Mythical countries. Mythical cities
15/06/2011
There are places on the planet that are shrouded in a haze of mystery, about which legends and myths are composed. The Lonely Planet publishing house has published a list of ten such amazing places that attract tourists not only with the beauty of their majestic landscapes, but also with historical and cultural value.
The first place in this list is occupied by an island located on the east coast of Africa off the coast of Tanzania. The medieval city-state, which reached its heyday in the 12th-16th centuries, is known primarily for the fact that it was from here that Arab dhaus and feluccas, loaded with slaves, gold, ivory and valuable timber, left in large numbers for Arabia and other countries. “Arabic influences and the aroma of sweet spices are still present on the island,” the magazine notes.
The beautiful legend of the mythical city (El Dorado), which arose in the 16th century among the Spanish conquistadors, was awarded second place. According to it, Indian leaders (los caciques Muiscas) had the custom of decorating themselves with gold powder in the morning and then bathing in the waters of Lake Guatavita. It was this legend that caused the gold rush that gripped the Spaniards and led to the fact that for decades, troops went into the wild jungle in search of the golden city of Eldorado. Lake Guatavita in Colombia is still very popular among tourists.
- in third position. On the western bank of the Nile is the burial site of Egyptian pharaohs. To this day, tombs and burials, mummies and sarcophagi decorated with gold continue to attract the attention of researchers and travelers from all over the world. It was here that the tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered. The valley is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world.
The myth of the ancient capital of Armorica, or Brittany, a city built in the Gulf of Douarnenez by King Gradlon for his daughter Dahut, comes in fourth place. To build a city on the sea, a dam was built, in the wall of which there was only one secret door, the key to which was kept by the monarch. According to legend, the beautiful Dahut, succumbing to the persuasion of the devil, stole the key from her father and opened the door. The waters of the sea flooded the wonderful city, but Gradlon and his daughter escaped by riding the sea horse Morvarkh. However, on the way, a saint appeared to them, who told the truth about the death of the city. The king, in anger, threw his daughter into the sea, in the depths of which she turned into a mermaid.
On the fifth line is the legendary one, which is located in the north-west of Asia Minor, in the territory of modern Turkey. The discovery of the city in the 70s of the 19th century is associated with the name of Heinrich Schliemann. Today, anyone can walk along the streets of the city, examine the statue of the Trojan Horse and sit on the stone benches of the amphitheater.
The Troy described by Homer is followed by (Karakorum), which served as the capital of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. It was here that sovereigns and ambassadors of Muslim, Buddhist and Christian countries arrived, and issues of military campaigns in Asia and Europe were resolved here. Karakorum is mentioned in Chinese chronicles and the notes of Marco Polo.
So unloved by the Romans that in the territory of present-day Tunisia, it ranks seventh. During its heyday, it was superior to Rome, which did not suit the expansive Roman emperors. As a result of the wars, the capital of the largest state in the Western Mediterranean in the 3rd century BC. was destroyed. Today tourists can only admire the ruins of its former grandeur: baths, temples and dwellings.
The city (Timbouktou) is an Islamic spiritual center formerly located in Central Sudan and now in Mali. The ancient madrasahs of the city provided spiritual teaching, and the local museums still contain ancient manuscripts. In the 15th century, Timbuktu, which ranks eighth in the ranking, became one of the centers of trade in salt and gold; following the merchants, Arab scientists and scribes began to frequent the area. However, the golden age was short-lived - in 1591 the city fell under the onslaught of the troops of the Moroccan Sultan, and was later repeatedly ravaged by Berber nomads.
The penultimate place on the Lonely Planet list is occupied by the mythical island (Avalon) of King Arthur. According to medieval chronicles, Arthur’s sword was forged on this island, and after his last battle the king himself was transported here in the hope of healing.
Rounding out the top ten most legendary places on the planet is the sacred city (Shambhala), which is described as being located in Tibet, in the center of the Himalayas. Only people of high spiritual development could enter this city. Various researchers have been trying for a long time to find the location of this mythical city, but to no avail. In the meantime, tourists can visit the city of Zhongdian on the border with Tibet as the one most suitable for the description of Shambhala.
“People sometimes dream of blue cities: some – Moscow, some – Paris...” is sung in a popular Soviet song. But somewhere on Earth, perhaps mysterious places shrouded in myths and legends are hidden from us.
No one has been there, but they talk a lot about them. No one has seen them, but a lot is known about what they look like... In someone’s mind, it is these mysterious parallel worlds that appear through the haze of inexplicable dreams...
But in world archeology sometimes real sensations happen. So, a little more than 10 years ago, in the early 2000s, the mythical cities of Heraklion, Canopus and Menoutis, known only from ancient Greek tragedies and legends, were discovered at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea by an international group of archaeologists. By that time, scientists had been exploring the coastal region of Alexandria for three years. Who knows, perhaps very soon a solution to the mystery of ancient Shangrila, the sunken Atlantis and Kitezh will be found, underground Agharti will be discovered...
