One of the biggest innovations of the 19th century in Prague is the creation of the underground sewer system. Sewage was a big issue in Central European towns as solid and liquid waste would often flood the streets and cause major sanitation issues. Although the sewers alleviated these issues, they also brought misfortune to those who had to perform manual labor underground to maintain the facility. Many of the workers had to live onsite, and many contracted Cholera due to the poor working conditions and biohazardous materials found in the sewers.
Nowadays, the Old Town Sewers serve as an architectural monument and are not currently in use. They have been made famous by several films such as Mission Impossible and Les Miserables, which had scenes that were filmed in the sewers. One of the most challenging parts of the underground tour was walking through the long underground tunnels, avoiding the calcium deposits and rust that had accumulated at the bottom. I could only imagine what it would have been like to be a worker in the sewers back in the day, as the unused pathways were still wet and slippery. Although the sewers aren’t the first place you’d want to go when you visit Prague, I really enjoyed our visit today and the short relief from the summer heat we got underground.
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