Initially, stone was quarried using an open-pit method, resulting in the creation of a two-tiered amphitheater that has been preserved to this day. The stone was used at a sugar refinery in Sataniv for sugar bleaching.
In the mid-1950s, stone extraction transitioned to underground mining, although small-scale adits for artisanal quarrying might have existed earlier. According to local legends, a UPA unit hid in these catacombs. Mining continued until the early 1970s, when the adits were closed due to safety concerns. Despite this, local residents still occasionally visit them to collect stone. The total length of the underground passages exceeds 20 km.
The entrance to the main adit is located at the bottom of the old quarry. The central tunnel, approximately 250–300 meters long, has many side branches. One of the tunnels, leading north, is notable for its preserved wooden supports used to reinforce the workings. There is also a passage to the second level of the catacombs.
Share on Facebook
Share on X