houska castle pit exploration
In order to try and unlock the power from beneath the foundations, its said that he practiced numerous rituals, which included animal sacrifice. The castle was supposedly constructed in the middle 13th century to surround and cover the hole to hell that had spontaneously formed. Blue holes in a more geological context are karst features documented for over 100 years. Michel Meurger wrote about the tradition of lake monsters in Europe and North America. Learn more about your ad choices. Investigators who have tried to find a bottom have not been able to find one in the well. The castle is perched on a rock and encircled by mountains, forests, and wetlands. The location of the castle is also peculiar. [3], Houska Castle was built in the second half of the 13th century probably on the orders of Bohemian ruler Ottokar II of Bohemia during his reign (125378) to serve as an administration center from which the extensive royal estates could be managed. Then we'll return to the fascinating case of Doris Bither, who was the real woman behind the character of Carla Moran in the 1982 horror film The Entity . For a start, how would a bottomless hole hold water? Bale Lake was also rumored to hold a dragon. The castle's eerie history doesn't stop there, though. It was not water-filled. Eager to know what was below the surface of the Houska pit, local authorities agreed to pardon prisoners if they agreed to be lowered by rope into the gateway to hell. Houska Castle welcomes thousands of visitors every year to showcase . Renovations to modernize the castle after the Renaissance began in the 1580s, with various nobles and aristocrats inhabiting the fortress across the ages. Despised by his actions, the locals that had remained in the area decided to offer a reward of 100 gold to those who could kill him. Wabash Valley Visions and Voices Digital Memory Project. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Locals were terrified of the half-human hybrids that began to crawl out of the hole at night and tear livestock apart. houska castle pit explorationdr phil what happened to colin. Lake Dulyn in Snowdonia, North Wales was commonly regarded not that many decades ago as a dangerous bottomless hole where evil creatures would reach up from the abyss and engulf people. 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. Hrad Houska Nature Hiking Adventure An old Gothic style castle that is perfectly hidden in the deep forest and riddled with mystery, come if you dare! The deepest natural pits in the world include the Devils Sinkhole, Rocksprings, Texas at 400 and Deans Blue Hole, Long Island, Bahamas at 650. The castle today is littered with unsettling decorations. Houska Castle is an early Gothic castle, located 47 km north of Prague, the Czech Republic, close to the German border and surrounded by thick woodland crisscrossed with low peaks and rushing streams. Once he had found himself in this technological future, he found himself wandering aimlessly in horror and despair. Allegedly, SS leader Heinrich Himmler feared his extensive library of occultist manuscripts would be destroyed as the war increasingly threatened Berlin. Dash, M. (2020). The prisoner's traumatizing descent allegedly saw him driven into an insane asylum, where died within days. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Water kept flowing in. In 1901, English Mechanic magazine reported on a seemingly bottomless hole at 171st St in New York City. [1] It is one of the best preserved castles of the period. No modern discussion of weird bottomless holes would be complete without at least mentioning it. Many of the world's so-called gateways to hell amount to nothing more than a creepy setting with a really spooky urban legend attached, but then there's Houska Castle, a 762-year-old gothic castle that was built to seal shut what locals believe is the real-life entrance to the underworld. The Eerie History Of Houska Castle, The Gothic Fortress Built To Seal A Gateway To Hell. Manage Settings The black magic practitioner allegedly toiled nightly in his laboratory in an effort to create an elixir for eternal life. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Eventually, the hole was characterized by its promoters as a top-secret government project involving an underground alien base. When the construction of Houska Castle began, the intrigue of the locals got the better of them. Vaclav Hajek also mentioned a strange crack in the top of the limestone cliff, and a pit so deep, that it seemed to be endless. The bottomlessness of the various pits, lakes and bogs worldwide is not physically accurate but the concept of the unknown abyss is an essential feature of a mythological and enchanted landscape. King Ottokar II of Bohemia had the gothic structure built sometime between 1253 and 1278. There was even a claim of metals changing form in the hole. It was supposedly built to "keep the demons and monsters from hell" from ever reaching the world. It was said he toiled night and day to discover an elixir for eternal life. Objects thrown into the hole arent recovered. In his dreams, he had a terrifying vision, which he recorded in a letter to his friend, Edward Hindle. Hindi News Photo Gallery Bizarre News The Houska Castle Czech Republic mysterious Bottomless Pit is Gateway to Hell ' ', . Originally constructed in the 13th century during the reign of Ottokar II of Bohemia, the gothic castle is located about an hour north of Prague. The infamous SS chief Heinrich Himmler, was so obsessed with pagan lore and occult teachings, that he made it his personal objective to collect as many books and manuscripts about witchcraft, the occult and the supernatural as he could. In Revelation 20, an angel throws Satan or the devil in the form of a serpent or dragon back into the pit and seals it. 