This part of Odessa Catacombs is a part of limestone quarry. Approximately, in the past this stone-pit was part of large mine system, which located along Porto-Frankovskaya street and was spread to neighborhood streets. It’s believed that only small part of system was maintained because of massive development of the skyscrapers at this area. However without hesitation maintained part of system is the oldest part of Odessa Catacombs at the borders of the city. By the way, the famous road of Odessa smugglers was cross this system. For this moment,no one has yet reached this path and this system, so everything that “underground tour guides” talk about this – are only the local legends.
At the period of 1939-1941 military bunker was constructed here. In particular there were Odessa military district and numerous bomb shelters. New long rectangular galleries was specially cut for this.

ABOUT BUNKER…

The bunker is located under the territory of “Odessa factory for the production of press-forging machines”. The Bunker itself is a life supporting system of shelter which was integrated at Catacombs under Dietrichson street .  At the past another shelter have already existed here, that have been used by command of Individual Maritime Army during the time of 73 days of Odessa heroic defence at the years of Second World War. After the war, bunker was used as a shelter equipped for the shift of the factory. However, in the late 50s, with the beginning of the development of the so-called “cold war”, construction of anti-nuclear bunkers began in Odessa. Most often, they were built into the catacombs. The site of the long-abandoned quarries under the factory territory did not pass this tendency. In the period of the late 50s – early 60s, construction and equipment of the life support system: generator, ventilation systems, air filters, water supply, cable pulling, equipment for toilets and showers for the staff on duty began here. This system could also serve as an independent shelter, but was built and equipped to service to the main shelter located under Dietrichson Street, on the site of the same two-tier catacombs, where during the war the command of Maritime Army was hiding.
Besides  the obvious historical value, these objects are an extremely promising direction in research. According to available data, there is a passage to the very legendary and untouched system, along which the famous “smuggling trail” passed.

ABOUT SMUGGLERS…

Gradochavalnitskaya street appeared on the maps in 1841. Initially it was called the Gradonachalnichna street. The secret of the name lies in the location, because the street led to the cottage of the famous Duke de Richelieu. And everything seemed to be simple and clear with it, but under the pavement, in the tangled catacombs, the real secrets are securely hidden from prying eyes.
With the establishment of the “Porto-Franco zone” in Odessa, because of the close proximity to Starportofrankovskaya Street, Haradoshchalnitskaya street was immediately drawn into one of the most profitable criminal businesses of old Odessa – smuggling. Staroportofrankovskaya street served as the border of the Porto-Franco zone. From Italian, this term is translated as “free port” and means free customs zone in the port. Goods delivered to that kind of port are exempt from duty, and therefore goods cost several times cheaper. But it was necessary to pay the tax after exporting goods from this zone to the empire. But if the state has found a way to withdraw money from citizens, citizens, believe me, will find a way not to give this money. That’s where the catacombs come to the rescue. Many tunnels, transitions and galleries helped enterprising merchants significantly reduce their costs. The smuggler’s path is located right under feet of the customs officers! A significant profit share flowed around the state and began to sink into the pockets of those whose feet were making their way through the mysterious dark dungeons. A lot of forces and resources were thrown into the fight against this problem, but only more and more ways and undermines were made.
Even today, in the area of ​​Moldavanka, remains of underground warehouses are found, where smuggling was kept before being shipped inland. Scales that was  found in these catacombs were used for the famous “gemstone” Odessa scam. The essence of this fraud was to replace expensive French perfumes with ordinary sand and small stones. A consignment of perfume was purchased and shipped to the catacombs from the port territory. All the boxes were carefully weighed on the underground scales and unpacked. Do you already wonder why? It’s simple! In those boxes, instead of bottles with perfumes, they were neatly packed and peppered with sawdust pebbles, over which there were several bottles. All weighed again and sent back to the seller. The argument for the return was a sharp bankruptcy of the customer. The daughter of one of the smugglers so deftly distracted the seller’s attention that the substitution was not detected until the very evening! Thus, an ordinary stone helped one Odessa family to make a fortune…

AND ABOUT MASONS…

A rare secret society can boast with so many intrigues, rumors, assumptions and omissions like them. The role of masons in the history of Odessa is enormous and it is very difficult to overestimate it. It is no secret to any of the native Odessans that such outstanding people as Count Alexander-Andro Langeron, Adolf Schalle, Sergey and Mikhail Volkonsky, Andrey Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Pushkin were key figures in the Odessa mason lodge. Of course, the Duke de Richelieu is closely associated with the masons. He himself rarely attended mysterious meetings, but one of the honored guests was an abbot Labdan. And this is none other than the spiritual guide and tutor of the duke. Also the mysterious abbot helped Richelieu with the creation of the structure of educational institutions in Odessa – created the first boarding house for noble children, which later became the Richelieu Lyceum. It is authentically known that many teachers of the lyceum were also masons.
When the official limitation of the activities of secret societies began, masons and the civil service became incompatible. At this time, many teachers who were part of the union of masons, left the Richelieu Lyceum fearing reprisals. The police sought to uncover the conspiracy and regularly organized searches and raids on the estates of the suspects. But the masons were famous for their mystical elusiveness. Of course, the ability to dissolve in the air, which they attributed, is just a myth. The members simply went down to the catacombs long before the appearance of the police. The society continued to operate and held its meetings and rituals in the most appropriate place for this – in the dark and intricate galleries.
The best way to hide something well is to leave it in a prominent place. The most mysterious secrets and gorgeous scam – evidence of all this is kept under your feet! These tunnels saw much more than the famous pavement on Gradochavalnitskaya street. But the best way to make sure of this is, of course, to plunge into this world of secrets and puzzles and personally experience it all.