But he [Pugovkin] claims that when Armand Stendzenieks ordered a DNA test, it wasn't a match. We believe it is just a practical joke and the corpse is fake." Amid yellow limestone walls and floors, young explorers found a body that was partially mummified by the cold dry air. The Moora Mystery: What Happened When a Girl Stepped into the Moor 2,500 Years Ago? 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. They could have been looking for treasures that night, considering there are rumors that somewhere below School 56 there's a solid gold replica of the Titanic a few inches long. Initially, police believed that he had simply gotten lost and died, as Mashahad supposedly done. The official Odesa Catacombs website, however, calls the story a hoax. They go on expeditions into the mines that can last several days, and document and map the area. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. Disturbing Tales of the Mysterious Catacombs Beneath Odessa. As modern urban explorers tend to do, individuals from the group who found the body decided to share their exploits online. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. masha odessa catacombs photolet us break bread together meaning peaky blinderslet us break bread together meaning peaky blinders During WWII Ukrainian rebel groups hid within the labyrinthine catacombs and today there is an entire Ukrainian subculture of catacomb explorers with dozens of semiprofessional groups, often quite competitive, exploring the catacombs. A Tour of the Worlds Largest Labyrinth: The Odessa Catacombs. They admitted that they had gone to the Stone Mines, and maybe, just maybe Masha had gone inside. Either way, the main portion of these catacombs was begun in earnest in the 19th century and onwards, with stone being quarried to be used in the building of the houses of the city above. Enjoy.". Masha story is an urban legend. Imagine a glass you can bend and then watch it return to its original form. [citation needed], In 1961 the "Search" (Poisk) club was created in order to explore the history of partisan movement among the catacombs. I know you said he was never identified, but was there an investigation you can share with us? Oddly, Lata told us the person responsible for the official Catacombs websiteand the one calling him a liaris "one of the most experienced Odessa catacombs explorers and my best friend." The Tiara of Saitaphernes is certainly one of these priceless objects and its story is long and surprising. Makeshift rooms, quarters, tables, and all manner of carvings and writings are all preserved and the entire museum serves as a strikingly unaltered glimpse into the urban warfare of the second world war. Fine Art? The group supposedly went to the police, but they were still reluctant to go in to retrieve the body because it was literally miles from the entrance. The labyrinths are also unique by being largely unexplored and un-commercialized. He had gotten lost, and there was a reward offered to anyone who could find the young man. -, Press J to jump to the feed. 2016. 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. Places such as Aokigahara Forest. But some tourism still relates to them. Adventures in Ukraine: Odessa Catacombs. It wasnt until six months later that Masha was found. Part of the catacomb network, Odessa, Ukraine . list of hair dyes that contain metallic salts; eglin afb housing floor plans. Atlas Obscura. According to the investigation of the incident, the man was with a group of friends, and had been drinking with the young girl. His recollection is different from Lata's. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. In a post from 2010, he claimed that he used to take trips that lasted over a week, and that he'd fill his "catacombs bag" with food, camping equipment, diving gear, and mapmaking tools to prepare for long trips. Masha went out with a large group of friends to celebrate and probably get drunk. Someone died. In 2011, a body was found in the catacombs that had been dead for several months. Even with all that, humans are resilient, and can survive several days without food and water. . The most famous photoone that Lata told VICE in an email that he was involved in takingshows three blank-faced boys who look like they're in their early teens, posing like they've just stumbled upon the body in a narrow, curved section of the cavern. Inside the mine, the catacombs turned, forked, and led Masha further from the entrance. But the most important inhabitants of these labyrinths were the Soviet partisans. There's no way any one person could ever witness the true scale of the Odessa Catacombs; explore all 2,500km of tunnel. Shortly after this the mapping of a huge unexplored area of the catacombs known as K-29 was begun. [4]Limestone was cut using saws, and mining became so intensive that by the second half of the 19th century, the extensive network of catacombs created many inconveniences to the city. Eugene included a graphic photo of what appeared to be a decaying corpse in one of the tunnels, which Eugene claimed was Masha's body. The complete length of these catacombs is more than half of the width of the North American continent. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. He recalls that a piece of writing by a friend he says is a "famous journalist" was delivered to government officials. However, in the drunken revelry a member of the group, a girl named Masha, became separated and lost in the catacombs. The story quickly became a famous Internet legend. Try not to get lost. The post featured a graphic photo of what appeared to be a decaying corpse in the catacombs, which Lata claimed was Masha's body. In the case of the Odessa Catacombs, they are a labyrinth-like network of tunnels under the city of Odessa. 