houska castle pit exploration

In the 1940s, the Nazis overtook the castle during their occupation of Czechoslovakia, though their reasons for doing so are unclear, as the castle lacked defenses and was 30 miles from Prague. Legend has it that the castle, dating back to the 13th century, was built over the Gates of Hell and meant to keep evil spirits from escaping into the world. This has raised doubts as to the castles intended purpose, but if it wasnt built to be a fort or residence, why was it built at all? These legendary spots might hold healing waters or a dragon. In order to try and unlock the power from beneath the foundations, its said that he practiced numerous rituals, which included animal sacrifice. This is likely not true as brown trout and char live in the lake. As legend has it, Ottokar II of Bohemia ordered the castle built to seal the gateway with a fortress for good. Many people wonder why Houska Castle was built in such a strange location and odd way. Built in the 13th century by Bohemian settlers, the layout and history of Houska Castle suggest something sinister lurks there and legend holds that it sits atop a gateway to Hell. The Gateway To Hell - A Bottomless Pit Under Houska Castle: Many people wonder why Houska Castle was built in such a strange location and odd way. Wabash Valley Visions and Voices Digital Memory Project. As with many sinkholes, it connects to and drains into the underground openings. Centuries-old legends may be able to answer that question. The Swedish Commander at the time, Oronto, was known to be a cruel man, who gave his men specific orders to plunder everything they could, as well as giving them free reigns to practice rape as sport. The strange and haunted old Nazi secret camp, Houska Castle (1896). Photo: ladabar / flickr / CC-BY-NC 2.0. Houska Castle wasn't near any water, wasn't strategically important, and didn't seem to have anyone living in it. A phantom White Lady is also said to haunt the building. Locals thought the experiments were resulting in the strange noises and lights that could be frequently seen and heard around the Houska pit. The current explanation is that they are formed from the collapse of previously frozen ground. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}502928N 143726E / 50.491N 14.624E / 50.491; 14.624. The Central Bohemian town of Mlnk. Houska Castle is said to be the gateway to Hell. Locals avoided the area near Houska Castle even when it lay completely abandoned. And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts: Hidden by thick forestry, Houska Castle in Czechia is shrouded in nightmarish myth and occultist legend. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The castle is built upon a fabled bottomless pit from which winged creatures and half-man-half-beasts allegedly exited. Houska Castle in World War II Not only will you have most certainly encountered groundwater somewhere along the way, but the geothermal gradient would make the temperature at this depth very hot and melt the line. The Kola Superdeep Borehole is the deepest hole on earth at 40,230 feet. Today, Houska Castle remains one of the most haunted places on Earth. (1957). Petr David, Vladimr Soukup, Lubomr ech, Learn how and when to remove this template message, | Haunted Castles Around the World |October 10, 2017, |This castle is believed to be the entrance to the underworld |TravelBook.de |Annette Schimanski |April 24, 2020, |Discover the dark history of Houska Castle |CzechTourism 2017, |The Most Haunted Places in Prague, Czech Republic |Prague Visitor Staff | September 24, 2019, |The Scariest Places in the World |Bob Curran, |Houska Castle Blatce, Czechia |Folklore says this medieval fortress was plopped atop a portal to hell to trap the demons below |29 January 2018, |This castle is believed to be the entrance to the underworld |Travel Book |Annette Schimanski |April 24, 2020, See the castle in Czech Republic, believed to be the gateway to hell with bottomless pit, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Houska_Castle&oldid=1142138997, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing translation from Czech Wikipedia, Articles lacking reliable references from February 2023, Articles with disputed statements from February 2023, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. It is an early Gothic Castle that was built in 1253-1278 during the reign of Ottokar II of Bohemia. Bonaparte, M. (1946). In 1990, Rich Buhler, a radio host for Christianity Today, tracked the story back to the propaganda article that was based on a made-up story. The Life and Travels of French Mesmerist Baron Jules Du Potet de Sennevoy, The Headless Earl of Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate York, The Science and Prophecies of Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac, Couple Claims CCTV In Their Home Shows The Ghost of A Deceased Tenant, 1490: When a Meteorite Killed 10,000 People in the Chinese City of Ching-yang, Ancient Tomb Discovered Under Notre Dame Cathedral. The locals ignored the finding. It was built in the ninth century, before a crack in the limestone appeared which locals believed was a gateway to Hell and allowed inhuman entities to enter our world. Episode 302 LIVE: Houska Castle and the Doris Bither Entity Haunting However, the locals were so scared of him two hunters broke into the castle and murdered him. There are several examples of holes being associated with both the devil and the appearance of being bottomless. Houska Castle - Prague Forum - Tripadvisor Adding to the evil in this old fortress, the Second World War saw the invading Nazis set up base in Houska Castles upon hearing the stories of it. Hohek's Castle was built between 1253 and 1278. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. Houska Castle, located in Czech Republic, is a castle that was built houska castle pit exploration Flagstaff, Arizonas Bottomless Pit is a karst feature. The Eerie History Of Houska Castle, The Gothic Fortress Built To Seal A Spirits and beasts from the underworld escaped to torment the locals. Kansas has the infamous Stull Cemetery, Greece has the Cape Matapan Caves, and Indiana had the Demon House (until Ghost Adventures' Zak Bagans tore it down), and . Continue with Recommended Cookies. Houska Castle is one of the best-preserved castles in the region and is 29 miles north of Prague. The black magic practitioner allegedly toiled nightly in his laboratory in an effort to create an elixir for eternal life. A holy chapel was built on the site to cover this "Pit to Hell" and later a castle was constructed to guard against whatever could come out of that hole. Some notable features of the castle include a predominantly Gothic chapel, green chamber with late-Gothic paintings, and a . Workers on a drilling project in an unnamed place in Siberia sunk a hole 14.4 kilometers (8.9mi) deep before breaking through to a cavity from which they heard and recorded screaming voices and measured searing heat. His hair had turned white his skin now wrinkled. A man calling himself Mel Waters appeared on Art BellsCoast to Coast AMradio show in February of 1997. Kettles or kettle holes are glacial features that seem out of place and are fodder for legends. [4], Houska Castle, and most specifically the chapel, was constructed over a large hole in the ground that is a "gateway to Hell", which is allegedly so deep that no one could see the bottom of it. William Corliss, a collector of anomalies wrote that the accounts of such pits smack of sensationalism and must be taken with several grains of salt. The first of these craters were discovered in July 2014. Some people trying to explore the underwater caves have perished. We have a really hard time creating a super-deep hole because it needs to be reinforced and cooled. The victims would just vanish to never return again. According to one source, there were "multiple myths about their supposed occult involvements there". What else you could to Machovo jezero/Doksy. While locals claimed to have seen winged creatures fly out of the gateway to Hell in the past, today's visitors say they've observed other entities. Houska Castle - Haunted Salem [1] It is one of the best preserved castles of the period. According to the castle's official website, it was built in the 13th century as an administrative hub for the king, but Czech folklore maintains that the true purpose of its construction was to seal a gaping crack in the limestone. This wooden structure was mentioned by Vaclav Hajek in his Czech Chronicle which was published in 1541. Houska Castle Pt. 1 - Unexplained Mysteries | Podcast on Spotify The Youdig marshland of Yeun Elez in Brittany, France is loaded with legends and lore as a bottomless bog. The deepest spot in the ocean is 35,814 feet belowsealevel, part of the Mariana Trench between Guam and the Philippines called the ChallengerDeep. Houska castle is one of the best-preserved castles of the early Gothic era in Czechia, however partially rebuilt in the renaissance era. Some say the Wehrmacht occupied this castle precisely to investigate whether the gateway to Hell was real, as feverish occultism had consumed its higher ranks. Many have speculated that the castles chapel was specifically built directly over the mysterious bottomless pit in order to seal the evil in and keep the demonic creatures from entering our world. The castle's eerie history doesn't stop there, though. Rocky Creek Medieval Decor Castle Houska was built not as a defense castle, nor a royal residence - but rather to cover up the exit from the "pit of hell" - an endless hole in the ground which is believed to be under the floor of the chapel room. He vanished into the darkness, before those on the surface began to hear his blood-curdling screams. The remains of three Nazi soldiers are said to have been found in the courtyard. The audiotape of the voices may have come from a horror movie. The castle was built in an area of forests, swamps and mountains with no external fortifications, no source of water except for a cistern to collect rainwater,[5][dubious discuss] no kitchen, far from any trade routes, and with no occupants at its time of completion. Lake Baikal in Russia is the worlds deepest lake. But the supernatural stories are used as a tourism ploy and mainly appeared after 1994. Montezuma well in McGuireville Arizona is a collapsed carbonate pool 368 