Original subtitles

[narrator] A royal retreat caught in a web of corruption.

There have been allegations.

These beautiful structures have been allowed to fall into disrepair on purpose.

[narrator] An engineering marvel that lit up the modern age.

If you look at this gallery, it just radiates power.

[narrator] And a subterranean treasure with a formidable secret.

[narrator] And a subterranean treasure with a formidable secret.

They did not want the United States to know what was going on there.

[narrator] Decaying relics, ruins of lost worlds...

sites haunted by the past...

their secrets waiting to be revealed.

On the U.S. Canadian border, an extensive labyrinth lies hidden

behind the mighty Niagara Falls.

In the cliff face, below Niagara Falls is this huge tunnel

leading who knows where.

But why put it here

so dangerously close to such an extraordinary natural force like the falls?

so dangerously close to such an extraordinary natural force like the falls?

[narrator] The only building nearby appears to be unrelated.

Could be a turn of the century train station

or hotel.

[narrator] Inside, things take an unexpected turn.

There's a room that looks like something out of a Jules Verne adventure.

There's a room that looks like something out of a Jules Verne adventure.

One particularly big room is filled with a row of enormous blue cylinders...

each one just radiates some sense of power.

[narrator] Behind eerie corridors lined with rusting machinery,

there's more than meets the eye.

A deep shaft plummets over 100 feet and is shrouded in darkness.

A deep shaft plummets over 100 feet and is shrouded in darkness.

So you've got all of this sort of odd construction

right next to one of these classic wonders of the world.

And it was absolutely groundbreaking in its day.

[narrator] Heritage Manager, Jim Hill

reveals how these structures were intended to blend into the surroundings.

So when they designed the building,

they thought a lot about the materials they were going to use,

even the kind of limestone had a slightly bluish, greenish tinge,

just like the water.

So they were kind of blending the look of the building with the water.

And then the roof is all done in this beautiful green tile.

And that would allow the top of the building to blend in with the tree line.

[narrator] But the quaint camouflaged facade is deceptive.

[narrator] But the quaint camouflaged facade is deceptive.

What you're looking at is like an iceberg.

You're only really seeing about a quarter of the building.

What makes this building special and in some ways visionary in its design

is how much you don't see.

[narrator] This is the Canadian Niagara power station.

One of North America's first and most ambitious hydroelectric plants.

It can be traced back to the late 19th Century

It can be traced back to the late 19th Century

and the inspiration of pioneering entrepreneur, William B. Rankine.

But why is most of the construction concealed underground?

Rankine visited Niagara in 1877.

And he became consumed with the idea

of harnessing Niagara's power.

And he started thinking about the potential for this huge amount of natural power

And he started thinking about the potential for this huge amount of natural power

to make electricity.

The need for electricity was literally soaring through the roof.

[narrator] Yet many objected to Rankine's plan.

Fearing it would damage tourism and threaten the local indigenous way of life.

As long as there has been a Niagara Falls,

there has been people here.

And water to them was everything. It was life.

And water to them was everything. It was life.

There was a lot of fear and anxiety about electricity.

It was considered to be a dangerous natural force

that might be impossible to harness effectively.

Years of delay eroded support for the project.

And it cost them the exclusive rights to generate power for the Canadian side.

[narrator] Eventually, an agreement was reached

[narrator] Eventually, an agreement was reached

on the condition that the plant didn't spoil the view

or interrupt the river's precious flow.

Out of sight, Rankine's plant recreated Niagara Falls.

And the key aspect of being able to generate the hydroelectric power

is gravity.

Well, the water comes into the plant from the Niagara River,

and it travels under these two bridges into this big four bay

and it travels under these two bridges into this big four bay

of just a big pool of water.

And then it looks like it butts right up against the building.

But actually, there's these big archways

and the water comes in the building from underneath those arches.

Water from the Niagara River would come in here, fill this entire area.

[narrator] Rankine's power plant sent 5% of Niagara's flow

cascading down 11 enormous pipes known as pen stocks.

cascading down 11 enormous pipes known as pen stocks.

The pen stocks dropped the entire length of the building.

Literally, gravity and the force of all that water falling

those 15 stories down to the bottom of the plant

is creating the force that turns the turbine,

just like a big old water wheel.

Those turbines spin.

They are connected through giant shafts back up into the building.

They are connected through giant shafts back up into the building.

