo of a body that willit seemsnever be positively identified, and it immortalizes the last moment of someone's life. Fine Art? (To get a sense of how much tunnel system that really is, it is only 2138 kilometers from Odessa to Paris.). The group snapped a photo, in which three young boys pose with the body as if they have just identified it. Even though they never managed to explore the tunnels fully, the maps that these urban explorers managed to create are simply on the verge of being impossible. Also, he wrote, "five explorers [got] lost or died during this year. | Numerous reports exist of partially mummified human remains and skeletons that have been found inside the catacombs. . ( Artem Merzlenko /Adobe Stock). No purchase necessary. In WWII, Soviet partisans hid in the Odessa Catacombs, which stretch for thousands of miles below the city. One story stands out among the rest, and that is the story of Masha. Maybe her path forked a few times, and she lost track of the pattern. Oddly, Lata told us the person responsible for the official Catacombs websiteand the one calling him a liaris "one of the most experienced Odessa catacombs explorers and my best friend." Despite very extensive searches neither his body, nor any clues about his fate were found. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. We dare you. Especially when you consider the fact that the distance between Odessa and Paris is roughly 2138 km (1328.49 miles). 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After three days in total darkness without food or water, Masha collapsed and died from dehydration. The catacombs were once the preferred hideout of rebels, criminals, and eccentrics. Some proof for the long existence of this myth are the countless graffiti ships that can be spotted in the tunnels. Katakomby. And people do definitely die in catacombs and really any underground structure, usually homeless people seekingng shelter. This led to a lot of attempt at secrecy by the officials. richard guichelaar update. They could have been looking for treasures that night, considering there are rumors that somewhere below School 56 there's a solid gold replica of the Titanic a few inches long. Maybe this photo will shock you. What followed for Masha was a three day trek from hell. Maybe her path forked a few times, and she lost track of the pattern. I used to go caving for fun and turning off your lights for a minute when you're with friends is kind of neat but walking out of a cave alone with that absolute blackness behind you nope nope nope. The post featured a graphic photo of what appeared to be a decaying corpse in the catacombs, which Lata claimed was Masha's body. With over 1,500 miles of subterranean tunnels, Odessa's catacombs even beat out the well-known Paris Catacombs in terms of length. 2019. There's also evidence that they were used for the summary executions of Nazi soldiers. Today there is an entire Ukrainian subculture of catacomb explorers with dozens of semiprofessional groups, often quite competitive, exploring the catacombs. Believing this to be the best explanation for her absence, the group agreed and they left. Shortly after this, the mapping of a large unexplored area known as K-29 began. [citation needed], In 1961 the "Search" (Poisk) club was created in order to explore the history of partisan movement among the catacombs. ( Volodymyr Khodaryev /Adobe Stock). As I said earlier, a lot of people lost and even dead under Odessa. After the war, the tunnels remained active with smugglers and criminal groups who went so far as to widen or even create their own tunnels. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. A subreddit dedicated to the unresolved mysteries of the world. Eventually the majority of the group managed to find their way back out but Masha never did. Parents in the area warned their children to stay away. Local here (finally, after years of reading, something got me to register). A wrong turn can mean death in these tunnels and every step might reveal some unseen horror. Whether that person is an innocent partygoer, a Satanist, or a Ukrainian drunk who took a few steps too many into the darkness, it sends imaginations soaring because it conjures the exact kind of nightmarish, lonely death everyone fears the most. As it turns out, many people still venture into the darkness seeking adventure. Beneath the city of Odessa, and also its outskirts, lie a labyrinth-like network of tunnels, known as the Odessa Catacombs. The Moora Mystery: What Happened When a Girl Stepped into the Moor 2,500 Years Ago? Though Masha wasnt particularly interested in going to the mine, she went anyway, wanting to be with her friends more. She was headed into the Odessa catacombs, the 2,500 kilometers of dark rocky tunnels which run underneath the city. The officials really dont care who goes down there, nor would they be able to monitor the catacombs since they are mind-bendingly enormous. ( CC BY SA 4.0 ). But Masha had not gone home. A group of urban explorers were pushing deeper into the mines, into one of the most unexplored areas, when they came across the body of a woman. However, when the body was removed, it was in terrible condition, with no good identifying factors. Her body was found only after 2 years. In the photo, Masha is unidentifiable beyond simply being a human. They look like my hiking boots, and I'm a woman. If it was too warm to freeze, and she was exerting herself