Shambhala - a mythical country in Tibet
Shambhala in Tibet (or other surrounding regions of Asia) is mentioned in several ancient treatises. According to some of them, the Hindu messiah Kalka was born here. The first mention of Shambhala is found in the Kalachakra Tantra (10th century). The text states that the city has been preserved since the time of King Suchandra of Shambhala. According to another legend, Shambhala was a kingdom in Central Asia. After the Muslim invasion of Central Asia in the 9th century, the kingdom of Shambhala became invisible to human eyes, and only the pure in heart can find their way to it.
Tibetologist Bronislav Kuznetsov (1931-1985) and orientalist Lev Gumilev (1912-1992), working on the issue, came to the conclusion that Shambhala is a real place. Moreover, it is depicted on an ancient Tibetan map published in the Tibetan-Shangshung Dictionary. According to their interpretation, the author of the map reflected on it the era of domination of Syria, led by the Macedonian conquerors. Syria is called Sham in Persian, and the word “bolo” means “top”, “surface”. Consequently, Shambhala is translated as “the domination of Syria,” which corresponded to reality in the period of the 3rd-2nd centuries BC. e.
In the works of Nicholas and Helena Roerich, the idea of Shambhala is important. Nicholas Roerich, who traveled through Central Asia in 24-28 years of the last century, stated that he personally heard countless stories about this place. On the basis of the religious and philosophical teachings of the Roerichs, a new movement “Agni Yoga” (Living Ethics) arose, which has the veneration of Shambhala as one of its most important foundations. In science fiction writer James Hilton's novel “Lost Horizon,” the country of Shangri-La became a literary allegory of Shambhala.
Kitezh is the Russian Atlantis.
At one time, the writer Pavel Melnikov-Pechersky, inspired by Lake Svetloyar, told its legend in the novel “In the Woods”, as well as in the story “Grisha”. The lake was visited by Maxim Gorky (essay “Bugrov”), Vladimir Korolenko (essay cycle “In Desert Places”), Mikhail Prishvin (essay “Bright Lake”). Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov wrote the opera “The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitezh” about the mysterious city. The lake was painted by artists Nikolai Romadin, Ilya Glazunov and many others. The poets Akhmatova and Tsvetaeva also mention the city in their works.
Today, more and more science fiction writers are interested in the legend of Kitezh. Among works of this kind, we can name, for example, the story “The Hammers of Kitezh” by Nik Perumov and “Red Shift” by Evgeny Gulyakovsky. In the Soviet film “Sorcerers,” which was based on the Strugatskys’ novel “Monday Begins on Saturday,” a worker from a musical instrument factory travels to the fabulous Kitezh.
Remember Atlantis, the continent that sank into the ocean: this is how the gods punished the local population for their sins. So, there is a similar story in Rus' - the legend of Kitezh... It has nothing to do with sins; on the contrary, the reasons for the flooding of the city should be sought in the spiritual purity of its inhabitants. And only the righteous and saints can see this city. Many Orthodox Christians gather for a pilgrimage to the lake, where they believe Kitezh is buried.
The only hints about its real existence are in the book “The Kitezh Chronicler”. According to scientists, this book was written at the end of the 17th century. According to her, the city was built by the great Russian Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich Vladimirsky at the end of the 12th century. Returning from a trip to Novgorod, along the way I stopped to rest near Lake Svetloyar. He was captivated by the beauty of those places and later ordered the construction of the city of Greater Kitezh on the shore.
The length of the built city was 200 fathoms (straight fathom is the distance between the ends of the fingers, arms outstretched in different directions, approximately 1.6 meters), the width was 100. Several churches were also built, and on the occasion the best craftsmen began to “paint images.” During the Mongol-Tarar invasion, in order not to be defeated, the island miraculously sank into the waters of the lake.
Lake Svetloyar is located in the Nizhny Novgorod region near the village of Vladimirsky Voskresensky district, in the Lunda basin, a tributary of the Vetluga River. Its length is 210 meters, width is 175 meters, and the total area is about 12 hectares. There is still no consensus on how the lake came into being. Some insist on the glacial theory of origin, others defend the karst hypothesis. There is a version that the lake appeared after a meteorite fell.
The underground country of Agharti or Agartha.
The mystical center of sacred tradition, located in the East. The literal translation from Sanskrit is “invulnerable”, “inaccessible”. The French mystic Alexandre Saint-Yves d'Alveidre first wrote about it in his book “India's Mission to Europe.”
The second mention belongs to Ferdinand Ossendowski, who in the book “Beasts, Men, and Gods,” from the words of Mongolian lamas, tells a legend about an underground country that controls the destinies of all mankind. In Ossendowski's story, some researchers find borrowings from Saint-Yves d'Alveidre. A comparative analysis of both versions of the legend was carried out by the French scientist Rene Guenon in his work “King of the World”, in which he came to the conclusion that they have a common source.
The traditional location of Agartha is considered to be Tibet or the Himalayas. In Agartha live the highest initiates, keepers of tradition, true teachers and rulers of the world. It is impossible for the uninitiated to achieve Agartha - only the elite become accessible to it.
