What started as an ancient Greek colony, in time turned into a metropolis a crucial seaport and an economic hub. Atlas Obscura. It's not clear what the journalist wrote, but Lata claims the government got moving and removed the body less than 24 hours later. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. [citation needed], There have been various reports of people walking into the catacombs, getting lost and then eventually dying of dehydration. But one thing that this city of one million citizens hides, and a fact that many who visit it are totally unaware of, are the sprawling catacombs beneath its streets. The Odessa Catacombs underwent further construction through the vagrants' illegal widening and creation of even more tunnel systems. She ventured farther down the tunnels and quickly got turned around. Today we find ourselves wandering the largest catacomb system in the world. In 2011, a male murder victim was found by chance in the catacombs after he had been dead for three to six months. Fine Art? Was this, then, the origin of the stories of Masha? [Online] Available at: https://greentourua.com/the-lost-world-of-odessa-catacombs/, Various. [6], Since the beginning of the 21st century limestone mining has continued in the mines located in Dofinovka, Byldynka, and "Fomina balka" near Odesa. Top Image: Old Odessa Catacombs Source: onyx124 / Adobe Stock, Author Unknown. It can be really dangerous," he wrote, adding "here are some new pictures of our catacombs. After three days in total darkness without food or water, Masha collapsed and died from dehydration. 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. Pacific coastline of the continuous United States. Of course parents saying not to do something usually encourages kids to do that very thing. Lata says he was there when that photo was taken, but he can't retrace the photo to its origin. One of the reasons the catacombs of Odessa stand out is because they are by far the worlds longest catacombs. Find Out, Dizzying Inca Rope Bridges Were Grass-Made Marvels of Engineering, For Sale In Britain: A Small Ancient Man With A Colossal Penis. [1] They are so incredibly extensive that someone who dies within can simply never be found. As it turns out, many people still venture into the darkness seeking adventure. [citation needed], In 1961 the "Search" (Poisk) club was created in order to explore the history of partisan movement among the catacombs. As of 2019, there are more than 1,000 known entrances to the tunnels. [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). direct entry speech pathology programs near illinois. The post featured a graphic photo of what appeared to be a decaying corpse in the catacombs, which Lata claimed was Masha's body. 2014. I'm not sure I believe the photo is fake. The longest single expedition to date was just 40km, completed over a 27-hour period in 1995. Perhaps they will never be. Old Catacombs Odessa, Ukraine (XVIII-XX century) . By 2012, he had begun to sound less like the internet's ambassador to the catacombs. According to the investigation of the incident, the man was with a group of friends, and had been drinking with the young girl. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). 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 an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The Museum of Partisan Glory is located in a part of the catacombs north of Odessa, and it is the only underground museum in Ukraine. All rights reserved. . 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! However, in the drunken revelry a member of the group, a girl named Masha, became. By signing up to the VICE newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications from VICE that may sometimes include advertisements or sponsored content. Mauritius Square, Ukraine: What is this Giant Crab-like Earthworks? But without knowing the mind boggling extent of these catacombs, their efforts proved largely fruitless. kenmore west in memoriam; sabor dulce en la boca coronavirus; traditional catholic novenas ", He told us he then dragged the body to the police medical examiner's office, about five miles from the entrance Masha would have used. The catacombs were once the preferred hideout of rebels, criminals, and eccentrics. Irish Urban Explorations. 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. She couldn't have lasted more than a week. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. It does seem to be a urban legend but it's still creepy as hell! In 2005, after a couple of drinks, a group of enthusiastic Odessa teens decided to continue their party down in the catacombs. [Online] Available at: https://thinkofthetriangle.wordpress.com/2016/09/25/adventures-in-ukraine-odessa-catacombs/, McKendry, I. D. 2017. 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. In another instance, a little more information was brought to light: in 2015, a man was sentenced to 13 years in prison for killing a girl in the catacombs. odessa catacombs dead body masha - gb-academy.net The officials really dont care who goes down there, nor would they be able to monitor the catacombs since they are mind-bendingly enormous. [Online] Available at: https://irishurbanexplorations.wordpress.com/2014/05/07/odessa-catacombs-day-1-odessa-ukraine/, Author Unknown. Offer subject to change without notice. However, a 2015 Vice Article alleges that Masha's story may be some kind of hoax, claiming that, according to the official Odessa Catacombs website, the whole story of Masha is a lie. [6] Other caves attract extreme tourists, who explore the tunnels despite the dangers involved. The photo proves that Hell is a real place, and it's about nine stories beneath Odessa. I remember seeing that on tv as a