And each of those turbines spins one of those blue generators

you see in that main gallery.

This hall is the generator hall.

And each one of these generators weighs about 40 tons.

So this was massive.

This was incredible technology for its time.

10,000 horsepower turbines, the largest in the world at the time,

10,000 horsepower turbines, the largest in the world at the time,

and five generators began creating hydroelectricity.

[narrator] The halls, corridors and control room

once buzzed with the hum of electricity.

You would have heard the whir of all this machinery moving

loud and, and very much alive.

You're generating electricity here. You would have felt it.

[narrator] And Rankine's unobtrusive power plant didn't stop there.

[narrator] And Rankine's unobtrusive power plant didn't stop there.

Today, an elevator travels down through the guts of the building.

We are now inside the tailrace tunnel,

which is a 2,200-foot long tunnel

that takes you from the power plant back to the Niagara River.

[narrator] The tailrace was key to Rankine's promise

that his power plant would take nothing away from Niagara.

But it too had to be hidden from view.

Constructing this colossal outlet right by the falls was a challenge.

At the turn of the 20th Century,

William B. Rankine constructed a hydroelectric power plant at Niagara Falls.

He was only given the rights to build it

if he kept it concealed

and if the plant had no impact on Niagara's flow.

To do that, required an innovative solution.

To do that, required an innovative solution.

Well, by digging this huge wheel pit,

you're recreating Niagara Falls without interrupting Niagara Falls.

You could bring the water into the plant without affecting the waterfall

or having equipment or machinery right at the water's edge.

So it's a lot more work to create this, this separate waterfall.

They needed to use dynamite to blast this huge tunnel

through 160-feet mainly of limestone.

through 160-feet mainly of limestone.

Then this whole tunnel is lined with about 17 inches of concrete

and then glazed brick so the water could move smoothly through it.

So all that water that came through the plant can generate electricity,

flows right back in to the Niagara River.

[narrator] But Rankine didn't live long enough to see the impact of his miracle plant.

Sadly, in September, 1905, Rankine died,

Sadly, in September, 1905, Rankine died,

just a few days after the third generator came online

and started providing more power.

[narrator] Unseen, the Canadian Niagara power station transformed the region.

It helped supply power to the entire Great Lakes area.

And this rapidly became one of the most industrialized areas

of the United States.

The Canadian Niagara power station was so well made,

and so beautifully engineered that it continued to function for 100 years.

[narrator] But in 2005,

the once cutting-edge generators were finally switched off.

Now, a major renovation project is underway.

We're going to invite guests to come through.

Visitors to Niagara Falls can see the inside of this power plant.

At night, there'll be an exciting sound and light show

that will literally bring life back to this power plant.

[narrator] In the mountains of Southwest Romania,

[narrator] In the mountains of Southwest Romania,

on the banks of the River Cerna

are the ruins of a once lavish destination.

When you get closer, you see that the town is split between the two river banks.

And on one side, there's a very grand looking ruin.

This must have been a really important place, but it's clearly seen better days.

[narrator] Adorning the walls inside are hallmarks of the site's former glory.

As you enter, you're greeted by this extraordinary painted ceiling

and radiating off either side are long, long corridors

with what appear to be Latin inscriptions on the roofs,

and coming off those corridors of what seemed to be a whole series of cells.

[narrator] For the affluent people that frequented this establishment,

[narrator] For the affluent people that frequented this establishment,

an experience of escape and pure indulgence awaited.

So, what brought all of this wealth here and where did it go?

[narrator] Oana Chirila is a Romanian architect.

She first visited this derelict site four years ago, while still a student.

She first visited this derelict site four years ago, while still a student.

When I first came here,

I was very sad to see this place in such a state of decay.

But I was also mesmerized by its beauty because the architecture is quite amazing.

I had the courage to just walk inside through a broken window.

And this is the window through which I got in

with a friend.

with a friend.

[narrator] Inside, Oana discovered the remains of a lost world.

Here, powerful people came to wash away their ills

in the healing thermal waters that percolate up from deep underground.

These rooms are individual treatment rooms,

where people were seeking medical treatment.

Each person would have a cabin,

Each person would have a cabin,

and they would bathe first,

and then have a series of massages and other treatments.

It was and still is believed

that these treatments could offer cures for warts,

eczema, chronic joint pain, asthma, sinus problems

and even relief to sufferers of long-term arthritis.

