As scholars and conspiracy theorists around the world ponder on whether the mythical lost city of Atlantis actually existed, the world has no shortage of submerged ruins and underwater landmarks that became tourist attractions which one can visit without embarking on a perilous Indiana Jones-style expedition.
Kalyazin
One of the things the town of Kalyazin, located in Russia’s Tver Region, is known for is the sight of a belfry sticking out of the waters of the nearby Uglich Reservoir – the result of the town’s old quarter being flooded in 1940 when the reservoir was created during the construction of the Uglich Hydroelectric Station.
Church of Sant Roma and the Church of Mediano
The Church of Sant Roma is located in the former town of Sant Romà de Sau in Catalonia, Spain, which has rested beneath the surface of the Sau Reservoir since about 1962. The church is still visible when the water level is low, and during droughts, one can even walk among the ruins.
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And a similar sight can be observed in Mediano, the now-submerged Spanish municipality, where a 16-century church emerges from the water.
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The Lost Villages
The so called Lost Villages of Ontario is a collection of ten communities in Canada that were permanently submerged during the creation of the Saint Lawrence Seaway in 1958. Some structures can still be seen beneath the waves, and a museum, whose exhibits feature several historic buildings salvaged from the sunken communities, was built to preserve the memory of these villages.
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Port Royal
The legendary former pirate haven located on the island of Jamaica, Port Royal, was virtually obliterated by an earthquake and a subsequent tsunami in 1692, with most of the city being swallowed by the sea.
Today, Port Royal remains but a shade of its former self, a treasure trove of artefacts and a possible cultural tourism destination in the making.
One Lake and a Thousand Islands
The Qiandao Lake, or Thousand Island Lake, is located in the Zhejiang Province of China. Created in 1959 as part of the effort to construct the Xin'an River hydroelectric station, the lake’s waters conceal the ruins of Shi Cheng, an ancient city built during to the Eastern Han Dynasty, as well as a number of other historic sites.
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Pavlopetri
The city of Pavlopetri in Greece is probably one of the oldest submerged cities to be discovered by archaeologists, dating back some 5,000 years. Even though the city apparently sank in around 1,000 BC due to an earthquake, Pavlopetri’s layout is still clearly visible, and archaeologists have already managed to discover some 15 buildings.
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Green Lake
The Gruner See (Green Lake), is a peculiar body of water in Austria, which is relatively shallow during winter but grows in size and depth in spring when its water levels get boosted by snowmelt.
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This phenomenon makes the lake a popular diving spot where people can observe meadows, benches and even a bridge submerged underwater.
