Society
10:23, 14.11.2020
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org
26 years ago, on November 14, 1994, passenger trains opened through the Eurotunnel, also known as the Channel Tunnel. This tunnel is one of the most famous in the world, but it is not the longest. Realnoe Vremya will find out which tunnels are the longest, as well as what they are used for.
Who coined the term
0
See all photos in the gallery
In 1992, Yunost magazine published a great novel by screenwriter Vladimir Gonik. The action of the book “Underworld” took place in the underground bunkers of Moscow. At the presentation of the sensational novel, the author himself admitted that he wrote it for ten whole years, and collected information about bunkers and secret metro lines bit by bit. The term itself, Metro-2, was coined and put into operation by Gonik, after which it was already picked up and replicated by all national media.
Underground with a digger
Excursions with diggers are becoming increasingly popular. With them you can learn the other side of life in the Russian capital - the one that is deep under our feet.
With a digger along the Neglinka underground river
Welcome to the bright route “With a digger along the underground Neglinka River” (price - 2500 rubles per person, 2 hours in time). This tour will appeal to those who have already seen the traditional sights of Moscow.
If you are not afraid of getting wet, pitch darkness and confined spaces do not scare you, then welcome!
The Neglinka underground river stretches 7 km in length. Together with a professional guide, you will walk through the fascinating brick labyrinths and pipes, study their technical characteristics and hear the stories associated with these places. The walk is interesting, full of facts, but in a limited space. We do not recommend going there for those who suffer from claustrophobia.
With a digger along the Presnya River
Another good underground excursion program in Moscow is “With a digger along the Presnya River.” According to legend, this river has many secret exits. You will have the opportunity to see this for yourself!
Presnya flows under the White House and the Moscow Zoo and, according to legend, has secret exits there, shall we check?
You will put on a protective suit, take a flashlight and, pleasantly accompanied, you will go to conquer the underground spaces of Moscow. The guide will tell you about the symbols of the rebellious capital of Russia, share local legends and stories.
The program will take place if at least 2 people register. Schedule: on weekdays at 20:00, on weekends at 12:00 and 17:00. The cost of the tour is 2500 rubles per person, duration is 2 hours.
Natalya and Margarita, friends from St. Petersburg, shared their emotions after the walk. Their review:
“We often visit Moscow. I wanted to see something new, little-studied. We decided to buy this route and were not disappointed! This is a real adventure, including a treasure hunt, bright photos, and new knowledge. Many thanks to the guide for the interesting stories and kindness. We have never seen Moscow like this before!”
Medical secrecy
0
The reader has practically no reason not to believe Vladimir Gonik. The writer indicated numerous high-ranking patients as the source of basic information - Gonik worked for a long time as a doctor in the clinic of the Ministry of Defense. According to Vladimir, initially Metro-2 was just a system of very comfortable bunkers for the leadership of the Politburo and the CPSU Central Committee - those who hypocritically declared their readiness to die for the good of the people gathered here to save their skins.
The longest tunnel in Moscow
Many tunnels have been built in Russian Moscow. Today, tunnels help relieve congestion on the capital’s roads, and are also the optimal solution to the transport problem of the metropolis. One of the longest is considered to be the one laid under Serebryany Bor. Its length is more than three kilometers. This tunnel is one of the most difficult sections of Krasnopresnensky Prospekt.
The tunnel under Serebryany Bor is the longest in Moscow
Thanks to this construction, there was no need to build a road along Serebryany Bor. The tunnel consists of three tiers. Metro trains move along the lower tier, vehicles move along the middle tier, and the vaulted upper tier is intended for smoke removal. The exact length of this tunnel is 3126 meters. The middle tunnel, which is intended for vehicles, is three-lane, with a lane width of three and a half meters. The diameter of each tunnel is fourteen meters.
The Lefortovo tunnel in Moscow is more than 2 km long
For a long time, one of the longest tunnels in the capital was the Lefortovo tunnel. Its length is two kilometers one hundred and fifty meters. So far, the Serebryanoborsky tunnel remains the longest, but it will not remain the longest for long, since there are plans to build several more tunnels, among which will be one whose length will exceed four kilometers.
