World’s largest underground temple: The Temple of Humankind of the Federation of Damanhur

During August 1978, 100ft down and hidden from public view, the people of Damanhur started to dig secretly the first of the Temples of Humankind.

The 9 temples, built completely by hand, are linked by hundreds of metres of richly decorated tunnels and occupy almost 300,000 cubic feet.

In 1992 when Italian authorities discovered it, a local court requested to turn it down.

Damanhur is a spiritual community based in the Chiusella Valley, Pidmont, northern Italy, not far from Gran Paradiso National Park and it is named after the Egyptian city of Damanhur which was the site of a temple dedicated to Horus.

The commune was founded by Oberto Airaudi in 1975 with other 24 followers. Airaudi claimed visions of ancient temples at age 10 from a previous life.

This cult is a mix of neopagan beliefs and New Age stuffs. Most citizens live in houses of 10-20 people each, federated together into the Federation of Damanhur.

If you would like more informations about it, please read the Daily Mail report by Hazel Courtney.

Picture: Alex Jarvis

Topic: Damanhur,spirituality,temple of humankind,largest underground temple,pidmont,sect,alternative tourism