Comments on: Underground Fun: European Edition http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:24:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: dculberson http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481536 dculberson Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481536 It's hard for me to imagine a situation where a building is unsafe for occupancy but is safe for a new building to go on top... but then I'm not from the fourth century. It’s hard for me to imagine a situation where a building is unsafe for occupancy but is safe for a new building to go on top… but then I’m not from the fourth century.

]]> By: T. Nielsen Hayden http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481810 T. Nielsen Hayden Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481810 The other reason to keep an eye on the stone floors is that some of the decorative stone is highly figured because it's full of fossils. (For example, there's a pair of really good stone slabs on the front porch of St. John Lateran that have white fossils on a jasper-red background.) This may or may not help explain why the RCs have a long history of being relatively sensible about evolution. The other reason to keep an eye on the stone floors is that some of the decorative stone is highly figured because it’s full of fossils. (For example, there’s a pair of really good stone slabs on the front porch of St. John Lateran that have white fossils on a jasper-red background.) This may or may not help explain why the RCs have a long history of being relatively sensible about evolution.

]]> By: Marilyn Terrell http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481314 Marilyn Terrell Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481314 What's fun about this story is that it's in blog form so that in order to read what's beneath the first church you have to scroll down, and to read what's under the second church you have to scroll down some more, like descending in the church itself. Thanks for this post. What’s fun about this story is that it’s in blog form so that in order to read what’s beneath the first church you have to scroll down, and to read what’s under the second church you have to scroll down some more, like descending in the church itself. Thanks for this post.

]]> By: insomma http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481588 insomma Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481588 As strange as it seems, this was common practice for a couple of reasons. Property was costly. It was cheaper for the architects and churchmen to fill in and build on top of the old church than it was to buy a new plot of lans and build from scratch. The site was also a sacred location. The land had already been consecrated, and St. Clement's relics were located there, making it important to rebuild the church in the same place. As strange as it seems, this was common practice for a couple of reasons. Property was costly. It was cheaper for the architects and churchmen to fill in and build on top of the old church than it was to buy a new plot of lans and build from scratch. The site was also a sacred location. The land had already been consecrated, and St. Clement’s relics were located there, making it important to rebuild the church in the same place.

]]> By: tiamat_the_red http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481354 tiamat_the_red Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481354 Oh rats! If only you'd posted this a week ago! I'm leaving Rome in about 12 hours. Next time... Oh rats! If only you’d posted this a week ago! I’m leaving Rome in about 12 hours. Next time…

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481377 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481377 my favorite thing in rome is the capuchini bone crypt: http://www3.sympatico.ca/tapholov/pages/bones.html my favorite thing in rome is the capuchini bone crypt:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/tapholov/pages/bones.html

]]> By: Robotech_Master http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481439 Robotech_Master Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481439 Reminds me of the bits from the Discworld novels that talk about how what Ankh-Morpork is built on is, mostly, Ankh-Morpork. Reminds me of the bits from the Discworld novels that talk about how what Ankh-Morpork is built on is, mostly, Ankh-Morpork.

]]> By: Teller http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481442 Teller Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481442 Visited San Clemente last year. Thanks for the pleasant reminder. Visited San Clemente last year. Thanks for the pleasant reminder.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-492467 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-492467 Double-check your San Clemente underground photo...that must be from another church. The Lower Basilica remains are undecorated brick and dimly lit. See more at http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-san-clemente.htm. Double-check your San Clemente underground photo…that must be from another church. The Lower Basilica remains are undecorated brick and dimly lit. See more at http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-san-clemente.htm.

]]> By: T. Nielsen Hayden http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481752 T. Nielsen Hayden Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481752 I was in San Clemente last month. It's way cool. Top level's a nice old church that unfortunately got baroqued-up in the 17th C. Next level down is the Romanesque basilica, with some interesting old wall paintings, and a nifty shrine with relics of SS. Cyril and Methodius. Under that are the 1st C. house that got used as a church and the Mithraeum, and underneath that is a hollow place with a spring in it. DCulberson, street levels rise in part because when there's a lot of destruction, people tend to level out the rubble and build on top of it. At San Clemente, the original street level is sixty feet below the current one. When Bob Dylan sings about the streets of Rome being filled with rubble, he's telling the literal truth. I was in San Clemente last month. It’s way cool. Top level’s a nice old church that unfortunately got baroqued-up in the 17th C. Next level down is the Romanesque basilica, with some interesting old wall paintings, and a nifty shrine with relics of SS. Cyril and Methodius. Under that are the 1st C. house that got used as a church and the Mithraeum, and underneath that is a hollow place with a spring in it.

DCulberson, street levels rise in part because when there’s a lot of destruction, people tend to level out the rubble and build on top of it. At San Clemente, the original street level is sixty feet below the current one. When Bob Dylan sings about the streets of Rome being filled with rubble, he’s telling the literal truth.

]]> By: colonel gentleman http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481507 colonel gentleman Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481507 Nice story. Could someone clear something up for me? I really enjoys all of these stories about buildings being built on top of other buildings you hear about in older cities, but how does this happen? Does no one own a broom? "Oh, the basilica is nearly covered, time to build on top of it." Why don't they just knock it down? Nice story. Could someone clear something up for me? I really enjoys all of these stories about buildings being built on top of other buildings you hear about in older cities, but how does this happen? Does no one own a broom? “Oh, the basilica is nearly covered, time to build on top of it.” Why don’t they just knock it down?

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481767 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481767 how do such things happen? Rather easily: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Underground_Tour how do such things happen? Rather easily:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Underground_Tour

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481518 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481518 They fill it in when the building becomes unsafe, and the old building becomes the foundation of the new one. At least, that's what it said at the official website. This church must be the real-life model for the one in a mystery by Ngaio Marsh called "When in Rome." I'm sure there must be some details that are added for dramatic effect, but she describes a church layered like a cake, with a Mithraic temple below the oldest layers. The big scene takes place in this crypt. Although it's not Marsh's best novel (it's a later one), it's still worth a read. They fill it in when the building becomes unsafe, and the old building becomes the foundation of the new one. At least, that’s what it said at the official website.

This church must be the real-life model for the one in a mystery by Ngaio Marsh called “When in Rome.” I’m sure there must be some details that are added for dramatic effect, but she describes a church layered like a cake, with a Mithraic temple below the oldest layers. The big scene takes place in this crypt. Although it’s not Marsh’s best novel (it’s a later one), it’s still worth a read.

]]> By: T. Nielsen Hayden http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481775 T. Nielsen Hayden Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481775 Also: when in Rome, keep an eye on the paved floors of old churches. When you get <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/35314672@N04/sets/72157616157807283/">geometric patchwork patterns of decorative stone</a>, there's an excellent chance that some or all of the stone you're looking at was scavenged from classical Roman buildings -- for instance, the Domus Aurea, as noted above. Also: when in Rome, keep an eye on the paved floors of old churches. When you get geometric patchwork patterns of decorative stone, there’s an excellent chance that some or all of the stone you’re looking at was scavenged from classical Roman buildings — for instance, the Domus Aurea, as noted above.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481780 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481780 so THAT'S how the Illuminati encoded their messages! so THAT’S how the Illuminati encoded their messages!

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/05/03/underground-fun-euro.html#comment-481528 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-481528 You had me at subways, but you're into catacombs too? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez don't go! You had me at subways, but you’re into catacombs too? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez don’t go!

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