The Znojmo Catacombs are a vast labyrinth

Labyrinth

In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos...

 of underground passageways, cellars and subcellars

Basement

__FORCETOC__A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Basements are typically used as a utility space for a building where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, car park, and air-conditioning system...

 situated under the historic city of Znojmo

Znojmo

Znojmo is a city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, near the border with Lower Austria, connected to Vienna by railway and road . The royal city of Znojmo was founded shortly before 1226 by King Ottokar I on the plains in front of Znojmo Castle...

, in the Czech Republic

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

. They were initially developed for defensive purposes.

Development of the cellars

These grotto

Grotto

A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...

s date back to the 14th century, and were gradually expanded into the 15th century by connecting the individual cellars beneath the houses and palaces in the city into an elaborate labyrinth.

Uses of the cellars

The catacombs

Catacombs

Catacombs, human-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place can be described as a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman empire...

 were initially created to protect the inhabitants of the city against invading forces. In some places the passageways led under the fortifications and out of the city, allowing the hidden inhabitants to escape from the town to search for food in times of siege.

The subterranean caverns were adequately ventilated by air shafts. Fireplaces in the cellars were connected to house chimneys. Smoke could be seen by enemies, emanating from seemingly empty houses, making the town resemble a ghost town. Znojmo inhabitants could survive for a long time in refuge due to the presence of wells and a drainage system in the catacombs.

If enemies happened to find entrance to the cellars they would have to consider several defensive measures including slippery slides which would drop the invader into deep wells that could not be scaled as well as trapdoors and narrow passageways.

Later the cellars were used for storage, especially the storage of wine.

Currently the catacombs are a tourist attraction, with a portion of the cellars open to the public April to October for a fee.

See also

• Odessa Catacombs
  Odessa Catacombs
  The Odessa Catacombs are an estimated 2,500 kilometres of labyrinths stretching out under the city and surrounding region of Odessa, Ukraine. The majority of the catacombs are the result of stone mining....
  
  
• Tunnel
  Tunnel
  A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
  
  
• Underground city
  Underground city
  An Underground city is a series of linked subterranean spaces that may provide a defensive refuge; a place for living, working or shopping; a transit system; mausolea; wine or storage cellars; cisterns or drainage channels; or several of these. The term may also refer to a network of tunnels that...
  
  
• Rock cut architecture
  Rock cut architecture
  Rock-cut architecture is the practice of creating buildings and other physical structures by carving natural rock. In India the term 'cave' is often applied, and in China 'cavern,' but one must differentiate natural caves from rock-cut architecture which is man-made and designed along the...
  
  
• Znojmo Town Hall Tower
  Znojmo Town Hall Tower
  The Znojmo town hall tower is situated in the city of Znojmo, a historic city in Moravia, Czech Republic.The tower was contracted by Znojmo counselors in 1445 and was built by a local stonemason Nicholas of Edelspitz from 1445-1448...
  
  

External links

• cave information website