According to Puranic literature, Agartha is an island located in the middle of a sea of nectar. Travelers are transported there by a mystical golden bird. Chinese literature reported a tree and a fountain of immortality located in Agartha. Tibetan lamas depicted Aghartha in the center of an oasis, surrounded by rivers and high mountains.
There are legends about underground passages connecting Agartha with the outside world. F. Ossendovsky and N.K. Roerich reported on special underground and aerial vehicles that served its inhabitants for rapid movement.
Ancient Greek cities discovered at the bottom of the sea.
At the beginning of the article, we talked about the sensational discovery of archaeologists at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea - the cities of Heraklion, Canopus and Menoutis, previously known only from ancient Greek legends. From the bottom, a basalt bust of a certain pharaoh, a bust of a deity according to Serapis, and coins were raised, which made it possible to date the destruction of the ancient settlement to the 7th-8th centuries. BC But, most importantly, three cities with preserved houses, towers, piers were discovered...
Canopus got its name in honor of the helmsman under King Menelaus, who died from a snake bite (and was immediately deified), and Menoutis - in honor of his wife. Heraklion, according to legend, was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC. It was in this city that King Menelaus and Helen the Beautiful stopped on their way from the defeated Troy.
So, in any case, wrote the historian Herodotus, who visited Egypt in 450 BC. He also described the city’s landmark – the Tower of Hercules. It was a rich city, however, it lost its influence after the construction of Alexandria. Scientists suggest that Heraklion was flooded as a result of a strong earthquake. However, he, apparently, suffered almost no harm, but was only forever frozen in time at the bottom of the abyss.
Why did scientists (geophysicists from Stanford University who mapped the seabed using magnetic waves) make a guess about an earthquake? It's all about the nature of the arrangement of the columns and walls of the city, which lay in one direction. Whether visiting “maritime museums” will ever be available is unknown. Nevertheless, it would be very profitable for the state and interesting for tourists.
"Chichaburg": an underground city in Siberia.
At the end of the 90s of the last century, while taking aerial photographs of the Novosibirsk region, researchers 5 km from the regional center of Zdvinsk, on the shore of Lake Chicha, discovered an unusual anomaly: clear outlines of buildings appeared in the image, although there was steppe and lakes all around.
Houses underground?! Novosibirsk scientists, using special geophysical equipment provided by German colleagues, “enlightened” the mysterious place. The result exceeded all expectations: clear contours of streets, alleys, blocks, and powerful defensive structures appeared on the map. A real city is located on an area of 12-15 hectares.
During a study on Earth, on the outskirts of Chichaburg, something resembling a slag dump was discovered, which is usually left over from developed metallurgical production. The class stratification of the ancient Siberian city also turned out to be “illuminated”: “elite” stone palaces were adjacent to the stone houses of common people. A fragment of some ancient - hitherto unknown - civilization was rising from the ground...
According to preliminary excavations, the age of the settlement is VII-VIII centuries BC. It turns out that the town on the banks of the Chicha is the same age as the Trojan War? It is not easy for scientists to believe this - after all, such a discovery overturns many established concepts in history, archeology, and ethnography.
In the world of mythology, there are many fantastical magical ones that are said to have portals from our real world. Of course, it remains to be seen whether these places actually exist. But even if you can't find them, they are still very interesting for myth buffs.
8 PHOTOS
1. Mavreneri Waterfall, Greece.
This waterfall is located in the Peloponnese Mountains in Greece and is believed by many to be the ancient entrance to the River Styx. The infamous River Styx was considered by the ancient Greeks to be the entrance to the underworld, or the kingdom of Hades as they called it. The water that flowed in the Styx was poisonous and dangerous to any person who came into contact with it. Modern tests have shown high levels of a certain toxic chemical in the area of the falls that many people are talking about.
2. Fairy Kingdom, Ireland. Knockma Woods, in particular Knockma Hill, is believed to contain a secret entrance to the Kingdom of Fairy Connacht. Many have been searching for the exact location from where you can get to the Fairy Realm.
3. Shambhala, Tibet. Also known as Shangri-La, this mythical place is located somewhere in Tibet. It is said to be a place where Buddhist values and peace, as well as love, prevail. Many people also say that this is the home of the Great Warrior Geser, who will at some point lead his righteous army in battle against the evil doers on Earth. The problem here is that no one knows exactly where it is! Indeed, Hitler could not find this place, despite the numerous expeditions that the Nazis made there. Some say that it is not a physical place, but simply a state of mind that you can only achieve when you are truly enlightened.
4. The Lost City of Z, South America. This lost city is believed to be in South America and is definitely worth seeing if you can get there. First described in the 16th century, it was described as a fairytale place deep in the jungle. Although its existence as an actual city has not been officially confirmed, recent discoveries around the border with Bolivia and Brazil indicate that a huge ancient city once stood there. Some of the structures date back to the 13th century and it is estimated that around 600,000 people lived there. Could this be City Z?
5. Guinea Gate, New Orleans. This gate is based in the Voodoo tradition and is found in the city of New Orleans. They are said to have to be passed through to get to the afterlife, and these gates are the portals for that. It is believed that there are 7 gates in total, and when you die, your spirit must pass through each one to get to heaven, or you will return to Earth as a zombie. The exact location of the 7 Gates is closely guarded, but it is believed that they can be found in 7 different cemeteries in New Orleans. If you can find them, you should be careful when approaching them.
