[Online] Available at: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/mind-boggling-catacomb-maps, Thuras, D. Odessa Catacombs. [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. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Strange and Creepy, Urban Legends and Folklore. With his heart set on a possible reward, Pugovkin says he crawled into the depths and eventually stumbled upon what he called "bone soup." It took two years before the police were able to locate her body and retrieve it from the catacombs. Down in the mine, for unknown reasons, Masha didnt turn around and leave once she had finished. An underground paleo-Christian burial site composed of the remains of several cemeteries and Basilicas. Over the years, urban explorers have traveled to Odessa to explore the catacombs, despite only a small portion of them being open to the public. However, in the drunken revelry a member of the group, a girl named Masha, became. Her partially mummified body was discovered two years later by amateur explorers. One of them recalled hearing her say she had to use the bathroom, and assumed, since she wasnt there, that she had gone home. By the age of 10, most children in the United States have been taught all 50 states that make up the country. But most importantly, the Odessa catacombs are an incredible testament, an entire in-situ museum of incredible proportions filled with various relics of the past. She was headed into the Odessa catacombs, the 2,500 kilometers of dark rocky tunnels which run underneath the city. In 2011, a body was found in the catacombs that had been dead for several months. Was this, then, the origin of the stories of Masha? In Odessa, when someones water line suddenly breaks, or a house settles oddly, or a family pet goes missing, it is not uncommon for Ukrainians to curse about those damn catacombs., They are not being delusional, for underneath their houses run some 2,500 kilometers of catacombs, carved into the limestone that the city is built upon. "The diggers determined it was a Satanist who got lost.". ( Valentin Balan /Adobe Stock). The story quickly became a famous Internet legend. Though Masha wasnt particularly interested in going to the mine, she went anyway, wanting to be with her friends more. A Tour of the Worlds Largest Labyrinth: The Odessa Catacombs. It wasnt until six months later that Masha was found. The group snapped a photo, in which three young boys pose with the body as if they have just identified it. As it turns out, many people still venture into the darkness seeking adventure. It's not unlikely that she drunkenly forgot to leave a trail of breadcrumbs. The Catacombs are on three levels and reach a depth of 60 metres (200ft) below sea level. Of course parents saying not to do something usually encourages kids to do that very thing. The whole story of Masha might actually just be an urban legend. Some say this was even done maliciously. The people of Odessa and surrounding areas know better than to explore the catacombs. The Moora Mystery: What Happened When a Girl Stepped into the Moor 2,500 Years Ago? 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. Stretching to a length of 2500km, the Odessa Catacombs are prehaps the largest network of tunnels in the world. However, it's not te only creepy story - in 2012 group of students went below and one was lost. Approximately 32 members were sent to the catacombs in 1941 to sabotage the Romanian allies of German Nazis who occupied Odessa during World War II, when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. is Halloween. [Online] Available at: https://thinkofthetriangle.wordpress.com/2016/09/25/adventures-in-ukraine-odessa-catacombs/, McKendry, I. D. 2017. Two years passed, and no one retrieved the body, Lata claims. However, one thing agreed upon is that there was a fresh body found in the catacombs, and that it was removed at some point around 2004 or 2005. With over 1,500 miles of subterranean tunnels, Odessa's catacombs even beat out the well-known Paris Catacombs in terms of length. A massive search effort was launched but they werent able to find her among the 2,500 kilometers of often unmapped tunnels. Some sources claim that roughly five amateurs that descend into the tunnels never come out again and this really gives us an incentive to truly grasp the size of these tunnels. 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. 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. 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. [citation needed], In 1961 the "Search" (Poisk) club was created in order to explore the history of partisan movement among the catacombs. Old Odessa catacombs . Top Image: Old Odessa Catacombs Source: onyx124 / Adobe Stock, Author Unknown. She appeared to be on her hands and knees, in a crawling position. When we think of catacombs, we think of underground tunnels and chambers, locations where bodies were stored in lieu of a cemetery. vrbo trip board comments; sysco teamsters contract; dr john gemma net worth. Inside, they saw a flight of stairs leading down into the catacombs. Another urban legend, far more popular, is the story of the lost treasure. Actually, the walls of the Odessa catacombs are inscribed with thousands of writings, ranging from names to slogans to caricatures and even poems. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. [citation needed], The city has a large population of over 1 million people, which some believe would benefit from the introduction of a subway system. The officials really dont care who goes down there, nor would they be able to monitor the catacombs since they are mind-bendingly enormous. In the photo, Masha is unidentifiable beyond simply being a human. Offer subject to change without notice. Before long, the other teens gave up looking for her and left, figuring she'd already gotten out, or would get out on her own soon. Imagine a glass you can bend and then watch it return to its original form. Should someone get lost in the catacombs (as happens every couple of years), these groups put aside their differences and mount large search expeditions. The Soviets suffered malnutrition, and even malaria. When the group arrived, they found it easy enough, with two large metal doors. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. The tunnels have been cited as the reason why such a subway system has never been built in Odesa. Their goal was to explore the catacombs and document the history of the partisan movement. Murderer never found, the body ever identified. It`s a dead body of the 19-years old girl, who has lost the right way in the maze. Try not to get lost. One of the teens was a girl named Masha, and she was simply going with the rest of her crew to have a good time. The Odessa catacombs, even though slightly taboo and extremely eerie, are not illegal to visit . Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. | One story stands out among the rest, and that is the story of Masha. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. What started as an ancient Greek colony, in time turned into a metropolis a crucial seaport and an economic hub. Although the tunnels are mostly limestone mines used to build the city, they have a storied history which includes Nazi executions during WWII and legends of a small replica of the Titanic made of solid gold among other things. Thegoal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. A large portion of these tunnels due to the sheer extent and the number of corridors remains completely unexplored. There is a rumor that the catacombs contain the stacked corpses of murdered Jews from World War II. The post featured a graphic photo of what appeared to be a decaying corpse in the catacombs, which Lata claimed was Masha's body. They didnt go inside, heeding the warnings their parents had given them. In 1961, the Search (Poisk) club was created, headed by Constantine Pronin of the Paleontological Museum of OSU, and became the first official catacomb exploration unit, meant to explore the catacombs and help document the history of the partisan movement. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. Layer by Layer: A Mexico City Culinary Adventure, Sacred Granaries, Kasbahs and Feasts in Morocco, Monster of the Month: The Hopkinsville Goblins, Writing the Food Memoir: A Workshop With Gina Rae La Cerva, Reading the Urban Landscape With Annie Novak, How to Grow a Dye Garden With Aaron Sanders Head, Making Scents: Experimental Perfumery With Saskia Wilson-Brown, Indigenous Desserts of Turtle Island With Mariah Gladstone, University of Massachusetts Entomology Collection, The Frozen Banana Stands of Balboa Island, The Paratethys Sea Was the Largest Lake in Earths History, How Communities Are Uncovering Untold Black Histories, The Medieval Thieves Who Used Cats, Apes, and Turtles as Accomplices, 10 of the World's Most Disorienting Places, http://odessitclub.org/en/archives/dallin/chapter_6.html#Catacombs. A body was recovered, about five miles from the entrance Masha would have used. Amid yellow limestone walls and floors, young explorers found a body that was partially mummified by the cold dry air. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. Various message boards shared the tale, and websites began to present the details as fact. They're the backdrop for the tragic tale of Masha, an innocent partygoer who ventured down into the depths with some friends, took a wrong turn or two, and got lost forever. Girl Lost in Odessa Catacombs 694,277 views Jun 2, 2016 15K Dislike Share ScareTheater 963K subscribers Previous Video: http://bit.ly/1ZhkLEh In 2005, the body of a girl named Masha was found. But despite being passed around the internet as fact, there is little documentation to support the legend of Masha. In the end, we cannot be entirely sure if the story of Masha'sill-fated party, nor her sad demise, is accurate, and that may never change. The sheer size of the catacombs meant a refuge for all walks of life that sought to hide. The Odessa Catacombs underwent further construction through the vagrants' illegal widening and creation of even more tunnel systems. Lata says he was there when that photo was taken, but he can't retrace the photo to its origin. Pugovkin told us the elder Stendzenieks was offering a reward to anyone who could find his son, and some people he called "diggers"manual laborershad tipped off the authorities about a body two to three miles from an entrance to the catacombs. Masha story is an urban legend. He quarreled with the teen, then led her into the catacombs where they could continue their argument. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Pinterest Instead, he claims they were looking for the body of Janis Stendzenieks, the son of a local newspaper magnate. All rights reserved. "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." It is dedicated to the partisan effort of the World War II and it is filled with relics of the period, almost all of which were found within the catacombs over the years. See. It can be really dangerous," he wrote, adding "here are some new pictures of our catacombs. On January 1st, 2005, some Odessa teens decided to spend New Year's night partying in the catacombs. Masha and a group of friends thought it would be fun to go out, party, and celebrate at the Stone Mines. One interesting aspect of the tunnels is the fact that they are subject to a variety of highly imaginative urban legends. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Always pursuing my passions for writing, history and literature, I strive to deliver a thrilling and captivating read that touches upon history's most Read More. For those interested in exploring the catacombs, with less risk, you can hire a professional to take you down. What you may not know, is that the largest catacomb system in the world is the Odessa Catacombs in Ukraine. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Just beware, even professionals can get lost. These men and women would play chess, checkers, cook, and listen to Soviet Radio, generally trying to make a normal life below the surface of the city. During New Year's Eve celebrations in 2005, she and her friends had one drink too . As modern urban explorers tend to do, individuals from the group who found the body decided to share their exploits online. Today, there are dozens of semi-professional catacomb explorer groups that venture into the Odessa catacombs. But some like to say that the earliest form of the catacombs dates to centuries before that, to 1600s or possibly before and thats plausible. But one such find could not remain a secret. Masha always struck me as an urban legend. The mystery person was of no value at all, Pugovkin says. Last month, a guy in his 20s was sentenced for reportedly murdering his teenage girlfriend in the catacombs with an ax. 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. Her body had been partially mummified by the cold cool air. Someone died. The rest of the process wasn't exactly CSI: Odessa. 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. The unsettling story of Masha, the lost girl of the Odessa Catacombs Masha was a student visiting Odessa that went drinking on New Years Eve in 2005. She lies on her left side, legs curled like she's sleeping, while the upper half of her decomposing body has lost its form altogether, and has begun to turn indistinguishable from the cavern's yellow limestone floor. Odessa, just outside of Ukraine's capital, Kiev, is home to one of the largest catacombs in the entire world. 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! I saw this video and did some research on it, ultimately deeming it to be a hoax. Learn how your comment data is processed. Eager to escape, she ran through the tunnels, not knowing she was heading the wrong direction. "It was hard to get to the top of the shaftit was like nine floors, tiers with skinny ladders between them. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. These catacombs are the result of stone mining, particularly coquina (a soft limestone of broken shells), and consist of a network of basements, bunkers, drainage tunnels and storm drains. Catacombs below Odessa, Ukraine. Worse, she didnt know where she was, or how to get out. The sticking point of this famous story is that no one is sure if it really happened. In 2009, a post was made on the urban exploration website UER which first brought forth Masha's story, and a photo of the purported body (warning: graphic) was posted in which three (possibly four) young urban explorers appear to have discovered her remains. Even after the "Masha," episode, Lata continued to explore the catacombs. Think of the Triangle. ( onyx124 /Adobe Stock). Masha had traveled several miles into the catacombs. Find Out. Part of the tunnels, only under the city, were turned into bomb shelters in the Cold War. . But he claims that when Armand Stendzenieks ordered a DNA test, it wasn't a match. Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren. Odesskiy. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Old Catacombs Odessa, Ukraine (XVIII-XX century) . According to the 2009 forum post on Urban Explorer's Resource (UER) by a catacombs explorer named Eugene Lata, who brought Masha's story to the English-speaking world, the tale begins late on New Year's Day (or possibly New Year's Eve) in 2005. The body is real though, it belonged to a man 40 to 60 years, who was killed in the catacombs. What are you a professional corpsologist?
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