trying to survive, dehydration would have become severe in perhaps only two days before the symptoms became debilitating. Was this, then, the origin of the stories of Masha? We believe it is just a practical joke and the corpse is fake." "There were four of us on the day when these pics were taken," he wrote, "and I really don't know where I can find these guys nowadays." The remaining catacombs (3-5%) are either natural cavities or were excavated for other purposes such as sewerage. The photo proves that Hell is a real place, and it's about nine stories beneath Odessa. As fun as it is to explore catacombs, some people prefer to stay above ground and explore. [Online] Available at: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/mind-boggling-catacomb-maps, Thuras, D. Odessa Catacombs. Parts of the mines are still active, but the majority of the tunnels remain closed to the public. She didn't make it out alive, it's said. Odessa, just outside of Ukraine's capital, Kiev, is home to one of the largest catacombs in the entire world. On January 1st, 2005, some Odessa teens decided to spend New Years night partying in the catacombs. You'd think they'd have them boarded or locked up pretty tight to avoid homeless people getting lost down there. Every story is true, and each one is a real place you can visit. Learn how your comment data is processed. On rare occasions these bodies are almost perfectly mummified, freeze dried by the cold, dry air of the tunnels. This was only aimed at the portions beneath the town center though, and the rest of the catacombs continued to develop some time after. They present thousands of crisscrossed tunnels, intersections, corridors, galleries, and caverns, all entwined and endlessly sprawling like some chaotic maze of ant tunnels. Version of this photo sourced directly from Eugene Lata. It doesn't seem too unbelievable to me that a group of kids exploring where they're not supposed be might not report a long -dead body. As is the nature of people, and urban explorers, tunnels and caves outside of the trusted zone serve as an exhilarating adventure. Excursions to Odesa catacombs", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Odesa_catacombs&oldid=1142761690, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 06:27. Find Out. But according to the official Odessa Catacombs website, the whole story of Masha is a lie. But some places just arent meant to be explored. All photos by Wikimedia Commons user . [6] Other caves attract extreme tourists, who explore the tunnels despite the dangers involved. Since the organization is in charge of fielding inquiries about the Catacombs it "probably prefers to stay out of this business, just as I do," Lata theorized. TheOdessa catacomb death legend has been supported by witnesses, as well as photos and even a few news articles, but there's not much as far as hard facts go. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. Stories say that an ancient Roman glassmaker had the technology to create a flexible glass, vitrium flexile, but a certain emperor decided the invention should not be. It wasnt until six months later that Masha was found. During WWII Ukrainian rebel groups hid within the labyrinthine catacombs and today there is an entire Ukrainian subculture of catacomb explorers with dozens of semiprofessional groups, often quite competitive, exploring the catacombs. Based on what was later found, it is believed that Masha stumbled around in the catacombs for at least three days, starving, thirsty, alone, and in the dark. "During the time she was inside, her 'friends' didn't try to take her body out," Lata wrote, guessing that they were "frightened.". Her parents called the authorities who went to the site and began to search. Lets unravel the story of these vast catacombs that lie untouched beneath one of Ukraines largest towns. Padlocks cover this rickety footbridge with love. The Dark Underworld of the Paris Catacombs. 2016. One of these stories inevitably brings us to Masha, a student who should have known better than to venture inside the tunnels. One of them recalled hearing her say she had to use the bathroom, and assumed, since she wasnt there, that she had gone home. [Online] Available at: https://thinkofthetriangle.wordpress.com/2016/09/25/adventures-in-ukraine-odessa-catacombs/, McKendry, I. D. 2017. It does seem to be a urban legend but it's still creepy as hell! All rights reserved. Thanks. Some say this was even done maliciously. [4] In his work The Waves of The Black Sea, Valentin Kataev described the battle between Soviet partisans against Axis forces, underneath Odesa and its nearby suburb Usatove. Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren. A 2009 forum post on the Urban Explorer's Resource (UER) site, by someone named Eugene Lata, put the tale into English, detailing everything from Masha's backstory to the grim discovery the group had made. The eerie burnt-out remains of a prominent building where 30 protestors lost their lives. Most of the diggers I talked to believed that he actually faked the whole thing and started a new life somewhere, but still look out for anything related to him below. No purchase necessary. They're not the safest places to be either. Some time later, when the group was ready to call it a night and head home, they noticed Masha was missing. After a short time, they called off the search, saying that Masha would have to find her own way out, it wasnt safe for them to look for her any longer. There's no way any one person could ever witness the true scale of the Odessa Catacombs; explore all 2,500km of tunnel. Come for the severed heads, stay for the book bound in human skin. [4]Limestone was cut using saws, and mining became so intensive that by the second half of the 19th century, the extensive network of catacombs created many inconveniences to the city. The longest single expedition to date was just 40km, completed over a 27-hour period in 1995. Her body had been partially mummified by the cold cool air. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Instead, he brandished an axe, and hacked the girl to death before leaving her there. 31 Days of Halloween: On Atlas Obscura this month, every day is Halloween. According to the investigation of the incident, the man was with a group of friends, and had been drinking with the young girl. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Explorers are rewarded with finds such as weapons caches, and at least once every five years, the discovery of a body. Still left for anyone to roam freely, these tunnels are used just as several decades before by anyone who needs or wants to descend into its depths. We dare you. Fine Art? Based on what was later found, it is believed that Masha stumbled around in the catacombs for at least three days, starving, thirsty, alone, and in the dark. The Odessa catacombs are a very complicated system of natural tunnels, mines, bunkers, and caves that are predominantly a result of mining - with the earliest excavations beginning in the 19th century. (Had they walked in a straight line the journey would only have been 9.5 kilometers.) Over the years there have been numerous reports of people venturing into the catacombs, getting lost, and eventually dying of dehydration never to be seen again. It would have been utterly black. Were heading underground to find out whether the tunnels are truly empty. There was no light in the catacombs besides whatever she might have had on her, and it is believed she wandered in pitch blackness. In 2011, a body was found in the catacombs that had been dead for several months. I was the only girl so usually I got out of it..but I did have to do it a few times and it was horrifyinglywhen you looked back it was total darkness! But centuries ago, the land that is now the United States was a very different place As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. The Odessa Catacombs underwent further construction through the vagrants' illegal widening and creation of even more tunnel systems. In the case of the Odessa Catacombs, they are a labyrinth-like network of tunnels under the city of Odessa. The post featured a graphic photo of what appeared to be a decaying corpse in the catacombs, which Lata claimed was Masha's body. masha who died in the catacombs; employee experience software market size; June 21, 2022; by . He had gotten lost, and there was a reward offered to anyone who could find the young man. But despite being passed around the internet as fact, there is little documentation to support the legend of Masha. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. On January 1st 2005, a young Ukranian teenage girl named Masha put on her make-up, packed up some champagne, and headed out for her New Years Eve nights party. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. The citizens of Odessa believe a variety of myths and rumors that circulate about the catacombs hidden treasures, skeletons, and even ghosts. The sheer size of the catacombs meant a refuge for all walks of life that sought to hide. View all photos. - BACKSTORY - The story goes like thisMasha or Mashenka, depending on t. The remains of more than 1,000 people lie deep under the modern town of Rabat. This was enough to drive a group of explorers to the area in search of the supposed corpse, and it appeared they actually found it. Like most information about these catacombs, only Ukrainian cave explorers even claim to know the details. But one such find could not remain a secret. ( gorinov /Adobe Stock). It was brought to a police medical examiner's office, and everyone found that, shockingly, the DNA didn't match the missing boy. Stop by the blog every day this month for true tales of the unquiet dead. [1] The Bohemian Blog. In 2005, after a couple of drinks, a group of enthusiastic Odessa teens decided to continue their party down in the catacombs. masha odessa catacombs photo. Some sections regularly flood with groundwater, others have ceilings precariously propped up with ad-hoc support beams, or they've had their ventilation systems completely dismantled. ( Valentin Balan /Adobe Stock). The Iliad can provide new insights on the role of motherhood among the ancient Greek gods, and by extension, amongst ancient mortal Greek women themselves. This makes it one of the more unique museums of that period as long as you dont strive from the beaten path! Apr 11, 2022 - The Odessa Catacombs are the largest catacomb system in the world. Today, there are dozens of semi-professional catacomb explorer groups that venture into the Odessa catacombs. [citation needed], After the Russian Revolution of 1917, stone mining was banned within the central part of Odesa (inside the Porto-Franko zone, bounded by Old Port Franko and Panteleymonovskaya streets). Inside the mine, the catacombs turned, forked, and led Masha further from the entrance. Various message boards shared the tale, and websites began to present the details as fact. It's not unlikely that she drunkenly forgot to leave a trail of breadcrumbs. To put things into perspective: the Roman tunnels are about 170 km (105.63 miles) long, and the Paris ones about 300 km (186.41 miles). dinnington high school alumni. Very much like the lyrics of the famous She may be ancient Egypts most famous face, but the quest to find the eternal resting place of Queen Nefertiti has never been hotter. The story quickly became a famous Internet legend. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. A man named KostyaPugovkinclaims he was one of the people that carried the body out, but it was never originally thought to be someone named Masha. In the 19th century, most houses in Odesa were built of limestone that was mined nearby. But some like to say that the earliest form of the catacombs dates to centuries before that, to 1600's or possibly before - and that's plausible. The catacombs also contain natural caves and span over 1,500 miles. What started as an ancient Greek colony, in time turned into a metropolis a crucial seaport and an economic hub. Jules Suzdaltsev contributed reporting to this piece. masha who died in the catacombs. Green Tour. If she'd wandered into isolation, maybe to find a secluded spot to relieve herself, it's easy to imagine she was beyond screaming distance. [1] The system of Odesa Catacombs consists of a network of basements, bunkers, drainage tunnels and storm drains as well as natural caves.[1]. The Lost World of Odessa Catacombs. These men and women remained hidden, living in the catacombs. The final resting place for the remains of 143 Habsburg royalty. Unfortunately for Masha, this was not the case. There also would have been nowhere to stay warm, since that area is also not deep enough for it to have been much warmer than the chilly surface weather that night. Despite this, they were once used by the Soviets who took Nazi soldiers down to be executed. Even with all that, humans are resilient, and can survive several days without food and water. No way that picture was faked. Old Odessa catacombs . They were a popular location for murderers to hide bodies, and on at least three occasions, were a location where area kids had ventured inside, never to be seen again. 2014. The tunnels would become a safe haven for a plethora of different characters, most of them shady . The body is real though, it belonged to a man 40 to 60 years, who was killed in the catacombs. However, professionals can be hired at the cost of 250 hryvnia per person, depending on the time spent underground, the complexity and length of the route, the number of tourists, and options for delivery to the site entrance to the underground area. The rest of the process wasn't exactly CSI: Odessa. There are even tales of Nazi executionsand cultists, not to mention a ghost story or two; however, the most famous of thecatacomb legends is probably that of agirl named Masha, who went into the maze of passagesand wasn't found until years later. However, it's not te only creepy story - in 2012 group of students went below and one was lost. Even if it's just a myth, there's no denying that the other tales of the catacombs are creepy enough to keep anyone out Or so one would think. The catacombs once served as the preferred hideout for rebels, criminals, and during World War II, air-raid shelters. I hope it's fake - but, unless that picture was fake, someone died the nightmarish way attributed to Masha. So, is it really true? I remember seeing that on tv as a teenager and it still freaks me out today to even think about it. After the communists came to power, this man hid both himself and the golden Titanic in the catacombs below, never to be discovered. A nation whose foundations stand on centuries of struggle and fighting for independence. It`s a dead body of the 19-years old girl, who has lost the right way in the maze. "I wrapped it in a bedsheet, and dragged it back," he told VICE through a translator. The whole story of Masha might actually just be an urban legend. The next day, Mashas friends went to her house to see how she was doing. The Catacombs are on three levels and reach a depth of 60 metres (200ft) below sea level. Down in the mine, for unknown reasons, Masha didnt turn around and leave once she had finished. Odessa catacombs, Ukraine <Reply # 19 on 6/16/2009 12:10 PM > Posted by ActionSatisfaction Esq. aeries parent portal madera. An underground paleo-Christian burial site composed of the remains of several cemeteries and Basilicas. The Odesa Catacombs are a labyrinth-like network of tunnels (subterranean cavities) located under the city of Odesa and its outskirts in Ukraine, that are mostly (over 90%) the result of stone mining, particularly coquina. [1] The system of Odesa Catacombs consists of a network of basements, bunkers, drainage tunnels and storm drains as well as natural caves. I saw this video and did some research on it, ultimately deeming it to be a hoax. Strange and Creepy, Urban Legends and Folklore. "Besides the original photographer," a post says, "there isn't one person, civilian or law enforcement, that can confirm the story. Instead, he claims they were looking for the body of Janis Stendzenieks, the son of a local newspaper magnate. Perhaps they will never be. (Author provided). They would throw in poison gas canisters, hoping to smoke them out and finish them off.