The Mystery Of The Sablino Caves – Russian Version Of Bermuda Triangle
Russians have many rumors about the Sablino labyrinth, the most famous being the "curse" of no return for those who dare to enter.
What makes Sablino famous is a system of underground labyrinths stretching for dozens of kilometers, with entrances scattered among all 14 riverside caves.
"Meat grinder", "guillotine", "fly swatter" or "tram" are just some unofficial names assigned to the subterranean passages by locals. They call it "tram" because the feeling of walking down this maze is like being stuck in the middle of a tram at rush hour.
After that, the Sablino cave system became a haven for the disgruntled, gangsters, thugs, and random people who discovered that life underground was like a game. According to one person once lived in the caves, in 1982 – 1984, there were about 300 people resided under these tunnels.
"The biggest sinkhole - which could have easily accommodated the entire State Kremlin Palace - we called the 'morgue,' because they used it to dump dead dogs, apparently to try and smoke us out," Alexei said.
However, that was not the worst. "Sometimes people disappeared without trace. To begin with, it was all blamed on the police and the secret services, but it soon became clear that something else was at play. When one of the group leaders vanished, rumors spread about some evil force. What it was, I don’t know," Alexei recalled.
It is because of this mysterious disappearance that the Sablino cave system is also likened to the Russian version of the Bermuda triangle.
Oksana Chudnova, who visited the Sablino labyrinth in 2007, revealed: " In the Pearl cave, you can easily get lost. The most unpleasant thing is the ‘skin-scrapers’ - narrow shoulder-width passages no more than 50 cm high. But there are more cheerful places, too."
Speleologists exploring the cave often refer to Sablino with phrases such as underground "quicksand" and "sandy marshes". The explanation, though not convincing, for the disappearances is that the victims are sucked into sticky wet sand pits.
According to some rumors, the Sablino tunnel system is much longer than many people believe, stretching to St. Petersburg or even to Lake Ladoga (more than 70 km). Such large-scale passageways could have been used for military purposes.
Above the Sablino caves there is a memorial to the geologists, geographers, and speleologists who died, and inside one cave a chapel has been built that can accommodate up to 60 people. This is the only underground chapel in Russia, according to Russia Beyond.
However, those in Sablino caves have a private memorial site in the underworld, where visitors often leave something belonging to the deceased, or something to bid them farewell to the afterlife (mostly tobaccos).
H/T: Russia Beyond
Source: Wikipedia
What makes Sablino famous is a system of underground labyrinths stretching for dozens of kilometers, with entrances scattered among all 14 riverside caves.
"Meat grinder", "guillotine", "fly swatter" or "tram" are just some unofficial names assigned to the subterranean passages by locals. They call it "tram" because the feeling of walking down this maze is like being stuck in the middle of a tram at rush hour.
How did the Sablino caves appear?
In the 18th century, on the banks of the Tosna River, quartz sand mines were active. Sand floated on barges to St. Petersburg, serving the Imperial Glassworks workshop. It is believed that the caves are formed as a result of the sand extraction process.
Source: Sputnik
The missing
"Both my paternal and maternal lineage can be traced back to these parts. My grandma used to tell about how they hid in the caves during the first days of the German occupation [in WW2]," said a former resident of Ulyanovka.After that, the Sablino cave system became a haven for the disgruntled, gangsters, thugs, and random people who discovered that life underground was like a game. According to one person once lived in the caves, in 1982 – 1984, there were about 300 people resided under these tunnels.
Source: Wikipedia
"The biggest sinkhole - which could have easily accommodated the entire State Kremlin Palace - we called the 'morgue,' because they used it to dump dead dogs, apparently to try and smoke us out," Alexei said.
However, that was not the worst. "Sometimes people disappeared without trace. To begin with, it was all blamed on the police and the secret services, but it soon became clear that something else was at play. When one of the group leaders vanished, rumors spread about some evil force. What it was, I don’t know," Alexei recalled.
It is because of this mysterious disappearance that the Sablino cave system is also likened to the Russian version of the Bermuda triangle.
Adventurous experience
Today, tourists with strong nerves can visit Sablino on tour, experience the feeling of adventure under this maze on New Year's Eve, Halloween or Friday the 13th.
Source: Wikipedia
Oksana Chudnova, who visited the Sablino labyrinth in 2007, revealed: " In the Pearl cave, you can easily get lost. The most unpleasant thing is the ‘skin-scrapers’ - narrow shoulder-width passages no more than 50 cm high. But there are more cheerful places, too."
Speleologists exploring the cave often refer to Sablino with phrases such as underground "quicksand" and "sandy marshes". The explanation, though not convincing, for the disappearances is that the victims are sucked into sticky wet sand pits.
According to some rumors, the Sablino tunnel system is much longer than many people believe, stretching to St. Petersburg or even to Lake Ladoga (more than 70 km). Such large-scale passageways could have been used for military purposes.
Source: Sputnik
Above the Sablino caves there is a memorial to the geologists, geographers, and speleologists who died, and inside one cave a chapel has been built that can accommodate up to 60 people. This is the only underground chapel in Russia, according to Russia Beyond.
However, those in Sablino caves have a private memorial site in the underworld, where visitors often leave something belonging to the deceased, or something to bid them farewell to the afterlife (mostly tobaccos).
H/T: Russia Beyond
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