Because of movies, we have always imagined tunnels, vaults, and forgotten chambers under great monuments, banks, and cathedrals. For us, these may be holding secrets ranging from national treasures to the ghosts of history. These hidden spaces are locked away from public view, but they tell a story about the landmarks we thought we knew. It turns out, what’s below is sometimes just as important as what’s above.
#1: The Hall of Records Beneath Mount Rushmore (South Dakota, USA)
The sculptor of Mount Rushmore, Gutzon Borglum, had a bigger idea than just the four presidents. He planned a grand Hall of Records, a chamber carved deep into the rock behind the faces. He wanted it to hold America’s most important documents and tell our nation’s story to future civilizations. Work began in 1938 but stopped a year later. Borglum’s dream was left unfinished until finally, in 1998, a smaller version of his plan was completed. Sixteen porcelain panels detailing the history of the U.S. were sealed in a vault here.
