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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. Underground cities may be currently active modern creations or they may be historic including ancient sites, some of which may be all or partially open to the public. The term may also refer to a network of tunnels that connects buildings beneath street level that may house office blocks, shopping malls, metro stations, theatres, and other attractions. These passages can usually be accessed through the public space of any of the buildings connecting to them, and sometimes have separate entries as well. This latter definition encompasses many modern structures, whereas the former more generally covers tunnel systems from ancient times to the present day. Underground cities are especially functional in cities with very cold or hot climates, because they permit activities to be comfortably accessible year round without regard to the weather. Underground cities are similar in nature to skyway systems and may include some buildings linked by skyways or above-ground corridors rather than underground. Some cities also have tunnels that have been abandoned.


Argentina

Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, has an extensive number of underground cities in its
Subte The Buenos Aires Underground ( es, Subterráneo de Buenos Aires, links=no), locally known as Subte (), is a rapid transit system that serves the area of the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The first section of this network (Plaza de Mayo–Plaz ...
. Most stations have small shops, bars and kiosks, while main hubs interconnect through underground pedestrian walkways with railroad stations, governmental buildings, or shopping centres. Some have additional mall-like mezzanine levels, with the Centro Obelisk of Buenos Aires area (three lines, four underground levels), Estación Retiro, Estación Constitución, Estación Once, and
Federico Lacroze railway station Federico Lacroze railway station (Estación Federico Lacroze in Spanish) is a passenger railway station in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The station is located in the city's outlying ''barrio'' (neighbourhood) of Chacarita in a predominantly residen ...
being the most important ones.


Australia

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
has a series of underground shopping malls around the
Town Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
underground station. The tunnels run south to the George Street cinema district, west under the town hall, and north to Pitt Street Mall through the
Queen Victoria Building The Queen Victoria Building (abbreviated as the QVB) is a heritage-listed late-nineteenth-century building designed by the architect George McRae located at 429–481 George Street in the Sydney central business district, in the Australian stat ...
. The northern branch links Queen Victoria Building with Galleries Victoria, Sydney Central Plaza (which in turn links underground to
Westfield Sydney Westfield Sydney is a large, upmarket shopping centre in the Sydney central business district. It is located underneath the Sydney Tower and is located on Pitt Street Mall, adjacent to the MidCity, Glasshouse and near The Strand Arcade. Histor ...
and internally above ground to Centrepoint, Imperial Arcade, Skygarden, Glasshouse and
25 Martin Place 25 Martin Place (formerly the MLC Centre) is a skyscraper in Sydney, Australia. Designed by architect Harry Seidler, it stands at a height of 228 metres (748 ft) with 67 storeys, and remains one of his most definitive works. The building wa ...
). The linked centres run for over . In 2005, Westfield Corporation submitted a development application to link Sydney Central Plaza underground with 3 other properties on Pitt Street Mall and extend the tunnel network by a further or more. Perth has a small network of underground shopping malls running from the
St Georges Terrace St Georges Terrace (colloquially known as "The Terrace") is the main street in the city of Perth, Western Australia. It runs parallel to the Swan River and forms the major arterial road through the central business district. Its western e ...
entrance to Trinity Arcade to Murray Street Mall. The small town of
Coober Pedy Coober Pedy () is a town in northern South Australia, north of Adelaide on the Stuart Highway. The town is sometimes referred to as the "opal capital of the world" because of the quantity of precious opals that are mined there. Coober Pedy is ...
in northern South Australia has numerous underground residences and other facilities. The area was and is extensively mined for opal, and the settlers lived underground to escape the scorching daytime heat, often exceeding .


Canada

The cold-winter northern
continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing som ...
of much of Canada makes underground pedestrian malls particularly useful in many cities. * Edmonton, Alberta, has a small system of tunnels and above-ground skyways called the Pedway connecting buildings and LRT stations of the downtown core. * Halifax, Nova Scotia ('' Downtown Halifax Link''), where no point is more than 10 minutes casual walking distance from any other one. * Montreal, Quebec, '' Underground city'', or ''la ville souterraine'' in French, is the largest underground network in the world. Its of tunnel cover more than 41 city blocks (about ). Access through the RÉSO can be made to apartment buildings, hotels, offices, banks, and universities, as well as public spaces like retail shops and malls, concert halls, cinemas, the Bell Centre hockey arena, museums, seven
metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
stations, two train stations ( Lucien-L'Allier and Gare Centrale), a
bus terminal A bus station or a bus interchange is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. While the term bus depot can also be used to refer to a bus station, it generally refers to a bus garage. A bus station is la ...
(
Réseau de transport de Longueuil Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL) ( en, Longueuil Transit Network) is a public transit system in the city of Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, and nearby communities on the South Shore of Montreal. The RTL had an annual ridership of 34,447,686 in ...
and other transit authorities), and other areas. It connects 80% of office space and 35% of commercial space in downtown Montreal. **The network began as a connection between
Place Ville Marie Place Ville Marie (PVM for short) is a large office and shopping complex skyscraper in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, comprising four office buildings and an underground shopping plaza. It serves as the main and official headquarters for Ro ...
, the Queen Elizabeth Hotel and the Gare Centrale. **More than 2,000 shops and 40 cinemas line the passageways. Tourists often visit attractions in the underground city, which is used by an average of half a million Montrealers per day. **Eight
metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
stations link to smaller networks that are not yet part of the central network, such as Berri UQAM in the eastern part of downtown and Pie-IX which links venues from the
1976 Summer Olympics Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phi ...
. * Carleton University in
Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, Ontario, has a tunnel network which connects ten residence buildings with other buildings on its main campus. The city also has an underground concourse at the Place de Ville office complex in the downtown business district, connecting 4 office buildings containing over of leasable space, and 2 hotels with 900 rooms combined. There are plans to expand the underground network after the Confederation Line, a rapid transit line featuring three downtown subway stations, is completed. It is estimated there will be as many as 20 buildings with direct indoor connections to the downtown subway portion, or 4 million square feet of office space, of retail, 1400 hotel rooms and the Ottawa Convention Centre. * Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – On the campus of the University of Saskatchewan a tunnel system connects several of the buildings on campus, this is augmented with overhead walkways that further extend the network. *
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. The city spans and is the easternmost city in North America ...
– At the main campus of
Memorial University of Newfoundland Memorial University of Newfoundland, also known as Memorial University or MUN (), is a public university in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, based in St. John's, with satellite campuses in Corner Brook, elsewhere in Newfoundland and ...
are the
MUNnels Memorial University of Newfoundland, also known as Memorial University or MUN (), is a public university in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, based in St. John's, with satellite campuses in Corner Brook, elsewhere in Newfoundland and ...
, a tunnel system, in which all the main buildings are connected, though there are also some elevated walkways. * Toronto, Ontario (" PATH"), comprises of walkways and 1,200 shops. It links many important buildings and attractions downtown to six TTC subway stations. PATH accommodates 100,000 pedestrians daily, and PATH businesses host the world's largest underground sidewalk sale once annually. **The PATH network in Toronto is the largest underground shopping complex in the world with . **Toronto also has a separate, smaller "underground city" connecting several building complexes and two subway stations on Bloor Street. * Vancouver, British Columbia, has two shopping malls, Pacific Centre and Vancouver Centre, that are interconnected and extend over three city blocks, containing more than 200 stores that weaves above and below ground level. These malls have metro access at Granville SkyTrain Station on the Expo Line and Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain Station on the Canada Line. There are also restricted tunnels and parking garage connections connecting the Pacific Centre structure to Robson Square and the Courthouse building. Other connections exist between SkyTrain stations and surrounding buildings such is the case with the
Burrard Station Burrard is an underground station on the Expo Line of Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system. The station is located in Downtown Vancouver on Burrard Street, where Melville and Dunsmuir Streets meet, and is the western terminus of t ...
connections to the Bentall Centre and the Royal Centre and Waterfront Station's links with Canada Place and the
Sinclair Centre Sinclair Centre is an upscale shopping mall in Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. It is located at 757 West Hastings Street between Granville and Howe streets. The centre comprises four buildings that were restored and connected by a new atri ...
. * Winnipeg, Manitoba, has a smaller (mainly commercial office) area located underground in the downtown core below Portage and Main. Several of the downtown office towers have subterranean entrances to the complex allowing employees and visitors to bypass the downtown traffic and avoid the cold winter temperatures Winnipeg regularly experiences. The system links with the skyway system known as the
Winnipeg Walkway The Winnipeg Walkway System, also known as the Winnipeg Skywalk, is a network of pedestrian skyways and tunnels connecting a significant portion of downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba. The City of Winnipeg described the Walkway as a system of 14 skyways ...
. Also the University of Manitoba has tunnels for the students to travel from building to building. *
Charlottetown Charlottetown is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, Charlottetown was an unincorporated town until it was incorporated as a city in ...
, Prince Edward Island, has a tiny system. A pedestrian tunnel connects the Confederation Center of the Arts with the Confederation Court Mall. The mall also connects to The Holman Grand Hotel. The Mall is separated into a main section and a much smaller section connected by an overground walkway. This small section of the mall connects to a 338 spot
parking garage A multistorey car park (British and Singapore English) or parking garage (American English), also called a multistory, parking building, parking structure, parkade (mainly Canadian), parking ramp, parking deck or indoor parking, is a build ...
, which itself connects to the Homburg Financial Building, and has a separate public entry. Apart from the hotel, two additional office buildings are on top and can be assessed through the mall, a building owned by National Bank, and a building owned by BDC.


