[2], Folklore considers this castle to cover one of the gateways to Hell, built to prevent demons (trapped in lower levels) from reaching the rest of the world. Your email address will not be published. Within no time, they heard a desperate cry. Scholars have since discovered cracks in Hjek's histories, and any evidence of Oronto's existence is rather dubious. These legendary spots might hold healing waters or a dragon. 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. Their research into the paranormal was at times both extreme and desperate, and with a reputation such as Houska Castles, it wasnt long before the Nazis decided to take it for themselves and put the local theories to the test. Animals were lost in it. 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. Residents reportedly went missing in the forest surrounding the pit, and were thought to have been dragged to hell by the winged beasts. Hindi News Photo Gallery Bizarre News The Houska Castle Czech Republic mysterious Bottomless Pit is Gateway to Hell ' ', . Locals at the time reported strange lights and horrifying sounds coming from the castle. The Prague Daily Monitor reports that many visitors are baffled by its counterintuitive architecture and unnerved by the fresco paintings in the chapel. A creepy mask displayed on the lower level rooms of Houska Castle. 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 . Many of these ceremonies were thought to have taken place at Houska Castle. Houska Castle did trade hands between various nobles and aristocrats in later centuries, however. Nestled away deep in the Czech countryside, Houska Castle was built near the top of a cliff around one hour from the city of Prague. Knucker holes are springs. Haunted? Firstly, many of the castle windows are actually fake, that are made of glass panes behind which sturdy walls are hidden. Its likely that attempting to feel the bottom fails because of either the upwelling water or the soft mud floor. MYSTERIESRUNSOLVED & MRU MEDIA, 2019-2022. Join. After numerous people suffered from these visitations, the locals began referring to the Houska pit as the hole to Hell. how to walk a human a dogs guide. 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. He got to 80,000 feet and gave up. The Golden Legend. 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. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. His hair had turned white his skin now wrinkled. The famous well to hell hoax came with a soundtrack of voices of the damned. 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. We find many legends of bottomless lakes associated with a resident monster. The location has no strategic value and is not situated near any trading routes. First up, we'll be discussing the mysterious Houska Castle, a 13th-century Gothic structure in the Czech Republic which was supposedly built over an actual gateway to Hell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Houska Castle wasn't near any water, wasn't strategically important, and didn't seem to have anyone living in it. The lake has high peat content turning the water black and the pH to around 5, so its too low for fish. They immediately started to pull him out. No one has seen one of these big craters form so its not clear if it happens explosively or gradually. Some say it wasn't built to keep evil from entering but to prevent it from spilling out. As with many sinkholes, it connects to and drains into the underground openings. Then, check out 33 pictures of Spain's Bellver Castle. For hundreds of years, the property was passed between different members of the aristocracy. The castle's chapel was dedicated to Archangel Michael. In 1639, a Swedish commander, black magician, and alchemist practiced there. In the early 1900s, the bottom was not accessible for measurement so it was commonly said to be bottomless. Lake Monster Traditions: A Cross-Cultural Analysis. 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. The lake dried up in 1866 and again in 1869 and 1976 proving that it was not bottomless but subject to drought conditions. Its only about 20 feet deep, the water is recirculated. Also, Mel Waters was a made-up name. If you're looking for a one way trip to the underworld, there's no shortage of alleged "gateways to hell" hidden all over the world. The first of the prisoners who agreed to the terms in order to escape a more severe punishment, was lowered down into the endless pit. Ottokar II built this castle as an administration center. Giant of Odessos: Skeleton unearthed in Varna, Bulgaria, Conneaut Giants: Extensive burying ground of giant race discovered in the early 1800s. By 1700, Houska Castle fell into complete disrepair. 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. Earth mysteries, weird locations, anomalous phenomena. 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. Started in 1970, the drilling of this hole in the Kola peninsula of Russia, near the Norway border was shut down in 1992. Again, we see the idea of a sucking current that could capture swimmers. 