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. In World War II, Odessa was besieged in August of 1941 by the Axis forces. The very old skeleton of a partisan or smuggler. I am sure you are familiar with his legend which states that he was born in a manger surrounded by shepherds, about The Tiara of Saitaphernes: Wow Antique? Doesn't matter to me; the thought of being lost down there in the dark is maddening. To put things into perspective: the Roman tunnels are about 170 km (105.63 miles) long, and the Paris ones about 300 km (186.41 miles). Most of the diggers I talked to believed that he actually faked the whole thing and started a new life somewhere, but still look out for anything related to him below. https://irishurbanexplorations.wordpress.com/2014/05/07/odessa-catacombs-day-1-odessa-ukraine/, https://thinkofthetriangle.wordpress.com/2016/09/25/adventures-in-ukraine-odessa-catacombs/, http://www.the13thfloor.tv/2017/04/11/183661/, http://odesskiy.com/chisto-fakti-iz-zhizni-i-istorii/istorija-vozniknovenija-odesskih-katakomb.html, http://www.thebohemianblog.com/2013/10/urban-exploration-odessa-catacombs_20.html, https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/mind-boggling-catacomb-maps, https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/odessa-catacombs, https://greentourua.com/the-lost-world-of-odessa-catacombs/, The Tiara of Saitaphernes: Wow Antique? Everyone was having a good time, drinking and having fun. It was brought to a police medical examiner's office, and everyone found that, shockingly, the DNA didn't match the missing boy. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. 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. They go on multi-day underground treks, known as expeditions, to document and map the system. As it turns out, many people still venture into the darkness seeking adventure. The Bohemian Blog. Built in the Soviet era, this cableway system still runs gondolas from Odessa down to Otrada Beach. Masha story is an urban legend. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. She couldn't have lasted more than a week. Although the tale has long been reported as fact, even in newspapers, there is still a great lack of evidence, and few people are stepping forward to corroborate the sparse claims that to exist. The Lost World of Odessa Catacombs. The Odesa Catacombs are a labyrinth-like network of tunnels (subterranean cavities) located under the city of Odesa and its outskirts in Ukraine, that are mostly (over 90%) the result of stone mining, particularly coquina. Every culture has an explanation about how we got here. She appeared to be on her hands and knees, in a crawling position. Whether that person is an innocent partygoer, a Satanist, or a Ukrainian drunk who took a few steps too many into the darkness, it sends imaginations soaring because it conjures the exact kind of nightmarish, lonely death everyone fears the most. However, the catacombs began to truly grow into their astonishing, labyrinthine form in the early 1800s, when the limestone quarried from them was used to build much of the city. Masha and a group of friends thought it would be fun to go out, party, and celebrate at the Stone Mines. Lets unravel the story of these vast catacombs that lie untouched beneath one of Ukraines largest towns. "Besides the original photographer," a post says, "there isn't one person, civilian or law enforcement, that can confirm the story. Jules Suzdaltsev contributed reporting to this piece. They were used as a source of cheap construction materials. 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. "Besides the original photographer," a post says, "there isn't one person, civilian or law enforcement, that can confirm the story. The catacombs are on three levels, and reach a depth of 200ft (60 meters) below sea level. But being murdered and having your body dumped in the catacombs is a vacation compared to what is rumored to have happened to Masha. Her parents called the authorities who went to the site and began to search. In September 1995, in honor of the 200th anniversary of Odessa, the longest underground journey in the catacombs was recorded. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? 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. Last month, a guy in his 20s was sentenced for reportedly murdering his teenage girlfriend in the catacombs with an ax. Odessa, just outside of Ukraine's capital, Kiev, is home to one of the largest catacombs in the entire world. Maybe her path forked a few times, and she lost track of the pattern. masha odessa catacombs photo. Drunk and needing to urinate, she left the group, seeking a place to relieve herself. Unfortunately, this area was unmapped, and quite dangerous. 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. Stop by the blog every day this month for true tales of the unquiet dead. But that has not stopped outsiders, or even local, daring, teenagers who are curious about, or even set on finding, the legendary treasures they contain. Local here (finally, after years of reading, something got me to register). All photos by Wikimedia Commons user . One of these stories inevitably brings us to Masha, a student who should have known better than to venture inside the tunnels. Creepy stories about the Odessa catacombs range fromdead bodies found in catacombs, topeople who have gotten lost in catacombs and were never seen again. During the Middle Ages, exorcisms were commonplace to rid individuals of supposed demonic possession. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Also, he wrote, "five explorers [got] lost or died during this year. 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. 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. By 2012, he had begun to sound less like the internet's ambassador to the catacombs. But when cause of death was found, they identified him as someone who had been murdered. The catacombs also contain natural caves and span over 1,500 miles. There is a rumor that the catacombs contain the stacked corpses of murdered Jews from World War II. Those daring few that decide to explore the endless depths below Odessa are often surprised by a gruesome find. However, when the body was removed, it was in terrible condition, with no good identifying factors. This myth has led many treasure hunters to enter the darkness of the catacombs in search of wealth. Stories say that an ancient Roman glassmaker had the technology to create a flexible glass, vitrium flexile, but a certain emperor decided the invention should not be. Eventually the majority of the group managed to find their way back out but Masha never did. 