Chile

Santiago has some elements of an underground city in its "Metro" subway system. While all stations have a small mezzanine level above the tracks for ticket purchase, some key stations have extensive areas of shops and kiosks in addition. Some stations even have an additional mall-like level between the street and the mezzanine levels.


China

* Beijing built an extensive tunnel network called the Underground City ( zh, t=地下城, s=地下城, p=Dìxià Chéng) during the Sino-Soviet conflict, supposedly covering 85 km2, falling into disuse in the 1970s. It was opened in 2000 to the public and tourists, but closed in 2008 for renovations. , all "official" remaining entrances appear to be closed. * Guangzhou has at least 16 different underground networks. **The largest underground network being the one in
Zhujiang New Town Zhujiang New Town or Zhujiang New City is a central business district in Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. It is bounded by Huangpu Avenue on the north, the Pearl River (China), Pearl River on the south, Guangzhou Avenue on the wes ...
connecting the commercial basements of over 35 office towers and malls surrounding the Zhujiang New Town Central Park and extends to
Zhujiang New Town Zhujiang New Town or Zhujiang New City is a central business district in Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. It is bounded by Huangpu Avenue on the north, the Pearl River (China), Pearl River on the south, Guangzhou Avenue on the wes ...
, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Huangpu Dadao and Huacheng Dadao metro stations. The mall portion under the Zhujiang New Town Central Park alone totals at least of commercial space. **In addition there are large subterranean retail tunnels that surround several Guangzhou Metro stations such as Tiyu Xilu,
Tianhe Sports Center Tianhe Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium in Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. It is currently used for football matches. History Construction of the stadium began on 4 July 1984 at the former site of Guangzhou Tianhe Airport. ...
, Martyrs' Park, Guangzhou railway station and Guangzhou East railway station. **Smaller networks of subterranean retail tunnels surround several Guangzhou Metro stations such as Chen Clan Academy, Jiangnan West (江南新地商业街), Gongyuanqian *
Harbin Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and largest ...
has a number of large, multi-level underground shopping areas, originally built for air defense. The largest is at the roundabout intersection of Xida Zhi street and Hongjun street where three levels of markets following streets from four directions meet under the giant snowflake atrium. * Hangzhou has an underground mall in Wulin Square connected to a
subway station A metro station or subway station is a station for a rapid transit system, which as a whole is usually called a "metro" or "subway". A station provides a means for passengers to purchase tickets, board trains, and evacuate the system in the ...
of the same name and nearby office buildings. * Nanjing has an underground mall around Xinjiekou metro station. *
Qingdao Qingdao (, also spelled Tsingtao; , Mandarin: ) is a major city in eastern Shandong Province. The city's name in Chinese characters literally means " azure island". Located on China's Yellow Sea coast, it is a major nodal city of the One Belt ...
has two small underground shopping areas, one at the head of the Zhanqiao (pier) and one west of the Qingdao guest house. * Shanghai has a few underground networks, most notably at People's Square metro station, wherein the line 2 station has a second mezzanine full of shops and Line 1 is connected to a large underground shopping gallery at its south end. Shanghai Science Museum stop on line 2 has a large underground shopping area, known for its imitation goods. Huangpi Road South and Xujiahui stations are directly connected to shopping centers, and the Lujiazui station is connected to the Bank of China tower. * Shenzhen has quite a few underground shopping malls: **Link City ( zh, t=連城新天地, s=连城新天地), an underground shopping plaza connecting Convention and Exhibition Center, Shopping Park,
Futian Futian District () is one of the nine districts comprising the city of Shenzhen, China. The district is home to the government and Municipal Committee of Shenzhen, as well as the city's central business district (CBD). Name There are two theori ...
and Gangxia stations with surrounding office buildings. The initial sections of the mall used to be an air-raid shelter. It is currently being expanded to Gangxia North station. **An underground electronics market connecting Huaqiang Road, Huaqiang North and Huaxin stations and the surrounding Huaqiangbei electronics markets. **Smaller networks of subterranean retail tunnels surround several Shenzhen Metro stations such as Chegongmiao, Laojie, Science Museum, Luohu, Huangbeiling, and Window of the World. * Wuhan has a number of subterranean retail tunnels surrounding Wuhan Metro stations such as Zhongshan Park, Wuhan Business District, Wangjiawan, Qushuilou, Xudong, Wangjiadun, Hongshan Square and Changgang Road Stations.