[narrator] Today, Romanian locals know this grand complex

in the town of Herculane as the Neptune Baths.

in the town of Herculane as the Neptune Baths.

When it opened over a century ago,

it was called the Austrian Imperial Baths.

Only a select few were allowed inside.

Right now, we are in the individual treatment room

of Emperor Franz Joseph.

He came here around three times for three weeks

He came here around three times for three weeks

along with Princess Sisi.

Franz Joseph was the Emperor of Austria.

And he ruled over this empire for almost 70 years.

And when Franz Joseph came here, in 1852,

he declared it the most beautiful resort town on the entire continent.

And that's when this area really started to come into its own.

And that's when this area really started to come into its own.

Franz Joseph and his wife Empress Elisabeth

or Sisi, as she was often known,

regarded the town and the baths as their own personal playground.

Despite Elisabeth's royal status and great wealth,

she often cut a forlorn figure.

Elisabeth didn't really fit into the royal court at Vienna.

She didn't do what women of the time were expected to do.

She didn't do what women of the time were expected to do.

She helped the needy. She wrote poetry.

She lived very much on her own terms.

[narrator] Elisabeth is also said to have struggled with depression

and an eating disorder.

Today, we talk a lot about body image.

And clearly, Elisabeth felt those same pressures hundreds of years ago.

And clearly, Elisabeth felt those same pressures hundreds of years ago.

To compound the tragedy in Elisabeth's life,

in 1889, her only son died in a murder suicide

with his young lover,

leaving Elisabeth distraught for the rest of her life.

So perhaps at Herculane, she felt a place, where she could relax and be herself

and maybe free herself from some of those pressures if only for a minute.

and maybe free herself from some of those pressures if only for a minute.

[narrator] But the peace Empress Elisabeth felt within these tranquil walls

would soon be shattered.

[narrator] In Romania, are the remains of a once luxurious spa resort.

It served as the personal retreat of Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph

and his wife Elisabeth... until tragedy struck.

In 1898, even though she had been warned against doing so, she went to Geneva.

In 1898, even though she had been warned against doing so, she went to Geneva.

And while she was there, she was set upon and stabbed by an assassin.

She was carried away and then perished later.

[narrator] The opulent bath's time as a playground for the wealthy elite

was coming to an end.

As we know, now, a cataclysm was on the horizon

As we know, now, a cataclysm was on the horizon

that was going to consume Europe

in a storm of artillery and machine gun fire.

Rulers like Franz Joseph were sleepwalking their way right into it.

During the First World War, all the spa facilities were abandoned.

They were no longer used for spa treatment for the nobility.

Soldiers from military barracks from that time

Soldiers from military barracks from that time

that came here to seek treatment

left beautiful markings on one of the terraces.

Two of these walls are marked with their names, year, regiment.

This is when the town started to decline.

It would never return to its days of glory under the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

[narrator] But the story of the baths was far from over.

[narrator] But the story of the baths was far from over.

At the outbreak of the world's deadliest conflict,

Romania allied itself with Hitler's Nazi Germany.

The deal with the devil backfired

opening the door for Stalin's communist forces to consume the country.

You might think that under a communist leadership,

these buildings would have been taken apart and seized

and destroyed because of what they represented.

But the baths were fixed up and repainted.

But the baths were fixed up and repainted.

And Herculane once again became a thriving resort town.

But the clients were of a very different sort.

Now, you have people coming from all over the Soviet Union and Romania

to these baths that were previously just the playground of the rich and the elite.

[narrator] Yet the baths days as a worker's Utopia didn't last.

[narrator] Yet the baths days as a worker's Utopia didn't last.

In 1989, violent revolution brought an end

to communist rule in Romania.

And that was often the case in post-communist regions

or in any region that has a massive shift in government.

Folks who had formerly been in positions of political power saw an opportunity here.

Unfortunately, corruption happened

and these buildings were played around like in monopoly

and these buildings were played around like in monopoly

and had different owners.

And that led to a property chaos.

There are even allegations

that these beautiful structures have been allowed to fall into disrepair

and ruin on purpose.

So they could be redeveloped without having to worry too much

about historical preservation.

[narrator] Whatever the truth, the outcome was the same.

[narrator] Whatever the truth, the outcome was the same.

By early 2000, the baths had been completely abandoned.

Today, Oana and her friends are part of an ambitious plan

to save this grand old ruin.

