The Sinca Veche Temple Cave

The mysterious cave on the outskirts of the Romanian village of Sinca Veche goes by many names. “The Sinca Veche Temple Cave,” “The Monastery,” “The Temple of Destiny,” but no matter what you call it, the origins and purpose of this underground chapel is just as enigmatic.

While the original builders of the Sinca Veche monastery cave are unknown, the site has been dated to around 7,000 years old. Regardless of who originally built out the space, it has been home to a number of different religious tenants, as evidenced by the strange melange of disparate religious symbols that have been carved into the walls of the temple. You can find a Star of David here, a Chinese yin-yang symbol there, but strangely no Christian crosses, despite the fact that there is other evidence of Christian habitation.

The monastery is composed of nine different rooms, two of which act as separate chapels. Light enters the cave from a series of low windows and tall, chimney-like skylights. It has been speculated that these shafts were also there to symbolically let holy energy into the space. There is also speculation that there is a hidden tunnel that connects to a nearby fortress.

Visitors can explore the mysterious church at their leisure and try and solve the mystery for themselves, but with 7,000 years of history behind it, your chances are pretty slim.