Finland

*In Helsinki centre, underground shopping areas cover the central railway station area including the underground shopping centre
Asematunneli Asematunneli ( sv, Stationstunneln) is an underground shopping center connecting the Helsinki Central railway station and City-Center in downtown Helsinki, Finland. The area also has a ticket sales area for the Rautatientori metro station and c ...
, and two subway stations,
Rautatientori Helsinki Railway Square ( fi, Rautatientori, sv, Järnvägstorget) is an open square immediately to the east of the Helsinki Central railway station in central Helsinki in Finland. The square serves as Helsinki's secondary bus station along with ...
and
Kamppi Kamppi () is a neighbourhood in the centre of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The name originally referred to a small area known as the "Kamppi field" (see below), but according to the current official designation, "Kamppi" encompasses a much l ...
. The
Kamppi Kamppi () is a neighbourhood in the centre of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The name originally referred to a small area known as the "Kamppi field" (see below), but according to the current official designation, "Kamppi" encompasses a much l ...
metro station is integrated with the Kamppi Center () long-distance bus terminal, freight depot and internal parking area, all underground. It features a six-storey shopping complex and a central bus terminal for local buses. Together with these, the Forum shopping centre, Sokos and
Stockmann Stockmann plc is a Finnish retailer established in 1862. Stockmann's eight company-owned department stores are in Finland (six), Estonia (one), and Latvia (one). There also was an additional nine Stockmann-branded department stores in Russia o ...
department stores are all connected together with underground walkways featuring shops and other services. *Three other subway stations in Helsinki have similar, smaller undergrounds:
Hakaniemi Hakaniemi (; sv, Hagnäs) is an unofficial district of Helsinki, the Finnish capital. It covers most of the neighbourhood of Siltasaari in the district of Kallio. Hakaniemi is located at the sea shore and is separated from the city centre by the ...
, Sörnäinen and University of Helsinki. *The master plan of Helsinki's large underground city complex is known to be the only one of its kind in the world.


France

* Paris: **The mines of Paris are several disconnected networks of more than of mining tunnels started in the 13th century and dominated by the "large south network" on the Left Bank, of which was repurposed from 1786 as the Catacombs of Paris ossuary, the final resting place of 6-7 million Parisians. Other parts of the tunnel network have long been closed off for safety reasons, but the tunnels have served as safe passageways during war and revolution, routes for urban explorers, and venues for unauthorized cultural activities. **
La Défense La Défense () is a major business district in France, located west of the city limits of Paris. It is part of the Paris metropolitan area in the Île-de-France region, located in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in the communes of Courbevoie, ...
, the major business district northwest of the city center built in the 1960s, has an extensive network of commercial passageways under a vast plaza centered on the
Gare de La Défense Gare is the word for "station" in French and related languages, commonly meaning railway station Gare can refer to: People * Gare (surname), surname * The Gare Family, fictional characters in the novel '' Wild Geese'' by Martha Ostenso Places * G ...
and radiating out to connect with surrounding buildings, notably the large
Les Quatre Temps The Westfield Les 4 Temps is the main shopping center in the business district of La Défense, in the western suburbs of Paris, on the territory of the commune of Puteaux in the Hauts-de-Seine. In 2019, ''Les Quatre Temps'' is the most visited sh ...
shopping center and
CNIT The Centre of New Industries and Technologies ( French: Centre des nouvelles industries et technologies, abbreviated CNIT), located in Puteaux, France, is the first building ever to be developed in La Défense, west of Paris, France. It functio ...
, but enabling access to many buildings of the district. **The
Forum des Halles Les Halles (; 'The Halls') was Paris' central fresh food market. It last operated on January 12, 1973, after which it was "left to the demolition men who will knock down the last three of the eight iron-and-glass pavilions""Les Halles Dead at 200 ...
is a partially underground multilevel commercial and shopping center connected to the massive underground transit hub Chatelet-Les-Halles. Opened in 1979, passageways extend west under the Jardin Nelson Mandela for several city blocks, and within the fare zone of the Paris Metro, stretch half a kilometer south to the banks of the River Seine. * Naours: below the
Picardy Picardy (; Picard and french: Picardie, , ) is a historical territory and a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region of Hauts-de-France. It is located in the northern part of France. Hi ...
village of Naours (between Doullens and Amiens), the 28 galleries ( long) of an ancient limestone quarry (exploited since the 3rd century c.e.) have long been used as shelter by the population seeking refuge from invaders. Occupied by the Triple Entente forces during WWI, and then used as headquarters by the German Army during the WWII occupation of France, the galleries are now open to visitors. *
Arras Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...
: During World War I, the French and British Army built a tunnel system (''boves'') based upon the already existing adits from a formerly used quarry. Scots and Englishmen used the quarry below the quarter Saint-Sauveur and called it "Glasgow", "Manchester" and "Liverpool". The
New Zealand Army , image = New Zealand Army Logo.png , image_size = 175px , caption = , start_date = , country = , branch = ...
(bonded with the British Army) used the quarry for constructing another tunnel system below the quarter Ronville and called it "Wellington", "Auckland" and "Nelson". Soldiers from these armed forces hid in the tunnels for several days. On April 9, 1917, 5:30 am, 24,000 soldiers sortied from there to encounter German troops.


Germany

* Berlin: Several buildings on the east side of Friedrichstraße, from Quartier 205 (Friedrichstraße 70) northwards up to Galerie Lafayette are connected to each other. Businesses are on both sides of the underground street so that it appears to be inside a building all the time, even when it crosses Taubenstraße underground. :Extensive underground bunkers still exist all throughout the city centre, although they are largely sealed off and closed to the public. :All of the buildings at the large
Charité The Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Charité – Berlin University of Medicine) is one of Europe's largest university hospitals, affiliated with Humboldt University and Free University Berlin. With numerous Collaborative Research Cen ...
Virchow campus are connected via a system of spacious tunnels. In addition to employee use, particularly during inclement weather, there is also a rudimentary robotic system via which mail and packages are delivered across campus. * Frankfurt am Main: Underground shopping malls, called 'B-Ebene' in Frankfurt, of considerable size are found at Hauptbahnhof (central station) and Hauptwache. * Hamburg: The Jungfernstieg and Rathaus subway stations and several entrances are connected by pedestrian tunnels, some of them contain shops. There is a direct access to the Europapassage shopping mall. * Munich: Underground shopping mall at Karlsplatz/Stachus. This combines the underpass that leads to the pedestrian area and the entry to the subway system. *
Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
: There is a large underground shopping mall (Klettpassage) connecting the Hauptbahnhof (central station) with the main shopping street, the Königstraße.


Greece

In Thessaloniki,
Hellenistic In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in ...
, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman monuments coexist underground and several of these have been discovered and emerged. Monuments such as the Catacombs of St. John and the underground museum of the
Agora The agora (; grc, ἀγορά, romanized: ', meaning "market" in Modern Greek) was a central public space in ancient Greek city-states. It is the best representation of a city-state's response to accommodate the social and political order of t ...
have limited access and many are not permitted to enter even to the locals by the Archaeological Department of the Thessaloniki underground
Metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
project.


