200-year-old hidden tunnels — used for escapes — found under Slovakia city. See them
Under a picturesque city in Slovakia ran a centuries-old network of crumbling tunnels. The once life-saving passageways had fallen into disrepair and were eventually forgotten — until now.
Archaeologists excavated several streets in downtown Trenčín as part of a project to revitalize a pedestrian zone, city officials said in a June 28 news release. One of these roads, known as Sládkovičova Street, stood out from the others.
During medieval times, Trenčín had a fortification system with walls, defensive towers and a castle, Drahoslav Hulínek, the project’s lead archaeologist, said in the release. The walls were built in the 1400s and divided the city in two: the enclosed city center and the exposed suburbs.
Sládkovičova Street ran through the wall and linked both sides, officials said.
While excavating this street, archaeologists unearthed a network of hidden passageways built between the 13th and 18th centuries.
The over 200-year-old tunnels were made of stones or bricks and used for escapes, Hulínek said. During the uprisings of the medieval era, priests, church officials or other people would shelter in underground passageways for safety. For this reason, tunnel networks often connected churches or other buildings.
Photos show the crumbling tunnels. Some of the underground spaces found in Trenčín may date back to before the medieval era, Hulínek said.
Archaeologists also found 500-year-old sections of the city walls, glass and ceramic artifacts, a metal cannonball and various bone artifacts. A photo shows a few of these items.
The excavations are ongoing, and archaeologists hope to locate the defensive front gate that once stood along the medieval walls.
Trenčín is a city in northwestern Slovakia and near the border with Czechia.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from the City of Trenčín.
This story was originally published July 4, 2024 at 12:12 PM with the headline "200-year-old hidden tunnels — used for escapes — found under Slovakia city. See them."
