Underground Worlds: A Guide to Spectacular Subterranean Places

$12.98
by David Farley

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A visual and anecdotal exploration of the curious worlds hidden beneath our feet, including ancient cities, salt mine cathedrals, underground amusement parks, and more. From bone-filled catacombs to sculpted salt churches to hand-carved cave complexes large enough to house 20,000 people, Underground Worlds is packed with more than 50 unusual destinations that take some digging to find. Award-winning travel writer David Farley revels in the unexpected, whether it is a cave city in China which houses one of the world's largest collections of Buddhist art or an old salt mine converted into a theme park in Romania. Stunning photos help readers see places they could not even imagine, such as a three-story underground train station in Taiwan that is home to the a 4,500-panel "Dome of Light" that is the largest glasswork on Earth, as well as secret spaces, such as an ornate temple built beneath a suburban home in Italy. Throughout the fascinating text are themed entries of underground systems such as the 2,500-year-old water tunnels of Kish Qanat in Iran or engineering marvels like the New York City steam tunnels. "There are more than 50 places featured here. . . Each is accompanied by a short essay and full-color photography and is interesting in its own right. Together, they are an invitation to revel in feats of modern and ancient engineering and architecture. Underground Worlds is a reminder to consider what lives beneath the ground as we travel the earth--be it in person or in books."― Shelf Awareness "Award-winning travel writer David Farley gives a grand tour of the world's most spectacular subterranean places." ― Architectural Digest David Farley , the author of An Irreverent Curiosity: In Search of the Church's Strangest Relic in Italy's Oddest Town , has written travel articles for the New York Times , the Washington Post , AFAR magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler , and Slate.com, among other publications. He teaches writing at New York University.

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