Hong Kong

Many
MTR The Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is a major public transport network serving :Hong Kong. Operated by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), it consists of heavy rail, light rail, and feeder bus service centred on a 10-line rapid transit network ...
stations in Hong Kong form extended underground networks connecting to buildings and at the basement of some major shopping malls in the area above. The stations themselves house a number of retail shops. Notable examples are the
Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
Hong Kong stations and the Tsim Sha Tsui
East Tsim Sha Tsui Tsim Sha Tsui, often abbreviated as TST, is an urban area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim ...
stations. Only rarely are there not any shops. Additional underground networks have been proposed for Causeway Bay in 2006 and in
Kwun Tong Kwun Tong is an area in the Kwun Tong District of Hong Kong, situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon Peninsula, and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock in the north to Lei Yue Mun in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowloon ...
under Hoi Yuen Road in 2010. , studies are underway for underground networks in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Park,
Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to: Places Australia * Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales * Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse * Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...
, Causeway Bay, Happy Valley,
Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong * Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral * Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings *Admiralty, Tr ...
, Wan Chai and Hong Kong Park. In 2017, The Development Bureau announced that two underground streets will be constructed, which would connect San Po Kong,
Kai Tak station Kai Tak () is an underground MTR rapid transit List of MTR stations, station located on the Tuen Ma line, in the Kai Tak Development area of Hong Kong (near the old east apron of the former Kai Tak Airport in Kowloon City District). The station ...
and Sung Wong Toi station.


Iran

Historical underground cities of Persia include
Samen Samen ( fa, سامن, also Romanized as Sāmen and Sāman) is a city in Hamadan Province, Iran and the capital of Samen District, in Malayer County. At the 2006 census, its population was 4,025, in 1,207 families. The local language in Samen is ...
,
Nushabad , native_name_lang = fa , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Underground City of Nooshabad 01.jpg , imagesize = , image_alt = , image_caption = Entrance to the underground ...
, and Kariz. * Kish: An underground city by the name of Hidden Pearl was constructed of roads interlinked 20 meters (66 ft.) under the ground. Shops and restaurants are planned to be built. * Tehran: Tehran has made a series of underground pathways in and around Vali-e Asr Metro Station and is in planning stage to increase commercial activity in newly built buildings in the central part of the city. The priorities for future development are expansion of underground connections around Haft-e Tir Metro Station and Meydan-e Vali-e Asr Metro Station. *
Isfahan Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its Achaemenid empire, ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in Sassanian Empire, middle Persian, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the Greater Isfahan Regio ...
: With the completion of Imam Hosein Metro Station, and
Jahan Nama Complex Jahan may refer to: * Pierre Jahan (1909–2003), French photographer * Shah Jahan, fifth Mughal emperor, reigned from 1628 to 1658 * Jahan Dotson Jahan Waltè Dotson ( ; born March 22, 2000) is an American football wide receiver for the Wash ...
, and their eventual underground connection, there would be an underground complex of a length of 300 m formed in Isfahan downtown area. Also, not underground per se, with Imam Ali Square's street network being dug underground and a large open space plaza being constructed on the top, the plaza is connected through a series of covered bazaar pathways of a length exceeding 4 km, connecting it to
Naqsh-e Jahan Square Naqsh-e Jahan Square ( fa, میدان نقش جهان ''Maidān-e Naghsh-e Jahān''; trans: "Image of the World Square"), also known as the Shah Square (میدان شاه) prior to 1979, is a square situated at the center of Isfahan (city), Isfah ...
. *
Nushabad , native_name_lang = fa , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Underground City of Nooshabad 01.jpg , imagesize = , image_alt = , image_caption = Entrance to the underground ...
: Nushabad has an underground city that served as a refuge during wars.


Italy

* Ancient Rome had a network of catacombs, ancient Jewish and Christian underground burial places near the city. * Naples has many chambers and tunnels beneath the city, including channels and reservoirs for water, and
catacombs Catacombs are man-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place is a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etymology and history The first place to be referred ...
.


Japan

* Osaka has enormous underground networks in the Umeda,
Namba is a district of Osaka, Japan. It is located in Chūō and Naniwa wards. Namba is regarded as the center of so-called ''Minami'' ("South") area of Osaka. Its name is one of variations on the former name of Osaka, '' Naniwa''. Namba is be ...
, and Shinsaibashi districts, in which Umeda alone includes over 1,200 retail stores and restaurants, as well as subway and intercity rail stations. * Tokyo has numerous networks of connecting passages surrounding subway stations that span a few blocks for commuters. Stations such as
Shinjuku is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative centre, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world (Shinjuku Station) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration ...
and Shibuya have underground shopping malls.
Shinjuku is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative centre, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world (Shinjuku Station) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration ...
in particular has a reputation for being so large and complex that even local Japanese get lost there. The top five largest underground "cities" (地下街, ''chikagai'') in Japan are all shopping districts: **
Crysta Nagahori This is a list of characters from the '' Highlander'' franchise. Major characters Major characters appear in more than one movie or series. Works are presented in chronological order. Films ''Highlander'' (1986) ''Highlander II: The Qui ...
in
Chūō-ku, Osaka is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. It has an area of 8.88 km2, and a population of 60,085. It houses Osaka's financial district, as well as the Osaka Prefecture offices and principal shopping and tourist areas. Consulates Various c ...
– ** Yaesu Chikagai in
Chūō, Tokyo is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward that forms part of the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself in English as Chūō City. It was formed in 1947 as a merger of Kyōbashi, Tokyo, Kyobashi and Nihonbashi wards following Tokyo C ...
– ** Kawasaki Azalea in Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki – **
Central Park Chikagai Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
in
Naka-ku, Nagoya is one of the 16 wards of the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 October 2019, the ward has an estimated population of 90,918 and a population density of 9,693 persons per km2. The total area is 9.38 km2. Geography Naka Wa ...
– **Diamor Osaka in
Kita-ku, Osaka is one of 24 wards of Osaka in Japan. Incidents and accidents 2021 Osaka building fire Notable locations Kita-ku, particularly the Umeda area surrounding Osaka Station, is one of the main commercial centers of Osaka. Kita-ku is also a fina ...


Jordan

Jordan boasts the city of
Petra Petra ( ar, ٱلْبَتْرَاء, Al-Batrāʾ; grc, Πέτρα, "Rock", Nabataean Aramaic, Nabataean: ), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu or Raqēmō, is an historic and archaeological city in southern Jordan. It is adjacent to t ...
—"rose-red city, half as old as time"—carved from the living rock.


Mexico

Guanajuato Guanajuato (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato), is one of the 32 states that make up the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 46 municipalities and its capital city i ...
city was built over old silver mines, some of which are used as roads. The
Mexico DF Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley of Mex ...
metro system has many underground pedestrian walkways connecting stations.


