Secret Rooms in Famous Historical Landmarks (Video)
History Revealed
Hidden within iconic historical landmarks lie intriguing secrets unknown to most visitors. The Eiffel Tower, completed in 1889, houses a discreet apartment at its pinnacle, offering a glimpse into Gustave Eiffel’s private world.
The Brooklyn Bridge, finished in 1869, conceals wine cellars within its pillars, once rented to local merchants. In the Paris Catacombs, an unexpected discovery in 2004 revealed a clandestine restaurant and movie theater, curated by a secretive group.
Andrew Carnegie’s 1901 library donations birthed hidden caretaker apartments in New York, while London’s Trafalgar Square features a tiny police station within a light post, a result of compromise during a miner’s strike in 1926.
Washington Square Park’s marble archway hides an occasional attic, and Mount Rushmore almost housed an underground chamber for important documents. The Lincoln Memorial’s undercroft, forgotten until recently, is set for a museum transformation.
The Empire State Building, officially 102 floors, secretly boasts an exclusive 103rd floor observation deck. A hidden basketball court on the fifth floor of the US Supreme Court echoes the building’s rich history. These concealed spaces, rich with history and intrigue, offer a unique perspective on well-known landmarks.
Top image: The Catacombs of Paris underground passageway, which contain many secret rooms and areas. Source: Naeblys/Adobe Stock
Robbie Mitchell is a graduate of History and Literature from The University of Manchester in England and a total history geek. Since a young age, he has been obsessed with history. The weirder the better. He spends his days working as a freelance writer researching the weird and wonderful and firmly believes that history should be both fun and accessible.
My first foray into journalism was for a news site that covered this kind of stuff. I loved it and still do. Secrets and magic and places that carry untold stories inside of them. These, to me, are some of the true wonders of the world.