Estimated characteristics
0
There is only a rough description of the Metro-2 system. This is understandable, the object is secret! It is believed that it passes at a very great depth - some stations lie at 250 meters. There is no contact rail, and the rails themselves are recessed into the floor so that a car can pass. Judging by some data, there are 4 main lines in total. The largest of them is Chekhovskaya, its length exceeds 60 km. Instead of regular trains, special contact-battery electric locomotives run here.
Longest railway tunnel
It is known that the longest railway tunnel is the unique Gotthard Tunnel in Switzerland. Its construction began in 1999 - almost seventeen years, although the first sketch appeared in 1947. On June 1, 2021, authorities announced that the tunnel will be ready for commissioning after undergoing extensive testing, which will last until December 2016.
Gotthard Tunnel is the longest railway tunnel in the world
The engineering structure paved the way under the mountain pass called Saint Gotthard. The length of the tunnel is fifty-seven kilometers, and if you count both shafts, as well as auxiliary passages and shafts, it will be more than one hundred and fifty-three kilometers.
From 2021, the Gotthard Tunnel will become part of the unified pan-European high-speed rail network NEAT (NEue AlpenTransversale), reducing the distance between Zurich and Milan. It is assumed that the speed of high-speed trains while passing through this underground tunnel will be about 250 kilometers per hour, and freight trains will reach a speed of at least 160 kilometers.
The Gotthard Tunnel will be put into operation in 2021
The tunnel was built so that trains could move in the opposite direction along different trunks. Emergency mines and emergency stations will be provided. Of the already operating railway tunnels, the longest is the Seikan tunnel, located in Japan, which is only three kilometers shorter than the Gotthard tunnel.
Declassified objects
0
In 2006, the Cold War Museum, ZKP Tagansky, opened in the very center of Moscow. At a depth of 60 meters, there used to be a secret air defense bunker, connected by a tunnel to a hidden subway system. Even earlier, in 1996, another object was shown: an underground road from the Kremlin to the nearby dacha of Comrade Stalin. It was built back in the 1930s of the last century, so the existence of more advanced and later objects can be considered proven.
To the subway
Excursions along the Moscow metro have occupied a leading position in the list of popular tourist excursions for many years. In 2021, take a closer look at 3 programs that get “likes” from us.
Underground palaces of Moscow. Tour of the Moscow metro
Welcome to the combined walking route “Underground Palaces of Moscow. Excursion along the Moscow metro" (from 990 rubles per person). The program starts at 19:50. You will spend 2 hours among the cultural heritage sites of Russia.
The metro is an underground landmark of the capital.
Various architectural styles are mixed in the cladding of the stations, and the richness of the design is simply surprising. You will visit the filming location of “Moscow Doesn’t Believe in Tears”, look at the precious stones that decorate the Komsomolskaya station, and analyze 80 bronze sculptures at the Revolution Square station.
The tour is designed for travelers of all ages. It will be interesting for both children and adults.
Metro: travel through time
The dynamic 3-hour route “Metro: A Journey through Time” (4,000 rubles for a group of up to 8 people) is led by a theater and film actress. Using modern technologies, you will see the capital’s metro stations “Kropotkinskaya” or “Okhotny Ryad”, explore them among the pioneers, move through the quantum tunnel through decades and analyze the design of the stations “Mayakovskaya” and “Oktyabrskaya”.
You will be able to bring back from your trip not only vivid impressions, but also original photographs.
In our opinion, the program will greatly appeal to teenagers and those who like to discover something new.
“Wonderful Tales of the Dungeon: Scientific Lamps, Ruins of an Empire...”
Another tourist walk for children from 3 to 18 years old is “Wonderful Tales of the Dungeon: Scientific Lamps, Ruins of the Empire...” (7000 rubles for your whole family or company and 2 hours in time). It’s also worth a closer look for adult travelers who are used to learning something new on vacation.
Let's solve problems and unravel the secrets of the Moscow subway?
The tour is conducted using a radio guide. They will tell you where snails live in the Moscow metro, how the Ryaba chicken moved from Moscow to Paris, and why they installed Italian ones at the stations. The presentation of the material is easy, not burdened with numbers.