Netherlands

In general, many large railway stations house underground hallways featuring shops, restaurants, banks and money exchange offices. A striking example of such stations would be the main hallway of the
Amsterdam central station Amsterdam Centraal Station ( nl, italic=no, Station Amsterdam Centraal ; abbreviation: Asd) is the largest railway station in Amsterdam, North Holland, the Netherlands. A major international railway hub, it is used by 192,000 passengers a day, ...
, which connects to the city's metro system, although due to renovation and re-building it was temporarily (2012–2015) not possible to walk from the subway to the train station without going outside. * Maastricht: Originally a
casemate A casemate is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which artillery, guns are fired, in a fortification, warship, or armoured fighting vehicle.Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary When referring to Ancient history, antiquity, th ...
, the ''kazematten'' of Maastricht form a long network of tunnels underneath the western part of the city. This tunnel network has mainly been used for military purposes. The main construction period of these tunnels lasted from 1575 to 1825. The newest sections of the tunnel network were dug as late as the middle 20th century, built in the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
as a shelter for citizens in the event of a nuclear strike on the city. * Caves of Maastricht are a far more extensive, system of tunnels with a length over and 20,000 individual corridors lies just west of Maastricht; ( nl, Grotten van Maastricht). These man-made 'caves' were used as
Marl Marl is an earthy material rich in carbonate minerals, clays, and silt. When hardened into rock, this becomes marlstone. It is formed in marine or freshwater environments, often through the activities of algae. Marl makes up the lower part o ...
quarries from the 13th century onwards. In World War II, these caves were used to hide large quantities of paintings from the Germans, even including the Nachtwacht. In 1944, construction started on a large public shelter that could have housed 45,000 persons in these caves. The project never saw its completion due to the liberation of Maastricht in the fall of the same year.


Poland

* Warsaw: Warszawa Centralna railway station is connected by
pedestrian tunnels 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 th ...
to adjacent rail stations
Warszawa Śródmieście Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officially ...
and Warszawa WKD,
Złote Tarasy The Złote Tarasy (''Golden Terraces'') is a commercial, office, and entertainment complex in the center of Warsaw, Poland, located next to the Warszawa Centralna railway station between the Jana Pawła II and Emilii Plater streets. It opened ...
shopping center, and the
Centrum LIM The Centrum LIM skyscraper was built in 1989 in the center of Warsaw, Poland, by LIM Joint Venture Sp. Ltd., a consortium of three partners: LOT ( Polish Airlines), ILBAU GmbH (an Austrian construction company), and the hotel chain Marriott In ...
skyscraper.


Russia

* Moscow: "Okhotnyi Ryad" (Охотный Ряд) four-level underground shopping mall () linked to
Metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
station of same name. *
Moscow Metro 2 Metro-2 () is the informal name for a purported secret underground metro system which parallels the public Moscow Metro (known as Metro-1 when in comparison with Metro-2). The system was supposedly built, or at least started, during the time of ...
is a purported secret underground metro system in Moscow built supposedly during (or from) the time of Joseph Stalin.


Singapore

*Extensive underground networks exist around most major stations of the Mass Rapid Transit, such as the one at the Raffles Place MRT station with direct underground connections to 19 buildings in the busy
Raffles Place Raffles Place is the centre of the Financial District of Singapore and is located south of the River, mouth of the Singapore River. It was first planned and developed in the 1820s as Commercial Square to serve as the hub of the commercial zone o ...
area. Expanding the network is the first phase of a new subterranean network linking the station to the One Raffles Quay and Marina Bay Financial Centre for a complex underground pedestrian network across the entire downtown area. *The CityLink Mall offers over of underground retail space and connects the City Hall MRT station with Suntec City, the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, and other developments in the Marina Centre area. It is also linked to the Esplanade MRT station on the
Circle MRT line The Circle MRT Line (CCL) is a medium-capacity Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore operated by SMRT Corporation. It runs in a currently incomplete loop from Dhoby Ghaut station in the city area of Singapore to HarbourFront station in the so ...
. *The Orchard Road shopping belt is connected by underground linkways often with commercial space, particularly around the three MRT stations serving the district, namely Orchard, Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut. Plans are also in place to link towards Bras Basah Road into Suntec City,
Bugis Junction Bugis Junction, formerly known as Parco Bugis Junction is an integrated development located at Victoria Street, Middle Road and North Bridge Road in Bugis, Downtown Core in Singapore. The development consists of a shopping mall, an office towe ...
and
Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...
.


South Korea

*Seoul has a well-developed underground network. Myeongdong and Hoehyeon underground streets are the most famous; they are connected to
Hoehyeon Station Hoehyeon Station is a station on the Seoul Subway Line 4. It is the closest station to the historical gate of Namdaemun, and also serves the major shopping district of Namdaemun Market. This station is located in Namchang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. S ...
and
Myeongdong Station Myeong-dong Station is a station on the Seoul Subway Line 4. This station is located in Jung-gu, Seoul. Station layout Neighborhood * Myeongdong, a shopping district, famous for its brand stores, department stores and street food stalls. ...
*It is planned to build a larger underground city in Gangnamdaero, the border between Gangnam District and Seocho District.


Spain

*In Barcelona, there is an abandoned underground mall near
Plaça de Catalunya Plaça de Catalunya (, meaning in English language, English "Catalonia Square"; sometimes referred to as Plaza de Cataluña, its Spanish name) is a large square in central Barcelona that is generally considered to be both its city centre and the p ...
called
Avinguda de la Llum Avinguda de la Llum (Catalan for ''Avenue of Light''; Spanish: Avenida de la Luz) is a now-closed underground mall in Barcelona, the first one of its kind to open in Europe, open between 1940 and 1990, on a 2000 square-metre site built in 1929 and ...
, closed since 1990, which had originally been part of a more ambitious project to build an underground city under the centre of Barcelona. Also, some
Metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
stations or connecting lines in the same station are connected by underground passages over a block in length. *Legend has that the many caves and tunnels in Subterranean Toledo under the old part of
Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Orur ...
were connected and were used by occultists.


Sweden

*By walking through
Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
subway stations and indoor shopping malls it is possible to walk indoor through the central business district, partly underground, from Arsenalsgatan subway entrance (Kungsträdgården station) to Kungsbron (north entrance to Cityterminalen bus terminal), covering a distance of between 1 and 2 kilometres.


Switzerland

* Geneva contains a large underground shopping centre which also acts to connect separate sections of surface shops. * St. Gallen's main
hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
uses several tunnels to connect its buildings, helicopter pad, pharmacies and storage facilities. * Zürich Hauptbahnhof in Zürich has an underground RailCity shopping mall with full access to the station platforms.


