There are many underground river tunnels beneath the historic centers of Ukrainian cities. But the biggest underground river is the Poltva. It flows under the center of Lviv and, unlike Kiev’s major underground river Klov, which carries clean water, the Poltva is part of the sewer system. The Another.Kiev team has prepared a guide to this incredible underground architectural marvel for you.
The Poltva River was of great importance in the construction of Lviv; it served as a moat and protected the city from the north.
In the middle of the 18th century, the municipal authorities decided to hide the riverbed in the center of Lviv inside a tunnel, prompted by the threat of malaria. Lviv has a mixed sewage system, and very soon the river was polluted by drainage waste. In 1870, the length of the Poltva tunnels was 15 kilometers; by 1903, 54 km; by 1910, 82 km; and by 1939, over 150 kilometers.
The main tunnels of the underground river are superimposed on the city map.
It is not only the size of the tunnel that is amazing, but also the skill of its ancient architects.
Recently I watched the Polish film “In the Darkness” and was simply shocked. During the Second World War, Jews hid in the tunnels of the Poltva. Naturally, I wanted to find the exact place where they lived during the Nazi occupation. At the moment, this is not possible due to a lack of information.
Today this huge river looks like this. The walls are lined with antique stone, with wide, comfortable walkways and a tunnel of unusual design.
An unusual collector profile. Below is the same spot in an older photo from 1929.
A photo of the construction of the Poltva river tunnel at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The roots of the trees have grown down into the underground river.
Moving downstream, the tunnel often changes shape.
The bridge above the sewage stream lies beneath the building of the Lviv Opera House.
We had our photo taken on the bridge as a keepsake. Contrary to popular belief, the smell of shit down there doesn’t really bother you. I’d say it’s just that the air is not the freshest.
Notice how the tunnel of the underground river is under construction.
The same tunnel in the same place as in the previous photo.
Take guide to subterranean excursion in Kyiv with stalkers who will impress you!
A video of the descent into the Poltva.
In this tunnel, I felt like a real Ninja Turtle for the first time.
If you decide to visit an underground river, try not to do it in Lviv, because there it is a sewer tunnel. If you are in Kiev, you should know that in 1892 the local government decided to divide sewer and storm drain tunnels. So in Kiev we have clean water in the underground tunnels. The main river is the Klov, which you can visit with experienced guide.