Strange Place to Live - Part 3

Fanjingshan or Mount Fanjing : Tallest town

Climbing four floors when the elevator is out might be a bit of an inconvenience, but compared to the journey to Fanjingshan or Mount Fanjing in China, it seems like a breeze! This mountain and its temple are truly awe-inspiring, and the effort required to reach the top is well worth it for the breathtaking views and the spiritual experience.

Fanjinshan's distinctive formation with its two tall and narrow peaks surrounded by lush greenery makes it a sight to behold. The enigmatic Fanjing Temple perched at the summit adds to the mystical allure of the place. The lack of precise information about the temple's construction and inhabitants only adds to its mystique and draws visitors in to explore its history and significance.

With around 1,100 people living in the lower area around the temple, the site is not only a place of spiritual significance but also home to a community of caretaker monks. The temple is open to visitors, allowing people to witness its beauty and historical importance.

However, the journey to reach the top is not for the faint of heart. Climbing 8,000 steps to reach the temple at an altitude of 8,432 feet is indeed a physically demanding task. The view from that height must be truly magnificent, offering a unique and unforgettable experience to those who make the trek.

Being declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986 is a testament to the cultural and natural significance of Fanjingshan. It has become an important destination for both religious pilgrims and nature enthusiasts, attracting visitors from all around the world.

Overall, Fanjingshan is a place of wonder and spiritual significance, nestled amidst the Wuling mountains, inviting visitors to embark on a challenging yet rewarding journey to the top, where they can experience the grandeur of nature and the serenity of the temple.

Centralia, Pennsylvania : Ghost town

Centralia, Pennsylvania, is indeed a fascinating and eerie place with its never-ending underground coal mine fire. The town's history serves as a cautionary tale about the unintended consequences of human actions and the long-term impacts they can have on the environment and communities.

The origin of the fire in 1962, triggered by the city council's attempt to burn trash in abandoned mine pits, resulted in a disaster that continues to this day. The presence of natural coal seams underneath Centralia allowed the fire to spread, creating an ongoing underground inferno that emits dangerous gases like carbon monoxide.

The underground fire has caused significant damage to Centralia's infrastructure, with roads and buildings sinking or collapsing. As a result, most residents were forced to leave the town over the years, and today, only a handful of people remain.

The fact that a few residents have chosen to stay despite the hazardous conditions is perplexing. It's possible that some are attached to their homes and the town's history, while others may find comfort in the isolation that has developed due to the evacuation of most of the population. The remaining residents' reasons for staying are unclear, but it's evident that the town is slowly becoming a ghost town, with a dwindling population and deteriorating infrastructure.

Centralia serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of careless waste disposal and the importance of understanding the geology and potential hazards of an area before taking any actions that may have long-term ramifications. The underground coal mine fire has transformed Centralia into a haunting and dangerous place, leaving behind a cautionary tale for future generations.

Mirny : The hole city

The story of Mirny, also known as "The Pit," is fascinating and showcases the incredible scale of human endeavors in mining. The discovery of the diamond-rich soil by Soviet geologists in 1955 led to the establishment and growth of the settlement of Mirny around the diamond mine. Over the years, the mine expanded, resulting in a massive hole at the center of the town.

At its peak, Mirny was a significant diamond producer, churning out an impressive amount of diamonds annually. However, like many natural resources, the diamond deposit eventually dried up, and by 2011, the mining activities came to a halt, leaving behind the enormous hole as a remnant of its once-thriving diamond industry.

The dimensions of the Mirny mine are truly awe-inspiring, with a depth of 1,722 feet and a width of 3,900 feet. To put this into perspective, it is roughly three times as deep as the Washington Monument and wider than 11 football fields.

Interestingly, the depth of the hole raised concerns about potential flight risks. The temperature gradient within such a deep hole causes air movement, where the warm air rises and displaces the cooler air above. There were speculations that this air movement could pose a risk to small aircraft, such as helicopters, potentially interfering with their flight path or even pulling them into the hole. However, these concerns were only theoretical and had not been proven through actual incidents.

Mirny serves as a reminder of the impact of mining on the landscape and the lasting effects it can leave behind. It is indeed an extraordinary example of human engineering and exploration, making it a unique part of Soviet and mining history.

Temple of Hengshan in Shanxi, China

The Hanging Temple of Hengshan in Shanxi, China, is undoubtedly an extraordinary architectural marvel. As an avid rock climber, you can appreciate the sheer skill and effort required to construct and maintain such a structure. The temple's location, hanging 246 feet above the ground on the edge of a cliff, is both stunning and functional, offering protection from flooding and harsh weather conditions.

The construction of the temple, which is believed to have taken place between 386 and 534 CE, is attributed to a single monk named Liao Ran. If this is indeed true, it's awe-inspiring to think about the strength and determination of this monk to build such a magnificent temple in such a challenging location.

The Hanging Temple's uniqueness extends beyond its physical characteristics. It is remarkable that the temple represents three separate religions: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. This multi-denominational aspect makes it a significant spiritual and cultural site in China, attracting visitors and practitioners of these faiths.

Over the centuries, the temple fell into disrepair, but in 1900, a collective effort by the Chinese people led to its restoration, preserving its historical and cultural value. Today, the Hanging Temple is open to visitors, allowing people from all over the world to marvel at its beauty and engineering ingenuity.

As to whether one could ever call such a place home, it would be a highly unique and adventurous living situation, reserved for those seeking a truly unconventional lifestyle. Living in such a historic and awe-inspiring location would undoubtedly be an extraordinary experience, but it would also come with its challenges and limitations. Nonetheless, the Hanging Temple of Hengshan remains an iconic testament to human creativity, ingenuity, and spiritual devotion.

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