The Temples of Humankind are the crowning achievement of the citizens of Damanhur.  A vast underground series of chambers, halls and passageways dug entirely by hand, comprising five different layers and extending over 150 feet deep into the mountain.  The walls, ceilings and floors are covered with paintings, sculpture, mosaics, stained glass, ironwork, and statuary.  The subject of the art covers the history of humankind, both physical and spiritual, with reverence for the natural world and celestial surroundings that make our existence possible.

Digging was begun in August of 1978 by a small group of about 15 Damanhurians, after years of research and mapping of the Synchronic Lines that encircle the Earth.  A conjunction of these rivers of cosmic energy, which creates a particularly strong energy center, was found in the Alpine foothills north of Torino, Italy.  Here, it was decided, is where the Temples would be built.

For 16 years, the digging proceeded in secret because there was no permission from the Italian government, nor laws in place, for the construction of such an immense subterranean structure. After a lengthy court battle, the Temples were declared a national treasure and are now open to the public.

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