mrdistopia
03-05-2013, 01:50 PM
In a Belgian city lies a walled, gated and guarded high-profile cemetery, impressive in its own right, with grandiose sculpted monuments to the lives of its inhabitants interspersed with beautifully maintained greenery. Also impressive is the cemetery’s chapel; decorated with marble and stone statues, elaborate architectural detail and windows pointing to the heavens.
1.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8247/8664867012_07b3b5f09f_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8664867012/)
Pretty though it was, the chapel was a mere distraction. Our intended destination lay beneath our feet.
2.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8262/8703599930_dc03e20bbf_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703599930/)
As you walk through the web of paths you begin to notice glass squares set into the concrete. Skylights for a network of interconnected crypt tunnels housing long-deceased Belgian nobility; Counts and Marquis, the rich aristocracy who did not wish to mingle with the masses – even in death.
3.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8405/8703686218_0c2060e88c_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703686218/)
4.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8392/8638071052_a71663dea5_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8638071052/)
5.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8411/8703681688_3c47cc2a94_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703681688/)
From the bits of research I had done in finding this place, I had expected a single tunnel or two. In fact, the scale is much bigger and almost parallels the cemetery itself.
6.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8266/8702481707_387b818a0b_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8702481707/)
7.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8394/8702563517_f8fd51305e_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8702563517/)
8.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8131/8702564773_edff84fceb_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8702564773/)
9.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8541/8702638841_8bb6f5c87a_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8702638841/)
10.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8400/8702634843_bf7cb42d99_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8702634843/)
11.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8277/8703752464_5646da24dc_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703752464/)
12.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8122/8703754254_44d5444601_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703754254/)
13.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8545/8703757986_c95e7881fa_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703757986/)
14.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8255/8665929381_b08c2905ed_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8665929381/)
15.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8259/8666981126_a539fa41b5_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8666981126/)
I am not completely certain whether the cemetery grounds are permanently out-of-bounds for the general public as there was work being done which could account for this. However, I suspect we were not exactly expected nor welcome considering the look on the face of the guard at the gatehouse as we opened the huge gates and strolled out. My advice is, you can be cheeky, just do it on the way out.
MrD
1.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8247/8664867012_07b3b5f09f_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8664867012/)
Pretty though it was, the chapel was a mere distraction. Our intended destination lay beneath our feet.
2.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8262/8703599930_dc03e20bbf_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703599930/)
As you walk through the web of paths you begin to notice glass squares set into the concrete. Skylights for a network of interconnected crypt tunnels housing long-deceased Belgian nobility; Counts and Marquis, the rich aristocracy who did not wish to mingle with the masses – even in death.
3.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8405/8703686218_0c2060e88c_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703686218/)
4.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8392/8638071052_a71663dea5_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8638071052/)
5.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8411/8703681688_3c47cc2a94_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703681688/)
From the bits of research I had done in finding this place, I had expected a single tunnel or two. In fact, the scale is much bigger and almost parallels the cemetery itself.
6.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8266/8702481707_387b818a0b_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8702481707/)
7.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8394/8702563517_f8fd51305e_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8702563517/)
8.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8131/8702564773_edff84fceb_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8702564773/)
9.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8541/8702638841_8bb6f5c87a_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8702638841/)
10.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8400/8702634843_bf7cb42d99_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8702634843/)
11.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8277/8703752464_5646da24dc_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703752464/)
12.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8122/8703754254_44d5444601_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703754254/)
13.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8545/8703757986_c95e7881fa_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8703757986/)
14.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8255/8665929381_b08c2905ed_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8665929381/)
15.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8259/8666981126_a539fa41b5_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/8666981126/)
I am not completely certain whether the cemetery grounds are permanently out-of-bounds for the general public as there was work being done which could account for this. However, I suspect we were not exactly expected nor welcome considering the look on the face of the guard at the gatehouse as we opened the huge gates and strolled out. My advice is, you can be cheeky, just do it on the way out.
MrD