Beneath the medieval streets of Siena, hidden from the sunlight and the thousands of visitors exploring its historic centre, lies a mysterious underground world. A labyrinth of narrow passages stretches for approximately 25 kilometres beneath the Tuscan city, preserving centuries of history, forgotten beliefs, and extraordinary stories about the creatures of Siena.
These underground tunnels, known as the Bottini di Siena, were constructed primarily to provide water for a city whose geographical position made access to natural water sources particularly difficult. Yet the men who excavated these passages allegedly discovered something far stranger than underground springs and geological formations.
