The Sphinx Might Hide an Underground City but We Can’t Get in There

One of the most unexplored and mysterious places on Earth is located in plain sight. It’s one of the most majestic monuments of humankind. The wonder of the ancient world hides a secret that scientists and archaeologists still can’t solve. This is the Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt.

The huge sculpture of a lion with a human head was carved out of rock about 4.5 thousand years ago. Scientists still don’t know the exact date of its creation and are also unaware of who built it and what for. There are many assumptions and theories, but none of them has been confirmed. Most people have seen this majestic sculpture either in photographs or in reality, but almost no one knows what’s hidden underneath it.

The statue of the Sphinx was carved from a single piece of limestone. It was painted — the remains of color pigment on the surface prove this. In the distant past, the Sphinx looked much brighter and more colorful than what we see now. But even after thousands of years, its greatness hasn’t diminished. And by the way, Sphinx is not the real name. It was invented by the Greeks about a hundred years or more after its creation.

Initially, the Egyptians called the statue Horemakhet. There are many legends and theories saying the Sphinx is there for a reason — it’s like a watchdog that guards the tomb of the Pharaoh and the secrets of Ancient Egypt. These legends became more plausible when archaeologists discovered hidden entrances at the feet of the Sphinx. They believe that these secret passages are the beginning of the tunnels leading to the halls with treasures.

You can find a lot of stories on the Internet that claim the Sphinx hides the Hall of Records — a repository filled with ancient and secret knowledge. One of the main artifacts of this repository is supposed to be the records of the ancient mythical state of Atlantis. According to legends, the entire library from this city was moved under the Sphinx. The entrance to this library must be located next to the Sphinx’s right paw. Many archaeologists tried to find this entrance but came away empty-handed.

Also, there are many images with detailed diagrams of the underground city that consists of a network of tunnels and chambers under the Sphinx. Someone says there are structures as tall as 12-story buildings hiding underground. But there’s no evidence of this. Archaeologists, even after millennia, continue to explore the mysterious sculpture. At the same time, many Egyptians don’t want to learn more about the Sphinx. They’re terrified of awakening something supernatural.

In 1998, scientists discovered tunnels leading to empty caves under the Sphinx. They found evidence of earlier excavations there. It’s quite possible that someone managed to find the treasures and take them away. Some people believe Egyptians found some kind of artifact under the Sphinx that has the power of unknown advanced technologies. The artifact is so powerful that it can change the course of history.

Of course, most theories are just fairy tales of conspiracy fans. But it’s a confirmed fact that the Sphinx hides a system of caves and rooms. There are so many rumors surrounding the Sphinx that it is impossible to understand what is true and what is false. In any case, it’s difficult and dangerous to study the sculpture because active excavations can destroy it.

Then the entrance to the underground rooms can get blocked by rocks and lost forever. Also, further exploration requires a lot of money, and financing is not always easy to find. But the main reason? It’s too risky. There’s no guarantee that people will be able to get out of the underground labyrinths. For these reasons, scientists and archaeologists have been exploring this majestic structure for so long.

Another famous architectural monument with a secret is Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Everyone admires the images of the US presidents’ faces carved into the rock, but few people know that there is a secret room hidden behind the head of Abraham Lincoln.

The architect of Mount Rushmore wanted to carve slabs on the rock with the record of the main stages of the country’s history. But his plan was too complicated to carry out. Then, he was offered to implement it on a much smaller scale — to build a secret room inside the mountain. The idea was to save this knowledge so that future generations will always remember the history of their country.

Unfortunately, the architect didn’t have time to finish his work. The construction stopped for several decades. But in the late 90s, the project was resumed. Porcelain enamel panels depicting the history of the US were placed in the room. It’s possible that these plates will be stored there forever. But people can’t see them, at least for now. The room is inaccessible to tourists, as it’s too difficult to get inside.

Another secret room is located in the Empire State Building. More precisely, it’s not even a room but a place where you can take cool photos. Almost all tourists gather on the observation deck of the 86th floor to enjoy a stunning view of Manhattan. But there’s another deck with panoramic windows on the 102nd floor. There are way fewer people there because almost no one knows about that place.

Fortunately, access to this deck is open to everyone. You probably won’t have to wait in line for a long time to take a photo. You will feel special because you’re in such a secret place where there are almost no people. But the coolest place is even higher, on the 103rd floor. This is a spacious observation deck where celebrities get their photographs taken. It’s not a public place, but if you know the right people, you can get there.

There are almost no security measures on the site, only a low ledge between you and an abyss. That’s why crowds of people are forbidden from coming here. It’s not so easy to get there, and you are unlikely to succeed without a guide. First, you need to choose the right elevator that will take you there. Then you’ll go through several engineering rooms filled with pipes, electrical panels, and other technical stuff. The final part of your way is a set of stairs inside a tiny corridor. And here you are — at the top of New York!

Now we’re in Paris. See the Eiffel Tower? Inside it, there are restaurants and observation decks. But if you try hard, you can find a secret apartment. Now it’s a museum. But it was built so that people could live in it. The architect of the tower, Gustave Eiffel, created this apartment in 1889 for himself. It’s almost at the very top of the Eiffel Tower. Imagine what a beautiful view he observed every day. He was the first and only tenant. No one else could gain access to this place.

When the architect passed away, the apartment remained empty for a long time. Only recently, they restored it and turned it into a museum. Inside, the epoch of the last century is recreated. They even put wax figures of Gustave Eiffel, his daughter, and the American inventor Thomas Edison inside the room. This place is filled with an endless stream of passengers, office workers running late, visitors from other cities... Noise, train whistles.

At Grand Central Station in New York, among all these sounds, you can hear the sound of a ball hitting a racket — if you’re in the right place. A real tennis court is hidden inside New York Central Station. It belongs to a tennis club that arranges corporate games for employees of many companies. The club was opened in the 60s.

Now, we’re moving to London, Charing Cross Road. It isn’t easy to find one secret place here. To do this, you need to look carefully at your feet. Do you see these sewer grates in the asphalt? Inside them, you can notice two signs with the name Little Compton Street. Yeah, there’s another street right below you! It disappeared from all maps at the end of the 19th century. Charing Cross Road was built over it. The identification signs that you see are part of old engineering tunnels.

There’s another interesting place in London. It’s located in the southeast corner of Trafalgar Square. At first glance, it looks like a thick lamppost. But there are too many tourists walking around. You come closer and realize that one person can easily fit inside the post. The “lamppost” belongs not to an electrician but to a police officer. Yeah, this is the smallest police station in the world. It was built in the 1930s and used as a watch-post. Officers had to sit there one by one and watch Trafalgar Square that always attracted a lot of pickpockets and all kinds of other criminals.