Tag Archive | "underground"
Crossing the Bridges of Death
Subterranean bridges might conjure images of Khazad-dûm in the Mines of Moria, where Gandalf faces the Balrog in The Lord of the Rings. Here on middle-of-the-road Earth, however, things are not quite so dramatic. Not quite, but nearly. In the bowels of underground abandoned mines, bridges of timber supported by rusting metal chains cross precipitous, abyssal gaps; yet mine explorers need no second invitation to brave them.
Continue reading...Exploring the Abandoned Tunnels of Britain’s Box Mine
Monday, February 15, 2010
Torch beams flicker off the faces of awestruck fellow explorers and against the vast stone walls of the Cathedral – yet imposing though this place certainly is, it is no place of worship. Pitfalls and other dangers lurk in the gloom, but so too rare treasures. Antique, decaying machines materialise in the glow, whispering of times past when men toiled here to earn their daily bread. This is the Box Freestone Mine, an Aladdin’s cave for the UK’s mine exploring community.
Continue reading...Living in Sin City’s Underground Tunnels
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
The irony is hard to overlook. There are few, if any, cities on earth where the show of wealth and consumption is so shamelessly displayed, and yet hidden beneath the surface of Las Vegas, another world exists. In sobering contrast with the bright lights and bustle of the famous strip up above, dispossessed people inhabit the storm drains that run below, venturing up into the casinos to make money scouring the slot machines for cash or credits left by drunken gamblers.
Continue reading...Exploring the Sinister Catacombs of the City of Light
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
By the light of torches, candles or miners’ lamps, haunting scenes centuries old appear to unfold. Mud-caked galleries, abandoned quarries and even chambers containing human bones throw up their secrets. Consulting maps, self-trained guides lead the way. Others paint murals, throw up graffiti, play music, or even work at opening blocked sections of the Mines. For the diehard, spending days on end here in the catacombs is as normal as a walk in the park.
Continue reading...The Rainbow Tunnel of Tel Aviv
Monday, June 8, 2009
A visit to Isreal may now include explicit stops at the open underground tunnels of Tel Aviv, where artists Bar & Shay have been hard at work installing colourful lights to the once dull underpasses. The new makeovers brighten up an otherwise unmemorable experience, and have already received acclaim as a great street intervention project.
Continue reading...Crime and Corruption in the World’s Oldest Subway Tunnel
Monday, February 9, 2009
Once each month, a busy intersection in Brooklyn, New York, gets just a little bit busier. Traffic cones are set up, and cars are necessarily diverted to ensure the safety of an influx of tourists. In a single file outside the Independence Bank, the crowd's sights are fixed on the single, open manhole in the middle of the street, into which they'll crawl to hear the tale of crime surrounding the oldest subway tunnel in the world.
Continue reading...Four Abandoned Stations of the London Underground
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
“And this also…has been one of the dark places of the earth.” Brompton Road tube. Image courtesy of underground-history.co.uk These are of course, famous words from Joseph Conrad’s 1902 novel: Heart of Darkness, describing Victorian London. At that time, the city was the heart of the most technologically advanced [...]
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Thursday, February 25, 2010
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