6. Xibalba, Central America. One of the great ancient civilizations was the Mayan Empire. They believed very much in the afterlife, and Xibalba was what they considered their final resting place when they died. The Mayans believed that to get there, their soul would have to overcome many challenges, such as crossing a river of deadly scorpions. A massive cave complex was recently discovered on the Yucatan Peninsula, and many believe it to be Xibalba itself. 
8. Newgrange, Ireland.
This structure is actually a massive tomb that can be found in the Boyne Valley in Ireland. Built about 5,000 years ago, this place looks very impressive. This is also considered an entry into the Irish world! According to Irish folklore, the gods traveled through their world through structures such as Newgrange.
In world mythology there are many fantastic kingdoms and other mystical places. And sometimes fairy-tale reality intersects with ours. They say that some mysterious places can be reached from the real world, which means that modern man can at least sit at the entrance to an amazing place.
1. Magic Kingdom
The Knockma Woods are located in the wilds of western Ireland and are associated with several legends. It is said that the legendary warrior, Queen Maeve, is buried in a cairn on Knockma Hill, and this hill itself is supposedly the entrance to one of the magical kingdoms of Ireland. This kingdom is ruled by Finvarra, King of Connacht. According to legend, Finvarra once kidnapped the beautiful bride of an Irish leader and took her to his kingdom. The leader chased Finvarra and his bride all the way to the hill where the kidnapper disappeared. The leader ordered his warriors to dig a passage to the magic kingdom. But every night, while the warriors slept, fairies sent by Finvarra sealed the dug passage. So that the fairies would no longer interfere, the leader scattered salt on the hill, and eventually dug a tunnel into the kingdom and rescued the bride.
Finvarra is also often mentioned in family legends of the 18th century. It is believed that he once protected Hasket Castle, it is also believed that he is the keeper of the family wine cellars and can guarantee the victory of any horse at the races. And Nokma is not only a legendary place. After archaeological excavations carried out there, scientists found many ancient settlements of the Neolithic era.
2. River Styx
The River Styx is considered the main entrance to the Greek underworld. They say it flows around the kingdom of Hades seven times, and the water of this river is corrosive and deadly poisonous. It is also believed that the river flows between two massive silver columns guarded by nymphs. It was also believed that the waters of this river killed one of the greatest leaders in world history, who was very real.
According to legend, the waters of the River Styx served as something like a “divine polygraph”. Zeus forced the gods to drink from this river to find out whether they were lying or not. If the gods lied to Zeus, they lost their voices and were unable to move for a year. These symptoms are very similar to those of Alexander the Great, who died of a sudden unknown illness in 323 BC. e. Makedonsky suffered from cutting pains in his internal organs and joints, he had a fever, and then he lost his voice and fell into a coma. These symptoms are also very similar to those seen in a person poisoned with calicheamicin. This toxin is produced by bacteria found in limestone, of which high levels were found in the waters of the Mavroneri River. Also known as the Black Water, this river flows from the Peloponnese Mountains and has long been considered the true entrance to the Styx. An ancient legend claims that the water in the river is so deadly and corrosive that the only thing that could not dissolve in it was a boat and a raft made from horse hooves. The classic theory about the death of Alexander the Great is that he may have died of typhus or malaria. But once upon a time it was believed that he was poisoned by someone who was able to draw water from the mythical Styx.
3. The Lost City of Z
The Lost City of Z is a mythological city that is supposedly located somewhere in the wilds of South America. Presumably, it was built by a very advanced civilization, whose representatives were inspired by ancient Greek cities full of treasures and riches. According to the writings of a 16th-century monk, the city was inhabited by white natives and warrior women. So far it doesn't seem incredible. Even today, there are vast unexplored areas of South America that are so difficult to reach that there is no way to find out what the jungle hides. The most famous person who went in search of the lost city (and disappeared himself in the process) was Colonel Percy Fawcett.
He kept his intended route secret in order to avoid persecution by those who were also trying to find the mythical city. This man disappeared in the Amazon jungle in 1925. Both his expedition and his disappearance are shrouded in mystery, and his mysterious letters indicating deliberately changed coordinates allow several versions to be put forward. One version says that the colonel went into the jungle not at all in order to find the lost city, but in order to create a new cult based on the worship of his young son, who accompanied the colonel on that campaign. Of course, such theories seem far-fetched. However, there is one thing that does not seem so far-fetched. Modern satellite imagery was able to capture what Fawcett was looking for, and exactly where Fawcett thought it should be. Fawcett believed that the entrance to the mythical city should be located in the Amazon basin, between its tributaries Xingu and Tapajos. The satellite recorded more than 200 clay structures that stretched along the border between Brazil and Bolivia. And this suggested that there was something to Fawcett's theory. It was found that some structures can be dated back to 200 AD. e. Other structures appeared relatively recently, in the 13th century. That is, the entrance to Fawcett's lost city appears to be located just southwest of where the Colonel was last seen.
