11 Places on Planet Earth That Look Like a Portal to the Underworld
Sometimes the Earth’s surface falls through, forming abysses of varying degrees of depth. It’s often nature that is responsible for these tricks, but sometimes it’s humans who cause them. While mystics and scientists argue about the origin of these places, tourists just go there to get a nice photo.
Bright Side made a list of the creepiest and deepest “portals” where you can go on a trip to the Earth’s core.
1. Gates of Hell (Darvaza), Turkmenistan
This gas crater was created by people. It’s called the “Gates of Hell” and it’s been almost half a century since the fire that was lit in 1971 has been burning there. There was a ground collapse while drilling and natural gas started to come out. In order to not harm the locals, it was lit supposing that it would stop burning in a day or 2. But their calculations were way off — the flame is there even now while the fire sometimes reaches more than 3 feet high.
The diameter of the hole is almost 200 ft, while its depth is about 65 ft.
2. St. Patrick’s Well, Orvieto, Italy
Despite its evil look, this well was built with noble intentions — to provide the city with water during the siege. Moreover, it was created under the church’s patronage. The construction started in 1527 because that’s when Pope Clement VII settled in Orvieto after the sack of Rome. In the event of a siege, water was transported through this well by mules to the Albornoz fortress.
3. Crater of Mount Yasur, Vanuatu Island
Yasur is an active volcano on Vanuatu Island. Its last eruption took place in 2017 and tribes living on the island believe that there is an ancient deity living in the crater of this volcano that can get furious if they bother him. That’s why it’s only elders and shamans who can go up to the volcano.
Of course, tourists are there too. Many thrill seekers go there to climb Yasur because it’s one of the most reachable volcanos in the world. By the way, the movie CZ12 was shot there in 2012.
4. Big Hole in Kimberley, South Africa
Big Hole is a large non-active mine in the city of Kimberley. It's hard to imagine, but people managed to dig this hole without using equipment.
Their efforts were successful because it was here that the famous De Beers diamond, weighing 428.5 carats, was mined. It got the name of the legendary jewelry name.
5. Big blue hole, the Belize Barrier Reef
A giant marine sinkhole with a diameter of 1000 feet and a depth of nearly 400 feet was naturally formed. This destination attracts avid divers because of its mystery, but many of them lose their lives here. The hole even has the unofficial name - 'diving cemetery'. The fact is that this depth is only suitable for very experienced divers, but many newcomers who are not always able to judge their skills correctly come here and sometimes their lives come to a sad end.
6. The Reverse Tower of Masons, Portugal
At the beginning of the last century, a mysterious well was built in Sintra, a city in Portugal. It acts as a transition from darkness to light. The spiral staircase around the well symbolizes going through the circles of heaven or hell, depending on which direction you go. Some time ago, here in the Initiation stuff, masons were used to carry out initiation rites. The depth of the construction is impressive - a ten-story building can fit into it.
7. Dirt water in a dam reservoir, Northern California
The largest man-made hole is located in the United States in Northern California.
The spill is very impressive - tons of water falls into it within seconds. This construction was built 50 years ago and still evokes intense feelings from tourists from all over the world.
8. Is Wang Dong, China
In China, a group of spunkers accidentally discovered a system of caves so enormous that they have their own ecosystem. You can even dive into the mist or look at clouds in the cave.
The underground rivers and lakes in this cave system are inhabited by living things found nowhere else on the planet. Here you can see eye-watering albino fish - they need no color or sight as they live in total darkness.
9. Eisriesenwelt, Austria
This cave is located at an altitude of over 5,000 feet. The name is translated as "World of the Ice Giants" from German. It is the largest ice cave in the world: 26 miles long and over 1300 feet deep, the ice growth is over 1 million cubic feet.
Tourists used to walk the entire 5,000 feet to the cave, and today a special cable car can get you there in minutes.
10. Guatemala City sinkhole
Of course, this sinkhole was created not very long ago. On June 1, 2010, a 3-story factory, along with a house next door, collapsed in the middle of the day in one of Guatemala's districts. A large hole appears in its place.
Researchers say the soil is rich in limestone that can easily be washed away by water. Local residents are convinced that the dilapidated sewerage system in the city is responsible.
11. Cerro Sarisariñama, Venezuela
There are many tea pits (mountains with a flat topping that are part of the remains of an ancient plateau and isolated from the rest of the world) located within the territory of Venezuela. Hundreds of years ago, enormous sinkholes formed in it. The largest is on Mount Sarisariñama in the Venezuelan state of Bolívar.
There is a separate living ecosystem at the bottom of those holes, isolated from the rest of the world. There are even big trees in it. Sounds like a real underworld!
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