Taiwan

Taipei has underground streets connecting two or more metro stations. In addition, there is a large underground shopping mall near the main train station. *Underground streets around
Taipei Station Taipei Main Station () is a railway and metro station in Taipei, Taiwan. It is served by Taiwan High Speed Rail, the Taiwan Railways Administration, and the Taipei Metro. It is also connected through underground passageways to the terminal sta ...
:
Taipei City Mall Taipei City Mall () is a shopping center located at the intersection of the Datong and Zhongzheng districts in Taipei, Taiwan. It is the first underground market in Taipei City. It is located under Civic Boulevard (市民大道 ''Shìmín Dàdào' ...
,
Eslite Eslite Bookstore () is one of the largest retail bookstore chains in Taiwan. It also offers one of the largest selections of English-language publications and translation materials in Taiwan. Its headquarters is in Xinyi District, Taipei. B ...
underground malls,
Zhongshan Metro Mall The Zhongshan Metro Shopping Mall () is an extensive underground shopping mall in Zhongshan District and Datong District, Taipei, Taiwan. It is located at Changan West Rd., No. 52-1. The mall stretches from Taipei Main Station in the south to S ...
, etc. *
East Metro Mall East Metro Mall () is a shopping center located in Da'an District, Taipei, Taiwan. It is the first underground mall in the Eastern District of Taipei, connecting Zhongxiao Dunhua metro station and Zhongxiao Fuxing metro station. History * East ...
, site between Zhongxiao Fuxing and Zhongxiao Dunhua metro stations.


Turkey

* Cappadocia contains several historical underground cities carved out of unusual geological formations formed via the eruptions of ancient volcanoes. The cities were initially inhabited by the Hittites, then later by early Christians as hiding places. They are now archeological and tourist sites but are not generally occupied (see Kaymakli Underground City, Derinkuyu underground city,
Özkonak Underground City Özkonak Underground City is an ancient city built into the northern slopes of Mt. Idis about 14 km northeast of Avanos in Nevşehir Province, in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. Description The city has many strata made up of volcan ...
,
Mazı Underground City Mazı Underground City is an ancient underground settlement in Cappadocia in central Turkey. It is located 18 kilometers from Ürgüp and 10 kilometers east from the Kaymaklı Underground City. The city is one of many subterranean cities in Cappad ...
). The latest large underground city was discovered in 2007 in Gaziemir, Güzelyurt. It was a stopover on the Silk Road, allowing travelers and their camels to rest in safety underground, in a 'fortress' equivalent to a modern hotel. * Istanbul boasts the Roman cisterns, built 2,000 years ago for water storage it is now a tourist attraction.


Ukraine

* Kyiv: An underground concourse extends underneath Khreschatyk Street from Maidan Nezalezhnosti to Ploscha L'va Tolstoho. The concourse connects to the Kyiv Metro and to the Globe shopping mall beneath Maidan Nezalezhnosti. *
Odessa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrativ ...
: A ramified tunnel network made from the former quarries that is famous as Odessa Catacombs covers the historical center of Odessa and some suburban areas.


United Kingdom

* Corsham, Wiltshire, is the location of the
Central Government War Headquarters The Central Government War Headquarters (CGWHQ) is a complex built underground as the United Kingdom's emergency government war headquarters – the hub of the country's alternative seat of power outside London during a nuclear war or conflict ...
, code name 'Burlington'. Built in the late 1950s in response to the increasing threat of nuclear warfare during the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
, the subterranean site was designed to be the main emergency government war headquarters of the UK outside London and safely house up to 4,000 central government personnel in the event of a nuclear strike. *In London's redeveloped docklands
Canary Wharf tube station Canary Wharf is a London Underground station at Canary Wharf and is on the Jubilee line, between and stations. The station is located in Travelcard Zone 2 and was opened on 17 September 1999 as part of the Jubilee Line Extension. Over 40&nbs ...
, adjacent office towers and shopping malls are connected underground. It is also possible to access two stations of the Docklands Light Railway without going outside. *
Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maidstone ...
contains a series of interconnecting tunnels, that honeycomb both sides of the Dover Valley, carved into the chalk cliffs. These date from Ancient times at Dover Castle through to Napoleonic, Second and Cold War installations. The Dover Castle complex is the larger, going at least six levels deep and includes a hospital, troops quarters, offices and storage and channel view points. The southern tunnels are mixed between Napoleonic War-era defences (see
Dover Western Heights The Western Heights of Dover are one of the most impressive fortifications in Britain. They comprise a series of forts, strong points and ditches, designed to protect the country from invasion. They were created in the 18th and 19th centuries to ...
) and Second World War-era defences, with some seafront air raid shelters still used for shop storage today. Many have fallen into disrepair and are now closed to the public, but many are still open. * London: There are extensive rooms, tunnels and chambers known as Churchill War Rooms or
Admiralty Citadel A number of military citadels are known to have been constructed underground in central London, dating mostly from the Second World War and the Cold War. Unlike traditional above-ground citadels, these sites are primarily secure centres for defen ...
beneath Whitehall, created during World War II, and used by
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...
. *There are extensive underground constructions across Britain, such as
Chislehurst Caves Chislehurst Caves are a series of intersecting man-made tunnels and caverns covering some 22 miles (35.4 km) in Chislehurst in southeast London, England. From the mid-13th to early 19th centuries the 'caves' were created from the mining of ...
, built or repurposed as air-raid shelters during World War II. * Edinburgh's old town has extensive rooms, tunnels and chambers beneath some areas; of particular note are the
Edinburgh Vaults The Edinburgh Vaults or South Bridge Vaults are a series of chambers formed in the nineteen arches of the South Bridge in Edinburgh, Scotland, was part of the South Bridge Act 1785 and was completed in 1788. For around 30 years, the vaults were ...
, where overcrowding led people to construct elaborately interconnected buildings in the vaults of the city's South Bridge. *In Southport, Merseyside, Nevill Street has the remainders of an underground shopping street, which can now only be accessed from the cellars of buildings on the current street, which was raised by one storey from the original level. One end of the underground street ended at the Marine Lake, close to the pier entrance. *In Liverpool, the Williamson's tunnels included the site of an 'underground house' complete with windows (concealed by work for public opening) and an extant and partially excavated 'banqueting hall'. * Nottingham has an extensive network of man-made caves, dating back to the Early Middle Ages.