4. Shambhala
Shambhala is probably better known in the Western world as Shangri-La. According to Buddhist beliefs, Shambhala is a hidden kingdom ruled by Buddhist traditions. This utopian kingdom is also home to the great warrior Geser, leader of the army of the righteous. Many different reports on visits to Shambhala have been published. They say that you can get to Shambhala from long-forgotten outposts built by Alexander the Great, and that you can get there from the ancient city of Balkh in Afghanistan. It was also believed that one could get there through the Sutlej Valley in India. And Heinrich Himmler was convinced that Shambhala was the home of the Aryan race, so the Nazis organized as many as seven expeditions in an attempt to find it. All this suggests that getting to Shambhala is much more difficult than it seems. And if you believe the Dalai Lama, the entrance to Shambhala will not open to you until you have achieved the same purity as the mystical city. Therefore, many believe that the entrance to Shambhala is not a physical place, but a special state of mind.
5. Yomi, No Kune
Yomi, No Kune is the realm of the dead, part of Japanese mythology, the basis for a widely held belief in Buddhism. According to myth, all things were created by a god named Izanagi, and his divine sister and wife named Izanami. After Izanami died during childbirth of fire, her grief-stricken husband went to the underworld to bring her back. There are striking similarities here with other myths. Izanagi discovered a dark and very gloomy place in which souls lived who retained their mortal bodies. And these bodies were doomed to rot forever. Izanagi was forbidden to look at his wife until they reached the surface together, but like many of his mythological counterparts, he caught a glimpse of her rotting body covered in worms. Angry that he dared to look at her in such a state, Izanami summoned disgusting demons who were supposed to imprison her husband in the underworld forever. But Izanagi was able to escape, climbed to the surface, and blocked the entrance to Yomi, No Kune with a huge boulder. Today, visitors to the Matsue region of Japan can look at the boulder with which Izanagi, according to legend, blocked the entrance to the kingdom of the dead. The official name of the entrance is Yomotsu Hirasaka.
6. Xibalba
At the height of its power, the Mayan Empire spanned what is now Mexico and Central America, and the Maya's belief in otherworldly forces was very strong. Their final resting place was Xibalba, the Mayan underworld. But the soul of the deceased can only get there after dealing with a series of problems, from crossing a river of scorpions and pus to passing through a cloud of bats and following a dog that can see in the dark.
There are several different entrances to Xibalba, and most recently, researchers discovered another one, on the Yucatan Peninsula. Subterranean and partly underwater ruins in a huge labyrinth of caves that contained some dark hints of what awaited the Mayans at the other end of the labyrinth. In the caves, archaeologists were able to discover 11 different temples in which signs of human sacrifices were preserved. A number of ancient artifacts were also discovered that were left by the Mayans as offerings to the dead. Even during excavations in the labyrinth, archaeologists found massive stone columns and structures located under water, which clearly indicates the enormous faith that the Mayans needed to create this shrine.
7. Gate of Ghini
According to voodoo tradition, the Gini Gate is something that helps the spirit pass into the afterlife. Since voodoo traditions are often very different from each other, the descriptions of these gates are also different. In the most general case, the Gini Gate is a portal to the afterlife, which in turn consists of seven smaller gates. It takes the spirit seven whole days to go through them all. And if he fails to pass the seven gates, then the spirit returns back to Earth (albeit in the form of a zombie). Some voodoo practitioners believe that the seven gates are located in seven different cemeteries in New Orleans, although their exact location and serial numbers are a closely guarded secret. It is also believed that the best time to look for the gates and open them is on the eve of holidays such as Mardi Gras and All Saints' Day. However, finding the gate is only half the battle. The gates must be opened in the correct order, in addition, a guard is assigned to each gate, to whom a certain offering must be made. If you open the gates in the wrong order, or anger the guards by not pleasing them, then very evil spirits will appear, leaving their world and entering ours.
8. Gardens of the Hesperides
According to Greek mythology, Gaia gave Hera several trees with golden apples as a wedding gift. And those apple trees grew in the gardens of the Hesperides, and were carefully guarded. Hercules was given the task of getting one of the apples; this was supposed to be his next feat, which he did. He temporarily took the place of the titan Atlas, and held the firmament for him, and the titan went to the gardens and brought Hercules one of the golden fruits. The entrance to the Gardens of the Hesperides is said to be located somewhere in modern-day Lixus, a coastal city in Morocco. Once upon a time it was a bustling port, but now the walls and buildings of this city have become ruins. The location of the gardens is mentioned in one navigational text from Hellenistic Greece. But there are also references to other places where the gardens are supposed to be located. Sometimes Cyrene is mentioned, as well as one of the islands off the coast of Libya.
9. Newgrange
© www.bonniemckernan.com Newgrange is a huge tomb that was built in Ireland's Boyne Valley over 5,000 years ago. Not only is it an impressive display of astronomical know-how, but it is also one of the gateways to the Celtic underworld. According to Celtic mythology, the gods traveled between our world and theirs through properly prepared burial mounds such as Newgrange. Newgrange was believed to lead to a place where no one ever died, grew old, or got sick. There was always enough food and drink, and there were also many magical trees that constantly bore fruit.