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. Possibly. The castle was built in an impenetrable forest that provided no hunting opportunities nor strategic position near a border or any trade routes. The location is about 30 miles north of Prague. Could we create a bottomless hole? He claimed to be the owner of a property seized by the U.S. government that was the location of a mysterious hole associated with very weird goings-on. Houska Castle, which was built in the early gothic style, is the best-preserved castle of the early 13th century in Bohemia and the rule of the Golden and Iron King Pemysl Otakar II. Attempts to fill the hole failed. In the 1930s, the Nazis conducted experiments in the castle of the occult variety. It is said to be an entrance to hell that swallows damned souls. ABN 90643368665. legends surrounding Houska Castle may provide the answer. As Bohemian chronicler Vclav Hjek detailed in his Czech Chronicle in 1541, the first known structure at the site was a small wooden fort in the ninth century. The story was first published in Finland by a Pentecostal Christian journal. The location was never specified, and it was never found. Even today, some people remain imaginative enough to think that they found some secret military project, an ancient city or even evidence of a Hollow Earth. He was placed in an asylum, but died two days later from an unknown cause. These screams may be coming from the prisoners of war that were held captive there, or the local villagers that were taken down into the Houska castle pit by the flying demonic entities. Any fish placed in it might have simply leaped out. Centuries-old legends may be able to answer that question. Thus, by constructing the Gothic building's defensive walls facing inward, they were able to keep the demons trapped in the lower level's thickest walls closest to the hole of the castle. Bottomless Lakes of the Pacific Northwest. 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. 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. sacramento obituaries 2021; apartments on aldine mail route Version B) The year is 1945 and the German war machine is crumbling. Its impossible to discuss the bottomless pit or pool without its connection to hell. People said they picked up radio signals from the past originating from near the hole. Houska Castle is one of the best-preserved castles in the region and is 29 miles north of Prague. The lake that has no bottom. They are usually around 20 feet across and remain at the same level suggesting a large or distant recharge area. Lets check out the legends of bottomless holes. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. He had grown wrinkles and his hair had turned white. Houska Castle, an early gothic, was built between 1253 and 1278, and although Atlas Obscura claims (no sources provided) the fortress was built as an administrative center for the king's estates, the folk legends surrounding the castle make for a chilling tale. The most obvious is that people exaggerated the depth or outright lied about the claim. Upon completion, he offered prisoners facing the gallows a full pardon if they entered the endless abyss and reported on what they saw. Earth was dumped into it with no effect. Kettles or kettle holes are glacial features that seem out of place and are fodder for legends. 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. Therefore, it might not be surprising to discover how often legendary bottomless holes have a demonstrated bottom that people simply chose to ignore. Indeed, to this day, visitors claim to hear screams and scratching noises from beneath the chapel floor. Situated on a clifftop and surrounded by dark legends and unsettling accounts, the Houska castle is one of the most feared castles in the world. The castle was founded by Czech king Pemysl Otakar I in the 13th century. Mike Dash suggests that the widespread legend of bottomless holes and lakes was an indicator of the limits of geographical mobility a century or more ago. 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. The first man to do so was young and healthy, and he happily accepted. There are many names that describe this curious castle. Houska Castle is an early Gothic castle in the municipality of Blatce in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. According to legend, the castle which stands today was built over the Houska pit, in order to conceal the gateway to Hell. The castle was originally constructed in the 13th century, between 1253 and 1278, under the reign of Ottokar II. Background. 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. So why was this random fortress built? Said to conceal a portal to hell. Some notable features of the castle include a predominantly Gothic chapel, green chamber with late-Gothic paintings, and a knight's drawing room. Wikimedia CommonsSkeletal remains of Nazis were purportedly found in the courtyard of Houska Castle. Naturally, locals would be concerned about the depth of an open hole or pool that they might fall into. Two huntsmen were keen to take the locals up on their offer, and managed to shoot him through a window. It was as if the purpose of the castle wasn't to keep invaders out but rather to keep something trapped within. Houska Castle in World War II After about 20 hrs of falling, youd reach the center of the earth, but then get stuck in the core trapped in the gravitational center. It was said he toiled night and day to discover an elixir for eternal life. 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. In The Mabinogion, translated by Lady Charlotte Guest [1877] it was said that fish in the lake are deformed and odd and that birds do not visit it. It also appears to have no function of outside fortification. linus pauling vitamin c, lysine protocol. Crossing the bog is dangerous as dry land can suddenly turn liquid. 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. As a folklore motif, the unfathomable hole is ancient. They tried to block it with stones, but the abyss allegedly gobbled up anything they dropped into it, refusing to be filled. [1] It is one of the best preserved castles of the period. The castle has been open to the public since 1999. A local paranormal group approached Jack for more information. The listener may hear no splash or crack of a stone hitting some surface below. To fall into the pit is symbolic of the descent into hell and damnation. 