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. It is believed that this was ordered to be built by Otto Karll of Bohemia, who reigned as ruler from 1253-1278. Blue holes: Definition and genesis. There is mention in places that a natural crevasse existed at the site and people disappeared (Fallen in or dragged in? While Nazi Germany took countless castles and plundered the nations it invaded during the war, the appeal of Houska Castle remains debatable. Like quicksand, the bottomless pit has also become a media horror trope. Built in the latter half of the 13th century, it is thought to have been constructed on the orders of Ottakar II, known as the Iron and Golden King. Person, H.A. They dropped the first man into the ditch and after a few seconds, he had disappeared into the darkness. Some say it wasn't built to keep evil from entering but to prevent it from spilling out. 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." In the 18th century, it stopped serving as a noble residence and fell into a state of disrepair before being renovated in 1823. After numerous people suffered from these visitations, the locals began referring to the Houska pit as the hole to Hell. Visitors still claim to hear screams and scratching noises from the chapel at night. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Dog rescued after disappearing down a sinkhole, the bottomless pit has also become a media horror trope, The lake dried up in 1866 and again in 1869 and 1976, Bottomless Lakes State Park in New Mexico, Knucker or knacker holes are bottomless ponds that do not freeze or dry up. [9][10] Another source states locals believed that the Nazis had been using the "powers of Hell" for their experiments. The castle walls are adorned with numerous fresco paintings that depict St. Christopher, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and a half-animal, half-human hybrid hunting a villager. The audiotape of the voices may have come from a horror movie. Many different types of ghosts are seen around the castle, including a giant bulldog, a frog, a human, a woman in an old dress, and most spooky of all, a headless black horse. Houska Castle. Villagers eventually tried to block the alleged "gateway to Hell" with stones, only to see the seemingly bottomless pit devour whatever they threw in refusing to be sealed. 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. If you search for bottomless hole on the internet, youll find this crazy story incorporating the usual tropes with modern supernatural ideas. You will have to walk from the parking for about 10 minutes to the castle. By 1700, Houska Castle fell into complete disrepair. It is believed that the castle was built to keep the evil in. The most famous of all the legends is that the castle was built as a defense against a bottomless pit in the ground, known as the Gateway to Hell. 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 is nothing about Mels Hole that is genuine. The most famous blue hole of New Jersey is in Winslow, one of many pools that appear in the sandy Pine Barrens coastal plains. There are many names that describe this curious castle. June 4, 2021. Bottomless Lakes are the result of karst features, sinkholes that are perpetually filled with water because they extend below the water table. 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. It lies about 47 km (29 mi) north of Prague. Its possible that a strong current might have existed underwater at times, creating a visible swirling effect. Locals thought the experiments were resulting in the strange noises and lights that could be frequently seen and heard around the Houska pit. People said they picked up radio signals from the past originating from near the hole. Those waiting eagerly above pulled the man up frantically, and when he came back into sight, he looked as if he had aged around 30 years, just from spending a few seconds in the darkness of the pit. They would logically attempt to plumb it with an available oar or long tree branch or sapling. When the hole gets blocked it may temporarily hold water until the plug comes loose and the hole drains. If there were no air in the hole, however, things would go MUCH faster. 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. Sinkholes, Bottomless Lakes, and the Pecos River. What happened to Daylenn Pua after climbing Hawaii's infamous Haiku Stairs? Its also pretty fun to imagine they are the gaping mouth of a subterranean creature or that the earth itself is a living thing that would eat us. Bottomless Lakes State Park in New Mexico is over 1600 acres of land with eight lakes available to visitors. When he was pulled from the chasm, his hair had turned white. https://aforteantinthearchives.wordpress.com/2020/09/27/the-lake-that-has-no-bottom/. Many of the windows were fake, in that they were made of real windowpanes but had thick walls blocking them from inside. The castle's chapel was dedicated to Archangel Michael. There arent many explanations for the claims of bottomless holes. It wasn't near any water, wasn't strategically important, and didn't seem to have anyone living in it. The unfathomable Mummelsee, in the northern Black Forest, Baden Baden, Germany was called the Lake of Miracles by the Romans. Houska was built by Pemysl Otakar II as a remarkable royal castle, but was soon sold to a noble family, which continued to own in until after WWI. As such popular stories go, some people naively assume its real. Bottomless Lakes of the Pacific Northwest. Houska Castle was likely built on the orders of Ottokar II of Bohemia who wanted it to serve as an administrative building where other royal properties could be managed from. Houska Castle, Czech Republic By Deb Daniel Jansonsin Ghosts and Hauntings, Haunted Locations Approximately 47km from Prague, sits a large and menacing structure called the Houska Castle. [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". Standard admission is 135. 1 / 3 513 104 104 comments Add a Comment AutoModerator Please note these rules: Divers enjoy exploring the blue holes but, as with any cave system, underwater caving can be treacherous. If bottomless represented the unknown, its a very small leap of thought to assume there were monsters in this abyss. Marie Bonaparte noted the idea of unfathomable was applied to still waters, not the ocean or rivers. Constructed between 1253 and 1278 during the reign of Ottokar II of Bohemia, the castles original purpose has become the subject of many dark and terrifying stories. Known to locals as the location to the Gates of Hell, all sorts of demons and mysterious entities have been spotted here. Thus, people assume it has no bottom at all. 