United States

* Albany,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
: The
Empire State Plaza The Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza (known commonly as the Empire State Plaza, and also as the South Mall) is a complex of several state government buildings in downtown Albany, New York. The complex was built between 1965 a ...
features an underground city which contains banks, a YMCA, restaurants, several food courts, retailers, a police station, a bus station, and a Visitor's Center. The Plaza connects several government buildings to the Egg (a state-owned theater), the New York State Museum, the
New York State Library The New York State Library is a research library in Albany, New York, United States. It was established in 1818 to serve the state government of New York and is part of the New York State Education Department. The library is one of the largest ...
, the Corning Tower, legislative offices, judicial offices, and the Times Union Center. The Empire State Plaza Art Collection consists of 92 large-scale paintings, sculptures, and tapestries at various locations along the main corridor, and features works from the New York School of abstract modern art from the 1960s and 1970s. * Atlanta, Georgia: The "Underground" represents the original surface level of downtown Atlanta; the present streets are raised roadways (
viaduct A viaduct is a specific type of bridge that consists of a series of arches, piers or columns supporting a long elevated railway or road. Typically a viaduct connects two points of roughly equal elevation, allowing direct overpass across a wide v ...
s) built in the 1920s. The shopping center Underground Atlanta, taking advantage of the former street-level storefronts, covers six city blocks and includes retail shopping and restaurants. It was begun in 1968 and re-opened in 1989 after a financially forced closure. * Boise, Idaho: The downtown sector's Capitol Mall Complex consists of a large system of networked tunnels that connect all the state buildings. The tunnels have walkways and vehicle passageways. The underground area boasts a geothermal power plant, a banking system, extensive dining areas, parking, a dedicated mail room for the Capitol Mall Complex and a fallout shelter. The main hall is decorated with art from local artists that was collected over a thirty-year time frame. This collection is not often seen by the public as access is limited. Recent remodeling of the Idaho State Capitol Building has added new underground wings that are linked to the Capitol Mall. These new wings have offices, meeting rooms, and records storage areas and were designed to support the Idaho legislature when it is in session. * Boston, Massachusetts:
Northeastern University Northeastern University (NU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in ...
has a tunnel network linking thirteen buildings in the center of campus. * Cambridge, Massachusetts: Many of the older buildings of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology between Massachusetts Avenue and Ames Street are linked together by underground utility tunnels. * Chicago, Illinois: The
Chicago Pedway The Chicago Pedway is a network of tunnels, ground-level concourses and bridges connecting skyscrapers, retail stores, hotels, and train stations throughout the central business district of Chicago, Illinois. With a length of more than 40 down ...
consists of approximately 4 disjointed tunnel systems, the largest covering about 10 blocks, connecting such buildings and transit stations as Metra's Millennium Station, the Chicago Cultural Center, the Macy's (former Marshall Field's) store at State and Randolph, Chicago Transit Authority's State Street and Dearborn Street subway stations, City Hall, and the
James R. Thompson Center The James R. Thompson Center (JRTC), originally the State of Illinois Center, is a postmodern-style civic building designed by architect Helmut Jahn, located at 100 W. Randolph Street in the Loop district of Chicago. It houses offices of the Ill ...
, along with few residential buildings including Aqua, Columbus Plaza, The Heritage at Millennium Park, the Park Millennium and 200 North Dearborn Apartments. * Cleveland, Ohio: The Tower City Center, on the public square at the center of downtown Cleveland, houses a shopping mall with a food court, two hotels, and the Tower City Rapid Transit Station, the central station on RTA's Red, Green, and Blue Lines. The building connects to several office buildings, and also has an enclosed skyway to the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex. * Crystal City, Virginia: A residential and commercial area of Arlington County, Virginia next to the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Crystal City features an extensive underground city connecting its hotels, office buildings, and apartment towers and is lined with 173 shops, restaurants, banks, medical, and other services. * Dallas, Texas: The Dallas Pedestrian Network has a network of tunnels connecting buildings in the downtown area. *
Dayton Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...
, Ohio: The academic section of
Wright State University Wright State University is a public research university in Fairborn, Ohio. Originally opened in 1964 as a branch campus of Miami University and Ohio State University, it became an independent institution in 1967 and was named in honor of aviation ...
's campus contains nearly two miles (3.18 kilometers) of tunnels that link 20 of the 22 buildings. The tunnels were designed to connect the campus without imprinting the surrounding land. * Detroit, Michigan: The Fisher Building, located in
New Center New Center is a commercial and residential historic district located uptown in Detroit, Michigan, adjacent to Midtown, one mile (1.6 km) north of the Cultural Center, and approximately three miles (5 km) north of Downtown. The area is ...
, features an underground concourse which connects with the Albert Kahn Building, New Center One, and
Cadillac Place Cadillac Place, formerly the General Motors Building, is a landmark high-rise office complex located at 3044 West Grand Boulevard in the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan. It was renamed for the French founder of Detroit, Antoine Laumet de L ...
(formerly the General Motors Building) via a series of skyways and tunnels. * Duluth, Minnesota: The city's downtown sector has an extensive network of skyways and tunnels connecting its buildings, including the Federal Courthouse and Convention Center (DECC). * Havre, Montana: The city has an underground area, called "Havre Beneath the Streets", that operates as a tourist attraction. * Houston, Texas: The seven-mile (11 km) Houston tunnel system is set about twenty feet below Houston's downtown street system and is composed of underground passageways which, with above-ground skywalks, link office towers to hotels, banks, corporate and government offices, restaurants, retail stores, and the Houston Theater District. Only one building, Wells Fargo Plaza, offers direct access from the street to the Tunnel; otherwise, the Tunnel can only be entered via street-level stairs, escalators, or elevators inside a building connected to it. *
Irvine Irvine may refer to: Places On Earth Antarctica *Irvine Glacier *Mount Irvine (Antarctica) Australia *Irvine Island *Mount Irvine, New South Wales Canada *Irvine, Alberta * Irvine Inlet, Nunavut United Kingdom *Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotla ...
, California: A network of large tunnels running beneath the University of California, Irvine connects many of the campus' major buildings to a central utility plant. These tunnels are only accessible to maintenance staff, although there are also publicly accessible tunnels which intersect the utility tunnels, such as the one that goes between the main Information & Computer Science building and the Engineering Tower. *
Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...
, Missouri: The city's
SubTropolis SubTropolis is a , artificial cave in the bluffs above the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri, United States, that is claimed to be the world's largest underground storage facility. Developed by late Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt v ...
is a 55,000,000 square foot (5,060,000 m³), 1,100-acre (4.5 km²) underground business complex running along the Missouri River. The space was originally part of the Bethany Falls limestone mine, and was later repurposed for use as a commercial underground storage facility. * Minneapolis and
Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
, Minnesota: There are three major systems consisting mostly of above-ground skyways in the Twin Cities. The Minneapolis Skyway System covers approximately 11 miles with 62 skyways. St. Paul's skyway system connects buildings in a 30-block radius in the downtown core. On the University of Minnesota Minneapolis and St Paul campuses, the Gopher Way connects most buildings and parking structures together using a number of skyway links and tunnels. A system of tunnels connects state office buildings around the Minnesota State Capitol. A series of tunnels also connect the Hennepin County Government Center, Minneapolis City Hall, and the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. * New York City, New York: Several
New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate agency of the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Opened on October 2 ...
