We may never truly know why these strange passageways exist, but some have suggested one network stretches from Scotland to Turkey, although no evidence has proven this. Scientists also suggest that they might have been used as secret spots to hide out in during periods of war or conflict.
Erdstall is derived from German and can be roughly translated to ‘earth stable’ or ‘mining tunnel’, so perhaps these hidden underground spaces were used as shelters or mine shafts. At present, around 2,000 erdstalls are known to exist in Europe, but we’re sure there are many more lurking beneath the earth…