feet wide and 55 feet deep. With an undeniably eerie appearance, it's what's allegedly beneath it that's far more sinister - a bottomless pit that leads directly to hell. Giant of Odessos: Skeleton unearthed in Varna, Bulgaria, Conneaut Giants: Extensive burying ground of giant race discovered in the early 1800s. They hoped the . from Prague to Houska..you will get the route..basically leave Prague on D8 up to Nova Ves, turn off to Melnik and continue on 273, 259 to Houska.70 kilometres, an hour and a bit. The castle is very well-preserved for a castle from that period. Harrington, E.R. Others will try a weighted line. XCAT World series Powerboat Racing. Houska Castle - Adventure Seeds Pt. 1 | Fractalbat Macha described a vision in which his soul descended into the pit, and was then transported to a type of hellish mechanized future Prague 2006. A depth of 745 feet is seriously impressive. The area in which the castle was built isnt all that strategic. The first man to do so was young and healthy, and he happily accepted. So, holes that deep will often collect water. Legend has it that the sole reason to build this castle was to close the gateway to hell! The castle was founded by Czech king Pemysl Otakar I in the 13th century. It can be difficult to measure a true bottom if a cavern extends into a deeper karst system. It was filled only to be restored to its original condition the next day. The location is about 30 miles north of Prague. Many of these ceremonies were thought to have taken place at Houska Castle. The castle was founded by Czech king Pemysl Otakar I in the 13th century. Although not one of the largest or the most beautiful castles in the Czech Republic, with no huge parks nor the oldest chapels, Houska Castle has become a favourite destination for many adventurers and travellers alike. He began screaming in horror and begged to be pulled back up. The additional features attributed to Mels Hole were bizarre. Houska Castle, The Czech Fortress Used By Mad Scientists And Nazis The Eerie History Of Houska Castle, The Gothic Fortress Built To Seal A 'Gateway To Hell' By Cara Johnson Published April 7, 2022 Constructed near Prague in the 13th century, Houska Castle has housed mad scientists, Nazis, and perhaps even "demons." There was an infamous story, frequently retold, that someone once threw a dog carcass into it and later the dog was seen alive. Craters forming in Siberia, in particular, look very much like a bottomless hole. Archaeological evidence shows Celtic tribes inhabited the land far before the Middle Ages, and Slavic tribes migrated to the region in the sixth century. Certainly. [8][unreliable source?] Listen to this episode from Unexplained Mysteries on Spotify. . houska castle pit exploration There are even rumors that the Nazis were involved in secret Occult studies at Houska Castle, since for some unknown reason they were stationed there during . Located around 30 miles north of Prague, Houska Castle is well preserved, retaining much of its Gothic stylings, including an intact chapel. Its in the middle of nowhere. These claims date back to the castle's construction in the late 1200s, describing unearthly horrors emerging from the pit and wreaking havoc on the local population. And this castle was built in 1271, and the reason they built this castle in this location was to try to conceal a bottomless pit which many believed to be a gateway to hell or an entrance to the underworld. It is said to be an entrance to hell that swallows damned souls. This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 18:46. Its possible that a strong current might have existed underwater at times, creating a visible swirling effect. And the second type is a tropical karst feature initially identified in the Bahamas. Despite Oronto's death, locals continued to avoid the area. Constructed between 1253 and 1278, the majestic Houska Castle is said to have been built specifically to cover a hole which led straight to Hell, said to have spontaneously formed in a limestone cliff and to be a bottomless pit full of tormented souls, which would vomit forth all manner of horrific creatures birthed from the underworld. And, I try to connect them to their geological foundations. This particular fresco has left many scholars in awe, as it depicts a centaur from pagan mythology yet adorns the walls of a Christian chapel. While this is not technically impossible for a water pathway via a regional aquifer, it is NOT remotely plausible for objects of any size, like an animal or person. As with some of the bottomless lakes waterless chasms are often karst-related sinkholes or caves. Houska Castle is generally known as the most haunted castle in all of Bohemia. Locals at the time reported strange lights and horrifying sounds coming from the castle. A local paranormal group approached Jack for more information. Soundings in 1896 found a bottom just 20 feet below, but the legend of the pool as supernaturally deep continued. Earth mysteries, weird locations, anomalous phenomena. Houska Castle: Haunted Fortress That Will Spook Your Socks Off The danger is personified in a monster called the Lusca, a shark-headed creature with an octopus body who was said to