10. Scholomance
Scholomance is a mythical school whose existence was passed down from generation to generation in Romanian folklore until it was recorded by an English writer named Emily Gerard. According to Gerard, Scholomance accepts only 10 students at a time, and they are trained by the devil himself. Students learn all of his spells and tricks, including communicating with animals and controlling the weather. After completing the “curriculum,” only nine students graduated. The devil kept the tenth as tuition fees. He sent him into an infinitely deep lake, where he lived until the devil had the need to create a particularly strong thunderstorm.
Gerard's version of Scholomance differs slightly from the traditional Romanian version, due to an incorrect translation. In Romanian folklore, the notorious school is called Solomanari, and it is located in a world that exists parallel to ours. After reading Gerard's work, Bram Stoker used the idea of Scholomance in his Dracula to explain how Dracula's family obtained their demonic powers.
The lake in which the devil's student assistant sleeps, and the school in which new students are taught, are supposedly located high in the Carpathian Mountains, near the city of Hermannstadt, which supposedly suffers from constant thunderstorms.
World mythology is full of fantasy worlds and kingdoms that exist alongside our own world. Many of them are said to have real-world entrances, meaning many of us have probably at least stood on the threshold of some pretty amazing places. Now, if only we knew the magic words that open these doors...10. Fairytale Kingdom
Knockma Woods is located in the wilds of western Ireland and has several major legends associated with it. According to the stories of ancient storytellers, the legendary warrior queen Maeve was buried under a pile of stones on Concma Hill, and now the hill itself is supposedly the entrance to one of the fairy-tale kingdoms of Ireland. Ruled by King Fionnbhar (also known as Finvarra), the fabled kingdom of Connacht exists only within one of the many stone circles and fairy rings that dot the mountain.
According to legend, one day Finvarra kidnapped the beautiful bride of an Irish lord and took her to his kingdom. The lord pursued the king and his bride all the way to the hill and ordered his men to start digging, but every night when the warriors went to bed, all the holes they managed to dig during the day were completely restored by the fairies serving Finvarr. To prevent this from happening again, the lord ordered salt to be poured around the hill and eventually managed to dig his way into the fairy kingdom and rescued his wife.
It is also mentioned in family legends of the 18th and 19th centuries that Finvarra supposedly protected nearby Hackett Castle, ensured that its owners' wine cellars were always full, and ensured the victory of their horses in whatever competitions they entered. However, Knockma Forest is not just a local legend or anything like that, but also an archaeological site, because during excavations here it was possible to discover a number of Neolithic settlements and cairns (note: piles of stones piled above a burial place) dating back to around 6000-7000 BC AD
9. River Styx
The Greeks believe that the River Styx is the main entrance to the afterlife. They say that it circles the kingdom of Hades seven times, and its water is extremely caustic, poisonous and deadly. In addition, according to rumors, it flows between two massive silver columns, guarded by nymphs, after whom it received its name. Legends say that all this is true and that its deadly waters once killed one of the greatest leaders in world history.
According to legend, Zeus once forced the gods to drink water from the River Styx, which was used like a lie detector. If they were liars, they lost their voice and ability to move within one year. These symptoms are eerily similar to those experienced by Alexander the Great before he died prematurely due to an unspecified sudden illness in 323 BC. Before falling into a coma, the Greek leader suffered from stabbing pain in his internal organs and joints, high fever and loss of voice.
These symptoms are also very similar to those experienced by a person when they enter their body with calicheamicin, a toxin produced by bacteria found in limestone found in high concentrations in the Mavroneri River. It is also known as the Black Water, which flows from the Peloponnesian Mountains and has long been considered the real passage to the banks of the River Styx. An ancient legend says that the water in it was so poisonous and deadly, like that of its mythical counterpart, that the only thing it could not damage were boats and rafts made from horse hooves.
If the version of the death of Alexander the Great is correct, then we can assume that he did not die of malaria or typhoid fever, as previously thought, but was in fact poisoned by a man who managed to get water from the mythical River Styx.
8. The Lost City of Z
The Lost City of Z is a mythological city located in the wilds of South America. Supposedly, a large, advanced civilization lived here, strangely similar to the ancient Greek cities, full of all sorts of treasures and riches. According to a manuscript dating back to the 16th century (also known as Manuscript 512), the city was inhabited by white inhabitants and female warriors. But as much as mythical cities may seem like fiction, the existence of this city does not seem to be so unlikely. There were vast, unexplored lands in South America that are now buried deep underground, so that modern researchers have virtually no chance of finding out what is buried in the jungle.
One of the most famous people who went in search of this city and disappeared without a trace was Colonel Percy Fawcett. The colonel, who kept his intended route secret to prevent his rivals from finding the mythical city first, disappeared into the Amazon jungle in 1925. His expedition and subsequent disappearance are shrouded in mystery, and his cryptic letters and deliberately false coordinates allow several different explanations for all this. One theory that some researchers have insisted on is that the famous explorer actually went into the jungle not to search for the lost city of Z, but to found a new one based on the basic principles of the cult that his son worshiped. , accompanying him on that expedition.