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. ( Volodymyr Khodaryev /Adobe Stock). The final resting place for the remains of 143 Habsburg royalty. The whole story of Masha might actually just be an urban legend. A nation whose foundations stand on centuries of struggle and fighting for independence. The remains of more than 1,000 people lie deep under the modern town of Rabat. After the war, the tunnels remained active with smugglers and criminal groups who went so far as to widen or even create their own tunnels. Thanks. She was headed into the Odessa catacombs, the 2,500 kilometers of dark rocky tunnels which run underneath the city. 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. One popular myth is the story of the White Hunter a catacomb explorer of some notoriety who apparently never came out and most likely died while in the catacombs. In the photo, Masha is unidentifiable beyond simply being a human. No doubt, many bodies remain hidden in the mines. View all photos. [Online] Available at: https://irishurbanexplorations.wordpress.com/2014/05/07/odessa-catacombs-day-1-odessa-ukraine/, Author Unknown. Padlocks cover this rickety footbridge with love. ( Valentin Balan /Adobe Stock). Every story is true, and each one is a real place you can visit. Pacific coastline of the continuous United States. 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. There you will find the skeletal remains of more than 6 million people. (Had they walked in a straight line the journey would only have been 9.5 kilometers.) It was a foggy night with temperatures hovering around freezing. After the Soviets were forced out of the city, dozens of soviet-organized Ukrainian rebel groups remained, hiding below the city. The kids began to drink, and soon enough Mashabecame drunk. ( CC BY SA 4.0 ). 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. Version of this photo sourced directly from Eugene Lata. Unfortunately for Masha, this was not the case. 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! 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. In 2005, a group of urban explorers discovered the body of a dead woman named Masha who had disappeared . They decided to do this inthe Odessa catacombs, where they could have some privacy, drink, and have fun with a little added creep factor. Skeletons and mummified animal corpses , World War II weapon caches, archaic items and human corpses. Two years passed, and no one retrieved the body, Lata claims. But some places just arent meant to be explored. They're not the safest places to be either. They look like my hiking boots, and I'm a woman. 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. Stretching to a length of 2500km, the Odessa Catacombs are prehaps the largest network of tunnels in the world. 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. The Odessa catacombs, even though slightly taboo and extremely eerie, are not illegal to visit . 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. But in their foggy states, they absentmindedlyor maliciouslyleft Masha in the catacombs. 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. The group snapped a photo, in which three young boys pose with the body as if they have just identified it. If she was lucky, she died quickly from the cold. ", "That's why I really beg you not to try to walk underground in Odessa itself. Strange and Creepy, Urban Legends and Folklore. 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 date of the earliest catacombs in Odessa is difficult to determine (as they were all widened at a later date), but they likely date back to the 1600s, if not farther. "It was hard to get to the top of the shaftit was like nine floors, tiers with skinny ladders between them. 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. 2014. The image, it's said, is of a girl who went missing in the catacombs of Odessa, Ukraine a girl, it's said, named Masha or Mashenka, who went down into the twisting tunnels beneath the city in which she lived for a party, but got lost while she was down there. With tunnels that run up to 2,500 kilometers, the Odessa Catacombs are considered the world's largest urban labyrinth, significantly larger than the one in Paris, among others. Beneath the city of Odessa, and also its outskirts, lie a labyrinth-like network of tunnels, known as the Odessa Catacombs. Murderer never found, the body ever identified. It's not clear what the journalist wrote, but Lata claims the government got moving and removed the body less than 24 hours later. The group ventured deep inside and soon enough they got lost. It was meant as a sort of warning for others to stay away, but it also lured urban explorers to the site with growing regularity. Of course parents saying not to do something usually encourages kids to do that very thing. A partial map of the Odessa catacombs. Eventually, a journalist wrote about the body, and within 24 hours, the police came and had it removed. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Even after the "Masha," episode, Lata continued to explore the catacombs. But Masha had not gone home. Masha had no food, no drink, and no phone service. With over 1,500 miles of subterranean tunnels, Odessa's catacombs even beat out the well-known Paris Catacombs in terms of length. The group of friends, he wrote, had all stayed there overnight, then left the next morning, but abandoned Masha, either accidentally or on purpose, and she was unable to find her way out. It was cold, near freezing, and foggy on New Years Eve 2005. Some time later, when the group was ready to call it a night and head home, they noticed Masha was missing. 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. Maybe her path forked a few times, and she lost track of the pattern. [1] Kostya Pugovkin, who identified himself as a veteran of Ukraine's Antiterrorist Operation based in Odessa, claims to be the one who personally hefted the body in that photograph out of the depths. It's not known if they were former students of Odessa's School Number 56, but according to references to the story in Russian news, that's where they found the entrance to the mines.