Quest on the Moscow underground metro station
Our review ends with an individual program for the whole family, “Moscow Dungeon Metro Quest.” For 2 hours and 6,500 rubles (for a company of up to 10 people), you will not only walk through the Moscow underground, but also solve riddles, and also study the main stages of the construction and development of the capital's metro. The winners of the quest will receive a memorable souvenir and a sweet surprise.
Do you like to play? Then you're on a quest!
Katerina, Matvey and 10-year-old Anastasia, a family from Norilsk, say in their review:
“During vacation we always order quests. Dynamic excursion programs are great for bringing people together, developing team spirit and, of course, broadening their horizons. I liked this quest for its organization and location. Solving charades underground and moving from one destination to the next is extremely unusual. Thank you, we had a good time!”
Pros and cons of underground rivers
The debate about the pros and cons of underground watercourses is ongoing.
Supporters of canalized rivers cite positive examples related to the arrangement of space. Boulevards (Tsvetnoy, Zvezdny) and squares with green areas are located above the rivers:
- Neglinnaya;
- Kopytovka;
- Zhabenka - Timiryazevsky Park;
- Serebryanka - Izmailovsky Park.
Where the river flow comes out, ponds were built:
- Presnensky;
- Kolomensky;
- Kalitnikovsky;
- Clean;
- Patriarchal;
- Ostankino;
- Cherkizovsky.
Opponents warn of a coming disaster in the capital. Every year in the metropolis, cases of sinkholes of the earth's surface with unpleasant consequences are recorded. Subsidence occurs everywhere in the soil, which leads to the formation of cracks and destruction of buildings. Engineers warn against major construction over buried streams. However, in areas with dense buildings, it is not always possible to follow such advice.
Scientists believe that unjustified closure of watercourses into sewers violates the integrity of the ecological system. With the destruction of river valleys, the balance of flora and fauna is lost.
The longest tunnel in the world
Since there are different types of tunnels, we can name the longest tunnels of each type. So the “champion” among road tunnels is the Laerdal tunnel. It is located in Norway and is twenty-four and a half kilometers long.
Laerdal Tunnel is the longest car tunnel in the world
But the Delaware Aqueduct is considered the longest water supply tunnel. Since 1945, it has provided New York with water. Its length is as much as one hundred and thirty-seven kilometers.
For a long time, the longest railway tunnel was the Japanese Seikan. But soon movement will begin along another already built tunnel, which is almost three kilometers longer than the Japanese one - this is the Gotthard Tunnel, built in Switzerland under a mountain pass. Its length is fifty-seven kilometers.
The longest metro tunnel is in Guangzhou
The longest metro tunnel is in Guangzhou. The length of the third metro line is sixty-seven kilometers and three hundred meters.
There are also irrigation tunnels. The longest of them is the Turkish tunnel called Sanliurfa. Its task is to distribute the water of the Euphrates River so that the nearby desert lands are transformed into fruitful farms. It consists of two main tunnels of twenty-six kilometers and four hundred meters each. This is an absolute record among reclamation systems.
Not only tunnels, but also bridges are of interest. For example, according to uznayvse.ru, the longest railway bridge in the world is 164.8 kilometers long. You can read more about this here. Subscribe to our channel on Yandex.Zen and Instagram
Tunnel structure “D” at the southern portal of the North-Western tunnels
The second name of the tunnel is “Tunnelnaya” station. This is an emergency exit on the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line of the Moscow metro. The intended purpose is to ensure the safety of citizens using the metro. A short platform with a curved path can be used to evacuate people in the event of an accident on the Krylatskoye-Strogino run. The need for an additional exit channel for passengers is due to the fact that the length of the route section is more than 6 km. It is impossible to equip a new metro station on this site for technical reasons.
On the same section there is a platform “Trinity-Lykovo” for the evacuation of citizens. In the future it may become a full-fledged station. The Serebryanoborsky tunnel, opened in 2007, has made life much easier for Muscovites and improved transport links between remote areas and the city center.
Flora and fauna
The artificial riverbed is favored by spiders and centipedes. There are rats, bats, cockroaches, cloudy white fish and frogs. The flora is represented by colorless or yellowish algae, as well as stunted grass stems sprouted from random seeds.
A special mold lives exclusively in river sewers and attacks spiders. Spores of such mold are also dangerous for people.