Although the above assumptions are far-fetched, one very real thing in this whole story remains the city itself. Modern satellite images showed that Fawcett was looking for a city very close to where he said it would be. Fawcett believed that the entrance to the mythical city was located somewhere in the Amazon basin between its tributaries Xingu and Tapajos, and more than 200 clay structures stretching along the Brazilian border of Bolivia suggest that his theory was very close to the truth. Modern scholars have estimated that some structures date back to 200 AD, while others are relatively recent, dating back to the 13th century. The entrance to Fawcett's massive, glittering city was probably only a little further southwest from where he was last seen.
Before new information was received, it had long been assumed that the Amazon jungle did not allow large-scale agriculture to be carried out on its territory, much less build a giant city of this size. However, calculations show that City Z was once home to about 60,000 people. Not only small buildings were built on its territory - some of the monuments built here were much larger in size than the Egyptian pyramids.
7. Shambhala
The mythical land of Shambhala is perhaps best known in the Western world as the fictional paradise from which the stories of Shangri-La were created. According to Buddhist legends, Shambhala is a secret kingdom where Buddhist values and traditions are observed. The utopian world is also home to the great warrior Geser, who leads hordes of righteous people who eventually travel to the human world to fight our demons.
Today many people talk about visiting Shambhala. They say that Shambhala can be entered through a long-forgotten guard post created by Alexander the Great, Russia's Mount Belukha, the settlement of the Afghan Sufi Sarmun brotherhood and the ancient city of Balkh, bordering Tibet in the Himalayas, as well as through the Sutlej Valley in India. Heinrich Himmler was convinced that Shambhala was the abode of the Aryan race, and even organized seven expeditions to search for it.
However, entering Shambhala is much more difficult than it seems. According to the Dalai Lama, you will not be able to see the entrance until you achieve a state of purity similar to that of the mystical city. Many people believe that this means that the entrance is not a physical place or point on a map, but a state of mind, which means that all of the above entrances could very well be real.
6. Yomi
The legend of Yomi (or Yomi No Kuni) is part of Japanese mythology that predates widespread Buddhism. According to the myth, all the creations of the world were created by a god named Izanagi and his goddess, his wife Izanami. After Izanami died giving birth to fire, her grief-stricken husband went to the underworld to bring her back.
This legend has striking similarities with other myths, because it also says that a determined husband discovered a dark and gloomy place underground, where souls trying to preserve their mortal bodies are doomed to rot forever. Izanagi was forbidden to look at his wife until they reached the surface, but like many of his mythological counterparts, he glanced at her rotting, completely worm-ridden body before the end of the journey. Angry that he dared to look at her in such a state, Izanami sent hideous demons after him to pursue him until he returned back to the underworld forever, but he managed to escape from there and sealed the entrance to Yomi with a giant boulder. In response, Izanami promised to take 1,000 lives into the underworld every day, and Izanagi vowed to create another 1,005 new ones every day.
Today, tourists coming to the Japanese city of Matsue can visit the boulder, which, according to legend, Izanagi used to forever close the entrance to the underworld. Yomotsu Hirasaka (the official name for the entrance to the abode of the dead) is supposedly located behind one of the boulders near the Iya Shrin Shinto shrine. It is not yet clear which boulder hides the legendary entrance, which may be for the best. As for Izanami’s grave, it is also located not far from the shrine built in her honor.
5. Xibalba
At the height of its power, the Mayan Empire stretched across Mexico and Central America, and its people's belief in the other world was stronger than ever. Their final resting place was the other world known as Xibalba, where only the dead could enter, and then only after their soul had overcome all sorts of obstacles, ranging from crossing a river of scorpions, pus, being chased by a flock of bats, and ending with escaping from a dog, able to see in the dark.
As we mentioned earlier, there are several different entrances to Xibalba, and researchers recently discovered another one in the Yucatan Peninsula. Here are the subterranean and partially underwater ruins of a large labyrinth of caves, within which are several grim indicators of what the Mayans believed would await them at its end.
Archaeologists have discovered 11 different temples in these caves, as well as signs of human sacrifice. There are a number of artifacts left as offerings to the dead, including pottery, carved stones, and pottery. Archaeological excavations in the caves also revealed huge stone columns and structures built underwater, testifying to the time, effort and dedication the Mayans took to create their shrine. Although it still remains unclear whether the myth of Xibalba was created after the discovery of these caves or, conversely, the caves are proof of the reality of this legend, one thing is certain - they were definitely connected with each other.
4. Gates of Gehenna
According to the basic postulates of Voodoo, passage through the Gates of Gehenna resembles something similar to the transition of the soul from life to death. Since Voodoo traditions differ from each other, so do the descriptions of this gate. According to Voodoo practiced in New Orleans, Gehenna is a spirit that exists in the afterlife, often described as an intermediate state between life and death. The Gate of Gehenna is a portal to the afterlife, consisting of seven gates. It takes seven days for a soul to pass through all the gates, and if it fails, it may return to Earth as a zombie. Some Voodoo practitioners believe that the seven gates are located in seven different cemeteries in New Orleans, although the exact location and numerical order of the gates is a closely guarded secret. Scattered throughout the city and its cemeteries, clues left here for those knowledgeable enough to decipher them often resemble the symbols of certain Voodoo deities.
