subject: Sights of Odessa Ukraine. Odessa Catacombs [print this page] Sights of Odessa UkraineSights of Odessa Ukraine. Odessa Catacombs
In Odessa there is a huge system of catacombs. The Odessa catacombs are most famous in the world not only by nice design of labyrinths, but also by its size, which reaches three thousand kilometers. For comparison: the length of Roman catacombs - three hundred, Parisian - five hundred kilometers. The approximate topography of the Odessa catacombs is unknown. Odessa the fine southern city is constructed on the abrupt marine coast combined at the basis 12-16-meters thick limestone, in which catacombs also are developed.
What is origin of catacombs? Before to answer this question, we shall investigate distant geological past of Northern Black Sea Coast. In the beginning, this territory was a sea-bottom. It resulted to formation a shell rock - stone of pale yellow color. Lightweight, easy to mine, not requiring major efforts at processing, it is used in building construction. All Odessa city center, in particular, has been constructed of a shell rock almost. Even today builders use the shell rock. Before Communist came to power (1917) development of this stone was conducted injuriously. Under Odessa city numerous mines-stone were created. Mine by mine they have made 3000 km ground labyrinth! So, Odessa catacombs are artificial underground emptiness which have got double origin: one of them represent former stone quarries, others - courses from cellars of houses (in Odessa such courses named "mines".
The history of the Odessa catacombs begins approximately in 30th years of 19 centuries. Rapid development of building construction of fast growing city required a cheap and available building material. The limestone extracted from Odessa catacombs served this service.
By 60-th years of 19 centuries existence under Odessa city and its suburb of the underground network started to become a problem for city. Because mines were laid on depths from 4 up to 30-35 meters from a ground surface, getting off among themselves, formed a unsystematic labyrinth which people did not know. The result of it was failures of a ground and ruinations of the buildings because emptiness underground. One more problem was Odessa catacombs were often used by criminals to run away from the police, to hide smuggle and stolen things.
By the end of the 19th century mining in Odessa city was stopped to avoid underground emptiness and was moved few kilometers from Odessa city, to Usatovo, Krivaya, Fomina and Nerubaysjoye villages. In the beginning of the 20th century catacombs were used by communists and gangsters who use them to be hidden from the police of Russian Empire. The catacombs were also used by people who tried to be hidden from communists, when communists came to power.
During the second world war Odessa catacombs were full of peaceful population who tried to hide from Nazi regime. They adjusted mines to long term accommodation. They even keep cattle in mines. Soviet partisan lived in Odessa catacombs during German occupation of Odessa city and fighting with Nazi troops. Odessa catacombs unite all parts of Odessa city and it was not easy to guess for German troops in which part of Odessa the army of Soviet partisan will appear. Therefore German Army had to keep all the time a lot of troops in Odessa city while the city was occupied.
There are no complete plans of catacombs. Only meager part of Odessa catacombs is investigated. Temperature of air under the ground the year round 14 With. And depth in some parts of Odessa catacombs reaches 100 m. The person left there without light, is doomed to death. Nowadays many people died in Odessa catacombs getting lost.