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. 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. Several other tales are also associated with the pool including that it was the source of the winds on the moor. With World War II resulting in fierce fighting across the continent, the Nazis swept into the Czech Republic, and decided to enrich their knowledge of the occult by studying at Houska Castle. No single person can hand-measure that depth its entirely impractical as, at that length of line, you could not feel youve reached the bottom. Here, more surface occult activity supposedly occurs as this place is where the devil meets with his minions and a headless ghost circles the pond after being summoned by hobgoblins. Some caves or shafts are rumored to drop off into a huge cavern. The additional features attributed to Mels Hole were bizarre. Of geological interest, the area here is limestone so we could speculate that a natural karst feature was the inspiration for the hole. A movie/TV trope that creates sudden bottomless chasms as a handy dramatic device is that of earth fissures that suddenly open during a quake where living things and buildings slip in and are forever lost. Photo: ladabar / flickr / CC-BY-NC 2.0. Soundings in 1896 found a bottom just 20 feet below, but the legend of the pool as supernaturally deep continued. Houska Castle is said to be the gateway to Hell. Its the freeway to hell at the center of the earth. The first man to do so happily agreed to be lowered down by a rope but cried out to be raised back up within seconds. Kettles or kettle holes are glacial features that seem out of place and are fodder for legends. Houska Castle was built during the reign of Ottokar II of Bohemia between 1253 and 1278 as an administrative hub from which the king could manage royal estates. A century later, Josef imonek, president of koda Auto, purchased the castle for himself. Locals reported seeing black winged creatures coming up out of the pit and attacking people. Houska Castle has been open to the public since 1999. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The castle was founded by Czech king Pemysl Otakar I in the 13th century. Skinner, C.M. He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. Some notable features of the castle include a predominantly Gothic chapel, green chamber with late-Gothic paintings, and a knight's drawing room. 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. Even if a lake had a measured floor, it was common to see mentioned a cave passage that existed somewhere within the perimeter that was where the true danger or mystery was. Indeed, to this day, visitors claim to hear screams and scratching noises from beneath the chapel floor. Upon completion, he offered prisoners facing the gallows a full pardon if they entered the endless abyss and reported on what they saw. 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. There is a story that famous undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau saw it and never told anyone additional details. The fact that this beast is using its left hand to shoot its arrow is even more unnerving, as left-handedness was associated with Satan in the Middle Ages. 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. 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. Harrington, E.R. The castle was built in 1253-1278 and was upgraded to a Renaissance style castle during the 1500's. pic.twitter.com/HToGtolrGH. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'inquisitivewonder_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_1',162,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-inquisitivewonder_com-medrectangle-3-0'); If youre lucky enough to observe Houska Castle from the outside, youll notice some quite peculiar additions. The glacial cirque black lake bottoms out at about 190 feet (58 m). The most famous legend was that of the King of the lake and his mermaid nymphs that lived there. When the castle was built, the crack in the limestone was covered with thick stone plates and the castle's chapel was constructed on top of it in order to seal the hole to Hell. 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. There was a gruesome legend where a father killed his son and then also drowning himself. Formed during times when sea level lower, they were then flooded and may be isolated in inland areas or open to the existing marine environment. As a folklore motif, the unfathomable hole is ancient. Ottokar II of Bohemia, Czech king and warrior, known as the Iron and Golden King. Some have water. Heres where is Houska Castle located on Google Maps: Your email address will not be published. A single survivor reports that the black clad men have lead prisoners back to Houska Castle where they are being used as slaves, helping the strange men assemble towers of steel. Go, or I will swallow you up and no one tried since. The cool story became popular. It also has a monster legend. The French team of paranormal investigators, R.I.P recherches investigations paranormal, investigated the Castle in 2013 in their episode "The Hell Gate" (Episode 3, Season 2).[13]. But even today, over seven hundred years after the pit has been sealed, visitors still claim to hear the scratching of creatures from the lower floors at night, trying to claw their way to the surface. Indiana State University Folklore Archives. Pete Collman and Travis Dow's Bohemican Podcast, covering Castle Houska. It would only be fully restored more than a century later in 1823. Czech poet Karel Hynek Macha visited Houska Castle in 1836, and spent a night there during his walking tour of the region. The lakes of the Great Glen in Scotland are notable: Loch Ness has dark, peat-stained water as well. However, the locals were so scared of him two hunters broke into the castle and murdered him. There are countless tales of bottomless lakes, pools, and bogs. Tales are told of swimmers pulled to their doom by whirlpools or some other underwater force.