#ShortList : Underground Cities
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sleep beneath the earth? These real-life underground cities will give you every chance to experience slumber in a subterranean abode.
Setenil de las Bodegas, Spain
Parts of the township are built directly into the rock overhangs, providing a natural solid structure for the dwellings. Though not entirely enclosed underground, most of the living space is within the rock. Interestingly, the town has an exact antipodal city – Auckland, New Zealand – which means that if a straight line were made directly from the town through the centre of the Earth, it would emerge at Auckland!
Coober Pedy, Australia
Sometimes referred to locally as the Opal Capital of the World, Coober Pedy is a town in South Australia where most of its population live in excavated dwellings under the ground. Due to the extreme heat of the day, the below-ground-residences provide a welcome relief. As the area is known for its good opal yield, it is possible that opal veins could be discovered while ‘setting up’ a home.
Derinkuyu, Cappadocia, Turkey
The ancient city of Derinkuyu is just one of several underground cities in the Cappadocia region. This city in particular was cut 60m (200ft) into the rock and could house 20,000 people, their livestock and foodstores. An elaborate system of stone doors allowed the inhabitants to seal off sections at a time, this provided them with exceptional protection and defense.
Kish Underground City, Iran
The Kariz (aqueduct) of Kish is said to have been constructed 2,500 years ago, supplying fresh water to the population living on the island. Today, the cavernous spaces have been repurposed into a true underground city, with residences, eateries and shopping outlets covering 10,000 square metres (107,639 sq ft).
PATH, Toronto, Canada
Bestowed the record of being the Largest Underground Shopping Complex in the world, covering an area 371,600msq (4,000,000 sqft), PATH is a complex network of subterranean paths in downtown Toronto, Canada. It provides a way for pedestrians on the surface to escape the extreme colds of winter and the blistering heat of summer, linking 2,000 businesses with daily foot traffic of 200,000 commuters.
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