Not so long ago my grandfather Levon came to visit me - a talented Armenian who glorified his native village, with his own hand dug out a huge underground labyrinth under it, which later became a museum. But, as my longtime readers know well, this is not the only story about underground passages and catacombs that has appeared in my channel.
And today I want to return to this topic again, especially since the reason for this is very interesting and, as many of you love, a little mystical.
The Czech city of Jihlava appeared on the map due to a lucky coincidence - deposits of silver ore were discovered in these lands, which is why prospectors gradually began to gather from all the surroundings and even distant settlements. They needed to live somewhere, so the construction of the first houses began on the sly near the deposit, which later became part of one of the richest and most beautiful cities in the Czech Republic. However, he is known not only for this.
The silver in the deposit soon ran out, which caused a serious outflow of the indigenous population and the arrival of large numbers of German-speaking citizens to the city. It happened in the 18th-19th centuries, and around the same period, catacombs began to grow under the city buildings. More precisely, this is the opinion of modern scientists, who for some reason have not yet managed to find out more accurate years and dates.
Historians believe that the basis for the future catacombs, as in the story about grandfather Levon, was the most ordinary cellars where food and wine were stored, as well as small rooms used as secluded workshops where local artisans worked.
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As a result, all this turned into huge underground tunnels located at a depth of as much as 12 meters (slightly less than the height of a 3-storey building) and exceeding 25 km in length. Since about 50-60 years of the last century, this impressive underground network has become a local attraction, open to tourists.
The damp dungeons, once occupied by locals hiding from bombing raids and by fascist troops rampaging in the city, themselves have a special, oppressive atmosphere, which is reinforced by local legends.
According to one, some visitors manage to hear voices coming from distant corridors. Locals believe that these are the souls of many workers who died during the expansion of the catacombs, who could not find peace.
Another legend tells of the beautiful organ music carried through the tunnels. An amazing fact is even confirmed by a whole group of archaeologists who worked in the catacombs in the 90s. Of course, there is nowhere to get an organ in such a depth, but the townspeople believe that these melodies belong to a virtuoso organist. Five centuries ago, his gift was interpreted by the inquisitors as a devilish gift, because of which the young talented musician was walled up alive at the end of one of the underground passages.
Whether this is true or just a fiction of local residents is unknown, but this does not diminish the enormous significance of this historical monument.