They were discovered in the Guchin Gai park complex
Arheologists excavated part of a mysterious system of tunnels under Gucin Gai – a park complex located in the Mokotow district of the Polish capital Warsaw. The park is located in the former Vilanov estate, one of the residences of the Vilanov royal palace.
In the northwestern part of Guchin Gai, near the Church of St. Catherine, there is a system of U-shaped tunnels with a vault, which extends for about 65 meters. On both sides of the tunnel are symmetrical niches, some of them containing three rows of niches, which create the appearance of a catacomb.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the tunnel and the surrounding area were purchased by the Polish nobleman and minister Stanislaw Kostka Potocki. Stanislaus was also a prominent member of the Freemasons, receiving the title of Grand Master of the Grand National Orient of Poland.
Because of Potocki’s Masonic affiliation, it is rumored that the tunnel served as a secret meeting place for Masonic ceremonies and rituals. Although no contemporary sources or written evidence confirm this, the Register of Monuments still refers to the tunnel as “Masonic Graves”.
The excavations on an area of 5×5 m, covering the entrance to the tunnel and part of the inner corridor, were carried out by the Institute of Archeology of the “Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski” University in cooperation with the Office of the Warsaw Conservator of Monuments, reports BGNES.
The removal of accumulated soil revealed 19th-century walls that formed the entrance from the time of Stanislaus, in addition to much earlier brick walls dating from around the 17th century. Archaeologists also found 17th-century coins that help establish the historical chronology of the tunnel, as well as several items from the Middle Ages.
According to the environmental protection office report, the 17th-century architectural elements are probably the remains of a cistern or glacier structure for collecting and storing water to supply the Vilanov Palace, located a few kilometers away.
This is confirmed by the records of Augustin Lochi (1640 – 1732), court architect of Jan III Sobieski, who describes the construction of a glacier and water catchment on the northern slope of Gora Slujevska (in Gucin Gai).