Gates are supposedly easier to find and open on holidays like Mardi Gras and All Hallows' Day, but finding them is only the beginning of the problem. The gates must be similar, open in the correct order, and each has a guard who requires the appropriate sacrifice. But, according to legends, opening the gates in the wrong order or not fulfilling all the requirements of the guards can cause the appearance of evil and dangerous spirits who will leave another world in order to enter ours.
3. Garden guarded by the Hesperides
According to Greek mythology, Geia (note the goddess of the earth) presented Hera with a wedding gift in the form of trees whose fruits were golden apples. The latter were given to the Garden of the Hesperides for storage. Hercules was given the task of stealing one such apple, which became his eleventh labor. And he completed his task, taking the place of Atlas and raising the Earth, while the Titan got him one of the golden fruits.
Traditions say that the entrance to the garden was located in modern Lixus, a coastal city in Morocco. Once a bustling Roman port, it is now made entirely of crumbling walls and buildings that resemble ruins. They also include the remains of one of the city's largest commodity manufacturing industries, as well as a factory that created a paste from fermented fish guts. The garden and its location are mentioned in the texts of sea songs dating back to Hellenistic Greece, but there are other speculations about its possible location. For example, they concern the city of Cyrene and one of the islands off the coast of Libya.
2. Newgrange
Newgrange is a massive tomb built in Ireland's Boyne Valley over 5,000 years ago. This is not only an impressive display of the incredible skill of our ancestors, but also one of the entrances to the other world, according to Celtic mythology. The latter tells that the gods once moved back and forth between the earthly and their own worlds through specially prepared and consecrated mounds like Newgrange.
It was popularly said that the supposed entrance to the magnificent banquet hall of the so-called Lords of Light, Newgrange, led to a land where no one ever died, grew old, or fell ill. There is an endless supply of food and drink, as well as magical trees that continually bear fruit. The oldest collections of myths concerning Newgrange call it the home of an otherworldly manifestation of the River Boyne, as well as a well that is the source of all wisdom in the world. The trees near the well drop their nuts into the water, which releases the knowledge they contain into the real human world.
The next otherworldly inhabitant associated with the legends of Newgrange is the Dagda - one of the oldest Irish gods, who is often associated with knowledge, the Sun and the sky. His son, Aengus, is closely associated with Newgrange, for according to legend he was born in just one day, which was stopped by the power of the barrow, which had collected the power of the last nine months. Later, Aengus tricked the Dagda into giving him a tomb that represented the entrance to the other world, which he guards to this day.
1. Schoolmanse (or Scholomance)
The Schoolmanse is a mythical school whose existence was only remembered in Romanian folklore until all the stories about it were written down by an English writer named Emily Gerard. According to Gerard, the Schoolmans accepted only 10 students at a time, and the devil himself was in charge of their training. Here they learned all about his spells and tricks, including learning how to communicate with animals and control the weather. After this unique curriculum was completed, only nine students graduated from the school. The latter remained with the devil as payment for lessons for the whole class, after which he sent him into an infinitely deep lake, where he lived until the devil called him to himself to create even more lightning.
Gerard's version of Scholomance differs slightly from the traditional Romanian legend, which has been mistranslated. In Romanian folklore, this school is called Solomanari and is located in a fictional world that exists parallel to ours. After reading Gerard's work, Bram Stoker used the idea of Scholomance in Dracula to explain how Dracula's family learned of their demonic powers.
The lake where the devil's dragon sleeps and the school where he teaches is said to be high in the Carpathian Mountains, near the Romanian city of Sibiu, which, according to old legends, experiences thunderstorms every day. Those who are looking for the devil's lake know that they have found it when they see a pile of stones covering the shoreline of the reservoir. It marks the place where unfortunate travelers die and fall directly under the lightning of the devil.
+ Schlaraffenland
Schlaraffenland, otherwise known as Cockayne, was a utopian mythological city of lazy people. Those who managed to find their way there found everything they could dream of, especially when it came to food. The walls of the houses here are made of large pieces of bacon, the roofs are made of pies and pancakes, and the fences are made of sausages. Wine flows in all the fountains, milk flows in the rivers instead of water, and the trees in Slaraffenland bear mince pies and fruit buns instead of pine cones. Even the weather here is made of food: snow is made of sugar, and hail falls on its inhabitants in the form of pellets. In addition, here you can also earn money literally in your sleep.
Unlike many mythical places, Slaraffenland is not accessible only to those who were extremely good or righteous people, and those who dream of getting there must also be extremely hungry. The legends said that in order to get there, you need to go towards North Hommelen (a city located near the northern border of France) and look for the gallows. The entrance to the world of lazy people is a massive mountain of porridge, and it can be unmistakably found. Those seeking to enter this city must literally eat their way through the mountains, so a big appetite is welcome.
The material was prepared by Natalya Zakalyk - based on an article from listverse.com
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