stations have direct access to one or more buildings. Additionally, most of the lower floor of the Rockefeller Center qualifies as an underground city, as it features connections to subways, an extensive underground concourse, building connections, and several restaurants, all below ground. The area around Times Square and the Port Authority Bus Terminal forms an underground network several blocks in size; much of it is within the Subway's fare control. A series of tunnels connect Brookfield Place (New York City) through the World Trade Center's lower levels, to the Fulton Center, forming an underground city with several subway stations and many shops and restaurants. * Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
: The
Oklahoma City Underground The Oklahoma City Underground is a series of pedestrian tunnels and skyways connecting skyscrapers, hotels and venues in sections of Downtown Oklahoma City's central business district. History The original tunnel was dug in the early 1930s becaus ...
(formerly the Oklahoma City Conncourse) is a tunnel system connecting nearly all of the downtown buildings in a 20-square-block area. It is one of the most extensive all-enclosed pedestrian systems in the U.S., extending three-quarters of a mile and connecting over 30 downtown buildings via tunnels or skyways. The original tunnel link was built in 1931 and the system was extended in the 1970s. It underwent a $2 million renovation in 2006–2007, after which the Conncourse was renamed the Underground. * Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Center City has several miles of interconnected underground concourses under Market, Broad, and Locust Streets, and JFK Boulevard. The system includes nine rapid transit and
regional rail Regional rail, also known as local trains and stopping trains, are passenger rail services that operate between towns and cities. These trains operate with more stops over shorter distances than inter-city rail, but fewer stops and faster serv ...
stations served by 23 SEPTA and PATCO lines, and the lower levels of several shopping centers. It is also connected to the lower levels of many office buildings and several department stores and hotels, as well as the customer service counters of the Municipal Services Building. A branch of the US Post Office is located in the
Suburban Station Suburban Station is an art deco office building and underground commuter rail station in Penn Center, Philadelphia. Its official SEPTA address is 16th Street and JFK Boulevard. The station is owned and operated by SEPTA and is one of the three ...
section of the concourse. *
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...
, Virginia: There are a series of connected tunnels between state government buildings in the city of Richmond. Certain passageways are locked off but a good portion of the tunnels are accessible from buildings. The purpose of the tunnels is not generally known; the two most common explanations are that they were built to allow people to move between buildings in inclement weather or that they were built as part of an emergency evacuation plan. * Rochester, Minnesota: The
Mayo Clinic The Mayo Clinic () is a nonprofit American academic medical center focused on integrated health care, education, and research. It employs over 4,500 physicians and scientists, along with another 58,400 administrative and allied health staff, ...
's buildings in the downtown area are interconnected with tunnels and skyways. Other businesses are along the corridors, including a number of hotels that often house clinic patients. It is often called a subway, although there are no underground rails in the city. * Rochester, New York: Nazareth College in the southeast portion of Rochester has an extensive underground network of tunnels leading from the dormitories to the major buildings on campus. Rochester Institute of Technology has several underground networks connecting dormitories and academic buildings together. The University of Rochester has an underground network connecting many of its academic buildings. * Seattle, Washington: Several modern undergrounds and a historical tour exist. The Westlake Center shopping mall and its surrounding department stores have underground entrances to the mezzanine level of the Westlake light rail station in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. Another substantial corridor extends from
Two Union Square Union Square is a skyscraper complex at Sixth Avenue between Union and University Streets in Downtown Seattle, Washington, adjacent to Freeway Park. It consists of two skyscrapers built in the 1980s and primarily used for office space. The entire ...
to Rainier Square, with connections to hotels, the 5th Avenue Theatre, and many retail shops along the way. The
Seattle Underground Tour The Seattle Underground is a network of underground passageways and basements in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. They were located at ground level when the city was built in the mid-19th century but fell ...
in
Pioneer Square Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land. In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and dev ...
takes visitors on a humorous guided walk showing the original ground level of many buildings in that area. *
Vicksburg Vicksburg most commonly refers to: * Vicksburg, Mississippi, a city in western Mississippi, United States * The Vicksburg Campaign, an American Civil War campaign * The Siege of Vicksburg, an American Civil War battle Vicksburg is also the name of ...
, Mississippi: During the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863, Union gunboats lobbed over 22,000 shells into the town, destroying nearly all of the town's housing. As a result, over 500 caves were dug into the clay hills surrounding Vicksburg. The Union soldiers later gave the town the nickname of "Prairie Dog Village" due to these caves. * Walt Disney World, Florida (southwest of
Orlando, Florida Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
) has a network of utility tunnels used by its employees for transportation between venues, rest areas, staff preparation, and first aid. The main system is under the Magic Kingdom theme park. Other tunnels lie underneath Future World at Epcot. * Washington D.C.: All of the buildings in the United States Capitol Complex are connected by tunnels and underground walkways, which provide easy passage between legislative office buildings, the Capitol, the
Capitol Visitor Center The United States Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) is a large underground addition to the United States Capitol complex which serves as a gathering point for up to 4,000 tourists and an expansion space for the US Congress.Library of Congress in inclement weather. The tunnels connecting office buildings are open to the public, but those connecting to the Capitol require security clearance to use. Small electric tramways run from the Capitol building to the
Russell Russell may refer to: People * Russell (given name) * Russell (surname) * Lady Russell (disambiguation) * Lord Russell (disambiguation) Places Australia *Russell, Australian Capital Territory *Russell Island, Queensland (disambiguation) **Ru ...
,
Dirksen Dirksen is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Corra Dirksen (1938–2020), South African rugby union player *Dirk Dirksen (19372006), American music promoter and emcee * Emily Dirksen (born 1969), American rower * Everett Dirksen ...
, and Hart Senate Office Buildings and to the Rayburn House Office Building. The tunnel between the Capitol and the Cannon House Office Building displays winning pieces of artwork from the annual Congressional Art Competition for high school students. * Wellesley, Massachusetts: There is an underground network connecting several buildings at
Wellesley College Wellesley College is a private women's liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1870 by Henry and Pauline Durant as a female seminary, it is a member of the original Seven Sisters Colleges, an unofficial g ...
.


See also

Other parent categories from the same field: * Rock-cut architecture *
Subterranea (geography) Subterranea are ''underground structures'', both natural (such as caves) and human-made (such as Mining, mines). Some subterranea and related topics include: Natural * Caves ** Cenote ** Ice cave ** Sea cave ** Sinkhole * Karst * Lava tube ** ...
: underground structures * Underground living *
Underground construction Underground construction refers to the construction of underground tunnels, shafts, chambers, and passageways, it is also sometimes used to describe the portion of traditional construction that takes place below grade. History Neanderthals also e ...
Types of underground spaces and people, and related topics: * Ant tribe – Chinese sociology term * Rat tribe * Arcology – ecological architecture term *
Catacombs Catacombs are man-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place is a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etymology and history The first place to be referred ...
*''
Cities of the Underworld ''Cities of the Underworld'' is an American documentary television series that premiered on March 2, 2007, on the History channel. The program explores the subterranean environment and culture beneath various civilizations. The series was origin ...
'' documentary television series * Mole people – homeless tunnel dwellers * Pedway – elevated or underground walkways * Rapid transit (subway) * Secret passage ** Tunnels in popular culture * Skyway * Utility tunnel


References

{{Authority control Pedestrian infrastructure Urban exploration