Our ultimate goal is to restore the building and give it back to the community.

The real glimmer of hope here is that the young people of Romania

saw their history falling apart before their eyes

and decided to do something about it.

[narrator] Deep in the forests of Poland,

concealed beneath a blanket of snow and ice

are the remnants of a destructive force.

There's one building visible. There's one road in.

But what's special about this place is all hidden.

And you can't imagine what's going on here

until you go through these steel gates.

And then you realize that it's not above ground that you should be looking,

but below ground.

It looks like the walls might just cave in any moment.

You've got to be pretty brave to want to go deep down into this particular area.

[narrator] The discarded equipment littering the site

suggests something important was once cleaved from these dark tunnels.

There's bits of train carriage. There's some pickaxes.

There's a bit of industrial equipment. It's clearly something was going on here.

Possibly mining, but what exactly were they looking for?

One of the reasons that this space is interesting

is because it was kept top secret.

What were they hiding down here?

What were they hiding down here?

[narrator] In Southwest Poland is an abandoned mine.

For subterranean explorer, Michal Rzadzki,

this site offers a unique window into his country's past.

Behind these doors, lies something of huge value.

This site played a critical role in the war that dominated the world for decades...

This site played a critical role in the war that dominated the world for decades...

and changed thousands of people's lives.

[narrator] Inside, a labyrinth of passageways extend deep into the earth.

But there is only so far you can go using motorized transport.

The only way to reach the lower levels is to descend by rope.

It is very dangerous to go down the shaft.

You have to watch out for the falling rocks while descending.

You have to watch out for the falling rocks while descending.

We are now about 180 meters below the surface.

[narrator] The sought-after commodity buried in this mine

was originally discovered by accident.

So uranium was first found in this area in, in about the 1920s.

And it was kind of by surprise because they were actually mining for iron.

And it was kind of by surprise because they were actually mining for iron.

Nuclear power plants today rely upon uranium.

But there's a much darker use.

And that's where this location comes into play.

The discovery of atomic fission confirmed

the idea that uranium could power

the most fearsome weapons in human history.

Almost from the start,

there was a race between leading countries

there was a race between leading countries

to try to develop the atomic bomb.

The Soviet Union put all their energy into building their own nuclear weapons

as a counterweight to the Americans.

The one thing that the soviets needed,

the one piece that was missing was uranium.

[narrator] These are the mines of Kowary,

site of a top-secret uranium deposit

the soviets hoped would propel them into a nuclear age.

the soviets hoped would propel them into a nuclear age.

Because the USSR had effective control of all the countries

within its sphere of influence behind the iron curtain,

they were able to essentially make Poland an offer it couldn't refuse,

which is, you let us run a mine

to extract uranium from this location,

and we will pay you a certain amount per ton of ore extracted.

[narrator] While under communist control,

the Kowary mines went by a different name.

The Soviets went to a lot of lengths

to keep their uranium mines and research secret.

They didn't call them mines.

They called them R1 industrial plants.

Rocks containing uranium veins

were mined by hand, only with simple tools.

It was very hard to mine

It was very hard to mine

because those rocks contain only a small amount of uranium.

Some people have compared extracted uranium to dental work or clockwork.

So the soviets were willing to pay well for this.

They provided good housing for the workers.

[narrator] The Polish workforce that toiled in the darkness

had no idea of the danger that lay in wait.

The soviets didn't tell the miners what they were mining,

The soviets didn't tell the miners what they were mining,

but it was not known at the time

really what the health risks were.

So when they come out after they've been mining for months or years,

and they start losing their hair,

and they start losing their fingernails,

and they start being sick, they don't know why.

Because the soviets aren't going to tell them.

[narrator] If the miners dared to speak of their activities

or the terrible conditions, the consequences were serious.

or the terrible conditions, the consequences were serious.

Soviets didn't allow the miners to speak about their work outside of the mine.

There is a legend that one miner wrote a letter to his brother

and then spent four years in prison for that.

So the Russian program went on.

And eventually in August of 29th, 1949,

they actually had their first atomic bomb test that was successful.

they actually had their first atomic bomb test that was successful.

So they became the second state to own an atomic bomb.

So in many ways, all of this secretive mining

and the getting of the uranium paid off.

It was a very successful project.

They exported about 200 tons of pure uranium.

But the mine was closed in 1958

after the Soviets found their own uranium deposits.

after the Soviets found their own uranium deposits.

