To mark Odesa's Birthday, students of group 3KS-60 made an educational trip to one of the most interesting and at the same time mysterious places of our region – the Odesa Catacombs. The history of the catacombs in Moldavanka (Rozumovska St.) begins in the 1830s, when they were created as underground quarries for extracting shell limestone for the construction of Odesa. These networks of quarries developed over decades, forming labyrinths that in Soviet times were also designed as shelters from radiation, and which now offer excursions and scientific research.
The trip aimed not only to introduce students to the history of the underground world, but also to foster in them a love for their native city, pride in its past and an awareness of the importance of cultural heritage.
During the excursion, students learned about:
• the history of the origin of the catacombs, which were formed as a result of limestone extraction;
• the role of the underground tunnels in different periods of Odesa's history, including during the Second World War;
• legends and interesting facts connected with the catacombs;
• environmental and architectural problems of preserving this unique site.
The atmosphere of the underground made them feel part of history and see Odesa not only as a modern city by the sea, but also as a place with a centuries-old and heroic destiny.
The trip ended with a discussion of impressions, during which the students shared their thoughts on how important it is to remember and protect the history of their native land.
Such an event became an excellent example of combining educational leisure, patriotic education and the development of team spirit among students.