live in the deep blue holes. For more on that location, see a previous feature here. Houska Castle, also known as Hrad Houska, is located about one hour's drive north of Prague, Czech Republic. According to folklore, Houska Castle was constructed over a large hole in the ground which was known as The Gateway to Hell. He had been so disturbed by what he experienced in the darkness that he was sent to an insane asylum where he died two days later from unknown causes. A young and healthy man upon descending, his hair had turned white when he emerged with his face having aged decades in mere moments. Go, or I will swallow you up and no one tried since. Crossing the bog is dangerous as dry land can suddenly turn liquid. A truly bottomless hole would go through the earth and come out the other side an impossibility to create and a physical conundrum in terms of falling into it. Indiana State University Folklore Archives. The Houska Castle Bottomless Pit, the gate of the hell . Little of the above information has much credibility and may all be just tall tales. Its only about 20 feet deep, the water is recirculated. Houska Castle, Gateway to Hell - Pinterest Sorbian prince Slavibor. They acquired their name when local herdsmen could not discern the bottom via ropes. Its a dangerous feature. This mysterious castle near Lake Mchovo in Central Bohemia attracts visitors with the legend on a rift to the Hell and a convict who was lowered down into the rift. The Dinglehole is a tiny pond in Millis, MA, that also holds the bottomless attribution. When we cant readily discern the depth, the hole begets additional legendary characteristics, including that of being bottomless. The most popular legend surrounding the castles construction suggests it was built to conceal a portal to Hell. Houska castle is one of the best-preserved castles of the early Gothic era in Czechia, however partially rebuilt in the renaissance era. They are named for the deep blue color and their depth may actually be difficult to discern as they are connected to carbonate solution cavities and fissures that extend below sea level. 17 Secret Places People Believed Were The Entrance To Hell - TheRichest Ep 83: Houska Castle - Gateway to Hell Part 1 - Astonishing Legends Top ways to experience Hrad Houska and nearby attractions Haunted castle Houska and Kokorin castle tour 3 Full-day Tours from $134.69 per adult Prague Ghosts and Legends of Old Town Walking Tour 618 Recommended Walking Tours from $18.32 per adult LIKELY TO SELL OUT* Prague Boats 1-hour Devil's Channel Cruise 552 Day Cruises from $17.69 per adult Locals believed this was a gateway to Hell from which demonic beings emerged to feed on villagers and drag them back into the abyss, never to be seen again. It also appears to have no function of outside fortification. A fresco depicting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. There are a few reasons why bottomless holes or lakes cant exist. Carbonates and Evaporites 10:225233. According to folklore, Houska Castle was constructed over a large hole in the ground which was known asThe Gateway to Hell. The bottomless pit or abyss is mentioned in Revelation 9 in the Bible. 134 Houska Castle Stock Photos, Images & Pictures It lies about 47 km (29 mi) north of Prague. Treachery of the Long Knives Eventually, equipment fails at the pressure and heat at about 12 kilometers. The dark hole is universally scary. An oil well in Qatar achieved a longer borehole length at 40,320 feet (but did not exceed the Kola reach in depth below sea level) in 2008. [7], According to the Prague Tourism web site, the castle is reputed to have various types of ghosts, "a bullfrog/human creature, a headless horse, and an old woman" as well as the remains of "demonic beasts who escaped the pit". Lake birds may not be common because of the high cliffs surrounding the water making the lake feel very enclosed and isolated. What happened to Daylenn Pua after climbing Hawaii's infamous Haiku Stairs? The story of the hole at Houska castle sounds mighty similar to a more modern version the wholly constructed legend of Mels Hole of Ellensburg, Washington. There must be thousands of examples of features around the world that have been at one time called bottomless. More creatively, some people thought that a water body without a discernible depth had on its floor an outlet or tunnel to another water body, sometimes hundreds of miles away. According to folklore, Houska Castle was constructed over a large hole in the ground which was known as The Gateway to Hell. [6][4], During World War II, the Wehrmacht occupied the castle until 1945. Houska Castle is located in the eastern part of the Kokon Forest, 47 km north of Prague and about 15 km from Bezdz, another ancient iconic castle of Central Europe. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. These water bodies claim people (dead or alive), animals, treasure, transport vehicles, and many secrets. Firstly, most of the windows are not in use. Haleakala volcano in Hawaii has its own Bottomless Pit. The name comes from the old Saxon word nicor meaning water spirit or monster. According to Castles Today, some believe they needed to secure the 13,000-manuscript library of SS leader Heinrich Himmler, who was obsessed with the occult and believed that its power would help the Nazis rule the world. The castle has been open to the public since 1999. Skinner, C.M. Does Houska Castle Have a Gateway to Hell? - Weird World There are countless tales of bottomless lakes, pools, and bogs. Get notified of the best best booming posts weekly. Its presence suggests the explanation for the pools they are upwelling springs that emit cold water but never freeze. If you dont die from the sheer bottomlessness of it all, you will encounter whatever nasty thing exists in the dark, forsaken void. Gate to Hell at Houska Castle - McGee's Ghost Tours Now this carving of what looks like a plaited loaf of bread on a pedestal in the castle makes sense, but I don't know if it's original. [4] Later on, it passed to the hands of the aristocracy, frequently passing from the ownership of one to another. Knucker holes are springs. After learning about Houska Castle, read about Caerlaverock Castle and its 800 years of Scottish history. The goal was to study the lower crust. He was still screaming when they pulled him to the surface. Houska Castle: A Gateway to Another World - ConnollyCove As of early 2020, the castle was open to the public and had been since 1999. In the summer, the cold water under the warm surface can shock swimmers. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Around the 1630s, the castle was believed to be occupied by a Swedish black magic practitioner named Oronto. Storytellers supposed that the loch bottom had hidden caverns that connected to the ocean to the northeast thus providing a passage for one of the worlds most famous lake monsters. Any fish placed in it might have simply leaped out. The location was never specified, and it was never found. To the famous castle from the middle of the 13th century, with the name: Houska. The water conceals the ultimate depth. Heres where is Houska Castle located on Google Maps: Your email address will not be published. In addition to its curious location, Houska Castle was built without stairs leading from its two upper floors to the courtyard. Houska Castle LOCATION: CZECH REPUBLIC Residing in the northern region of Bohemia, Houska Castle seems to be something out of a horror story. There are many legends around this Flagstaff pit and it was once somewhat of a tourist attraction. The location has no strategic value and is not situated near any trading routes. Carolina Bays, Mima Mounds, Submarine Canyons and Other Topographical Phenomena: A Catalog of Geological Anomalies. Nazi experiments took place within its walls during World War II. It was built in the early part of the 13 th century, believed to be on the order of Ottokar II of Bohemia. Address: Hrad Houska 1, 471 62 Doksy, Czechia Phone: +420 728 351 101 Website Public transport to the castle is limited, so one of the best ways to reach the castle is to hire a car for the day. [6][11], The Travel Channel series "Legendary Locations" covered several sites in Season 2, Episode 4, including the castle "said to protect a portal to hell". Himmler has been accredited as the initial founder of Esoteric Hitlerism, and its said that many high ranking Nazi officials, including Hitler himself, would attend secret ceremonies to try and harness supernatural power. Houska Castle, located in Czech Republic, is a castle that was built over a hole so deep, that nobody could see the bottom. Even though the lake is only at most 70 ft deep, this myth persists. The Bohemian noble families of Berka z Dub. Two qualities of a lake indicated the almost certain presence of a legendary monster first, dark water, and secondly, it was deemed unfathomable. Indeed, to this day, visitors claim to hear screams and scratching noises from beneath the chapel floor. A century later, Josef imonek, president of koda Auto, purchased the castle for himself. Link Location Gps 50.4909607. To fall into the pit is symbolic of the descent into hell and damnation. Hydrogen sulfide gas in the water is toxic and can cause dizziness and nausea, disorienting divers. The Eerie History Of Houska Castle, The Gothic Fortress Built To Seal A Gateway To Hell. Ghostly figures have also been seen wandering the castle grounds. To coincide with the varied nationalities that once held the castle voices and screams in different languages are often heard throughout the castle at night. Houska Castle, known locally as the Gates to Hell in the Czech Republic it is thought to be one of the most haunted locations in the world. Historians believe the painting is a hint to the creatures that lurk beneath the church. Naturally, locals would be concerned about the depth of an open hole or pool that they might fall into. Oronto made Houska Castle his primary base for some time. Many of the windows were fake, in that they were made of real windowpanes but had thick walls blocking them from inside. Spirits and beasts from the underworld escaped to torment the locals. Some say that many top Nazi officials, including Himmler, attended dark ceremonies at Houska Castle in which they attempted to harness the power of Hell.

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