teenager and it still freaks me out today to even think about it. While going into the catacombs is not illegal, there is only one small portion of the catacombs that is officially open to the public, which can be seen at the Museum of Partisan Glory in Nerubayskoye, north of Odessa. Odessas catacombs quickly became the preferred hideout of rebels, criminals, and eccentrics. Explorers are rewarded with finds such as weapons caches, and at least once every five years, the discovery of a body. They're not the safest places to be either. In September 1995, in honor of the 200th anniversary of Odessa, the record for the longest underground journey in the catacombs was broken by a 27-hour continuos journey of over 40 kilometers. The Catacombs are on three levels and reach a depth of 60 metres (200ft) below sea level. A Tour of the Worlds Largest Labyrinth: The Odessa Catacombs. Old Odessa catacombs . Murderer never found, the body ever identified. Her body had been partially mummified by the cold cool air. The Fascist Germans and Romanians meanwhile chose random catacomb exits and sealed them, hoping to trap the men below the city forever, and occasionally tossed poison gas canisters into the catacombs hoping to smoke the soviet rebels out. During New Year's Eve celebrations in 2005, she and her friends had one drink too . Our story begins sometime early in 2005, when a party (possibly for New Years) was allegedly held within the catacombs by a group of young adults. 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. In the photo, Masha is unidentifiable beyond simply being a human. There was no light in the catacombs besides whatever she might have had on her, and it is believed she wandered in pitch blackness. Worse, she didnt know where she was, or how to get out. It would be extremely dangerous to try and explore the catacombs on ones own. 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. - BACKSTORY - The story goes like thisMasha or Mashenka, depending on t. It's not unlikely that she drunkenly forgot to leave a trail of breadcrumbs. 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. However, when the body was removed, it was in terrible condition, with no good identifying factors. Clearly, this was a bad idea. 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. [4] It is thought that most (9597%) of the catacombs are former coquina multilevel mines from which stone was extracted to construct the city above. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. We don't know for sure what Masha was looking for when she went into the catacombs with her friends. Fake? In the 19th century, most houses in Odesa were built of limestone that was mined nearby. (Had they walked in a straight line the journey would only have been 9.5 kilometers.) A photo showing Marsha's deceased body, mummified, found years after her gruesome death. Hundreds of partisans, or rebels, took to hiding in the catacombs. Perhaps the most popular of catacombs is beneath the city of Paris, France. Some say this was even done maliciously. masha who died in the catacombs. Sad mother monument, made in stone in the Odessa catacombs . We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. One of them decided to give it a try, they turned the handle and the door swung open. Assuming Masha brought a battery-powered flashlight or lantern down into the depths, it would have died after a few hours, making it harder to continue the search for warmth and water. Once the war was over, the catacombs became home to numerous smuggling and criminal groups, who widened and created new tunnel systems of their own. 2016. Atlas Obscura. She was headed into the Odessa catacombs, the 2,500 kilometers of dark rocky tunnels which run underneath the city. And the size is further reflected in the fact that the entirety of the catacombs has never been explored. 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. There are reasons why the Odessa catacombs are so shrouded in enigma and macabre reputation -many of those who ventured deep below have never come out. 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. He had gotten lost, and there was a reward offered to anyone who could find the young man. 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. In fact, these labyrinthine tunnels are so enormous, that they easily dwarf both the catacombs of Rome and those of Paris . If she was lucky, she died quickly from the cold . The post featured a graphic photo of what appeared to be a decaying corpse in the catacombs, which Lata claimed was Masha's body. The Odessa Catacombs and the Legend of Masha 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. 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. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. . 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. Strange and Creepy, Urban Legends and Folklore. We dare you. Proudly powered by WordPress (Author provided). 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. Above ground, the Fasciest Germans and Romanians would identify random catacomb exits and seal them off, hoping to trap them inside. In 1961, the Search (Poisk) club was created, led by Constantine Pronin of the Paleontological Museum of OSU, and became the first official catacomb exploration unit. Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. She didn't make it out alive, it's said. . No one is exactly sure how she died, but it could have been dehydration or hypothermia. Odessa, just outside of Ukraine's capital, Kiev, is home to one of the largest catacombs in the entire world. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there existcountless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts thathave yet to be discovered and explained.