Rzeszow - discovering the legend

The mysteries of the underground city To the most well-known and admired landmarks of Rzeszów there has been added one more - the Underground Tourist Route. Though, it has been in existence since 2001, last year it received a new, more attractive appearance. The new route comprises 25 cellars linked by 15 corridors located on three different levels. The deepest one is nearly 10 m below the ground. The total route is now 369m long. The entrance is in a modern but matching the ancient surroundings building. Here we can begin an approximately one hour long journey into the past, enabling us to breathe in history, to touch a few hundred years old stone portals, walls or ceilings, as well as knights armour and swords ... Death in dungeons It took several centuries for the Rzeszów underground network to develop. The city, founded by king Casimirus The Great in January 1354, was growing thanks to numerous king’s privileges, a favourable location on trade routes and the proximity of the Wisłok River which allowed freight transportation. Trade and crafts flourished here but because there was not enough space in the city merchants stored their goods in specially dug cellars. They were created not only under houses but also underneath the market and surrounding streets. The underground rooms served not only as warehouses. Those located in basements became shops. Some deeper ones stretched beyond the foundations of buildings and went under the market square towards adjoining streets and squares creating an underground network, nearly another city. In danger they served as shelters for the inhabitants of Rzeszów. Human skeletons discovered during the renovation works prove that not all of them survived. Why and how they died – it will remain a secret forever ... The past remains a mystery Tourists who have visited the Underground Route have been interested in the cellar situated at the end of the route which is closed to visitors. Where does it go? – they keep asking. We have to wait for the answer until archaeologists and historians have finished their work. It may be a tunnel leading to the Rzeszów Castle. According to historical resources such a passage existed a long time ago. The legends also have it that there were some secret routes between Rzeszów and nearby Łańcut. Who knows, maybe this cellar is the first step to discover new secrets of the capital of Podkarpacie? Time will tell...

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