Would you ever consider living in a hole? It’s not that uncommon. In fact, living underground has its perks, especially if you’re a hermit. But whole communities have adopted this type of living with ease, and for different reasons. Entire towns have been dug out of the earth for people to live in, and they seem like amazing places to live.
Underground living is being explored for future colonization plans on Mars. But a huge reason why these terrestrial communities live underground is because the environments they’re in are harsh ones. But another reason some do this is for environmental reasons. Houses carved out of the ground can offer a lot of comfort, depending on the location…
Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy is a town in Australia that literally lives in a hole. Even some of the shops are underground. The town started out as a mining town, and thrived on the extraction of opals from the earth. But the intense Australian heat in the southern town is very intense. To escape the searing sun, the people of Coober Pedy have created an underground town. The earth insulates against heat and preserves cool temperatures, so many of the residents prefer underground living. These days, the town is more of a tourist destination than a mining town.
Moose Jaw
Moose Jaw is the opposite. This town has adopted underground living because, in Saskatchewan, Canada, the winters are hard and long. To ease the daily lives of workers, the town built a series of tunnels in the early 20th century.
Matmata
Matmata was settled by nomads, but when rains in Tunisia wouldn’t let up, the underground dwellings were filled. After a few of homes collapsed, new, above-ground dwellings were built. But, even with the new additions, most people in the town prefer the underground living.
Sassi di Matera
The underground living situation in Sassi di Matera, Italy is perhaps the most interesting on this list. The town lives in cave dwellings that were carved out of the rock as early as 7000 BC. People still live in the refurbished caves, and even after the government tried to relocate the town, people still preferred the underground homes. A lot of people there boast how they live in the same homes at their ancestors, the Sassi.
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3 Towns Built Underground
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