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. Its a dangerous feature. Again, the lack of visibility in the lake is such that a person submerged 10 feet or more disappears from the view of the surface observer. 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. 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. In 1897, it was purchased by Princess Hohenlohe and in 1924, the times of the First Republic, bought by the President of koda, Josef imonek. The Demonic Abysse of Houska Castle 2016. Feb 11, 2016 - Explore Lori Kopperman's board "Houska Castle, Gateway to Hell" on Pinterest. But it was also claimed to possibly be the location where the legendary King Arthur received the sword Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake. The current explanation is that they are formed from the collapse of previously frozen ground. [6] Animal-human hybrids were reported to have crawled out of it, and dark-winged, otherworldly creatures flew in its vicinity. Visitors have also reported seeing a line of ghostly people, all chained together each one with an injury or disability walking towards the castle. Its presence suggests the explanation for the pools they are upwelling springs that emit cold water but never freeze. If you search for bottomless hole on the internet, youll find this crazy story incorporating the usual tropes with modern supernatural ideas. There was a legend here that parents disposed of their babies umbilical cords in this vent as a magical ritual to give the child positive qualities. There was an infamous story, frequently retold, that someone once threw a dog carcass into it and later the dog was seen alive. The men saw the muddy bottom but simply assumed the monster was hiding under the mud. Centuries-old legends may be able to answer that question. Josef imonek purchased the castle in 1920. Allegedly, SS leader Heinrich Himmler feared his extensive library of occultist manuscripts would be destroyed as the war increasingly threatened Berlin. The rescuing hug the strange case of twins Brielle and Kyrie Jackson. Their geological origins are diverse. The president of koda Auto would have to abandon it during World War II, however, when the Nazis invaded and took control of the fortress. Within seconds, however, he cried to be raised up. The light cannot penetrate far into the gloom so the bottom cant be seen. 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. (1995). Myths and Legends of Our Own Land. Czech poet Karel Hynek Macha visited Houska Castle in 1836, and spent a night there during his walking tour of the region. [9][10] Another source states locals believed that the Nazis had been using the "powers of Hell" for their experiments. Some caves or shafts are rumored to drop off into a huge cavern. 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. Locals were said to fear the endless abyss so much, they believed that they would be turned into the demonic creatures it spawned themselves. 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 Youdig marshland of Yeun Elez in Brittany, France is loaded with legends and lore as a bottomless bog. Hohek's Castle was built between 1253 and 1278. 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. Visitors still claim to hear screams and scratching noises from the chapel at night. 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. 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. Investigators who have tried to find a bottom have not been able to find one in the well. Its the freeway to hell at the center of the earth. The castle is built upon a fabled bottomless pit from which winged creatures and half-man-half-beasts allegedly exited. While he was based there, its said that he was well aware of the stories of the paranormal phenomena that had been reported at the castle. [1] It is one of the best preserved castles of the period. 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. Inquisitive Wonder 2023. There are countless holes in the ground. In Sompting, local lore of the 1940s described a very dangerous bottomless hole that swallowed a cart horse and all. Natives thought the lake was bottomless because the bodies of those who drowned were not always recovered. Interesting mineralogical and even biological data were collected. Many of the windows were fake, in that they were made of real windowpanes but had thick walls blocking them from inside. The gateway to Hell is allegedly so deep that one can't see the bottom. GHI investigates the Czech Republic's Castle Houska, a structure supposedly built to keep something in. While it was unheard of at the time to include depictions of pagan mythology in a church, even more staggering is the fact that the centaur is using its left hand to shoot an arrow as left-handedness was associated with service to Satan in the Middle Ages. 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. It is fabled that the hole was so deep that no one could see the bottom of it. Like quicksand, the bottomless pit has also become a media horror trope. Ghostly figures have also been seen wandering the castle grounds. (2009). The dark hole is universally scary. Unfortunately, or fortunately, it doesnt exist as described. American Imago , 4: 1, 20-31. The Nazis were famously fascinated with the occult. There are numerous mysteries associated with Houska Castle such as why was it built in a place with no strategic importance and without any source of water - away from all trade paths?