[narrator] For 16 years, the site lay dormant

until it was repurposed for an altogether different use in the 1970s.

Which ironically was for health.

[narrator] In Poland is a cold war uranium mine.

The Soviet Union abandoned the site in 1958

when they found their own deposits.

In the 1970s, the mine enjoyed a surprising second life.

There was a period when people believed that being in an environment

There was a period when people believed that being in an environment

with a very low-level radiation like a uranium mine

was actually good for your health.

With the idea that people would go into the mines

and lounge and inhale the radon in the air

with the theory that it had somehow healing powers.

[narrator] But the mines time as a so-called inhalation hospital

didn't last long.

In the late 1980s, the shaft lining collapses

and there's just no economic reason to repair it.

And so, the mine is no longer utilized.

[narrator] Today, the mines upper levels are open to visitors,

but most of the subterranean passages are too dangerous to access.

Only 10% of the mine now is available for the tourists.

The rest of it is closed or flooded...

because it can collapse at any time.

[narrator] In Uruguay, on the east bank of the Uruguay River,

is a fallen cathedral from an industrial golden age.

We're in this sleepy charming riverside town.

And right on the edge is this gigantic sprawling building

that dominates the landscape.

Throughout this site, there are varying levels of decay and disarray.

The jetties have almost fallen into the water.

[narrator] From these docks,

a product was transported that would change the way the world eats.

There's a huge warehouse style building

There's a huge warehouse style building

and it looks like it's some form of processing space.

You've got high level conveyors with machinery and cogs and hooks.

[narrator] At the heart of the massive complex,

is an inner sanctum that kept all the processes running like clockwork.

You can tell just by looking at it, it was something important.

The site created one of the best-known British brands of the 20th Century

The site created one of the best-known British brands of the 20th Century

and transformed the Uruguayan economy.

[narrator] Mauro Delgrosso is a custodian of this site today.

His strong personal connection dates back generations.

The links with my family go back to my grandfather and my great grandfather

who worked it at the same time from the beginning to nearly the mid-20th Century.

who worked it at the same time from the beginning to nearly the mid-20th Century.

I can imagine and feel the noises, the smell,

and the chatter of people who worked here.

[narrator] The origin of this vast South American facility

[narrator] The origin of this vast South American facility

can be traced back to a rapidly industrializing Europe.

A time when the continent's urban population were often undernourished.

Baron Justus von Liebig had a solution.

Justus von Liebig was a German scientist in the 19th Century.

And in 1847, he actually developed a beef concentrate

And in 1847, he actually developed a beef concentrate

that he hoped would be able to bring nutritious food to the poor of Europe.

[narrator] But there was a problem with Liebig's idea.

Europe, Germany, Britain, France

do not have vast prairies

on which you can raise thousands and thousands of cattle

to boil down into concentrate.

Liebig actually decided to look outside of Germany.

And to him, there was no better place than Uruguay.

They had a burgeoning cattle economy.

And it was relatively cheap to acquire cows there.

The factory first opened in 1865,

but it was immediately embroiled in controversy.

It turns out this miracle nutritional product

that was designed for the poor

actually had no nutritional value at all.

actually had no nutritional value at all.

[narrator] To keep up with demand,

the factory's owners start looking for a nourishing alternative.

In Uruguay, are the rusting remains of a sprawling industrial site.

Its first product was a meat extract that offered little nutritional value

to the hungry European workers it was meant to feed.

The factory starts producing a more nourishing substitute,

tinned corned beef.

tinned corned beef.

This is a canned product

of ground beef,

fat and loads of salt.

And you put it in a can and it will last forever.

[narrator] This is the Fray Bentos industrial complex

named after the town in Uruguay,

where the vast factory was located.

At its height, it was one of the world's biggest producers of canned meat.

At its height, it was one of the world's biggest producers of canned meat.

And in the UK, it became a much-loved brand.

Its iconic products found in every kitchen of the country.

Fray Bentos eventually earns the nickname of kitchen of the world

simply because of the massive quantities of food

that were coming out of there.

[narrator] The factory had the capacity to slaughter 1,600 cows a day.

Each one was enough to make around 1,500 cans of corned beef.

Each one was enough to make around 1,500 cans of corned beef.

What makes this factory so successful

is that the process of turning livestock

into canned meat

has been worked out really carefully from beginning to end.

It only took 30 minutes from the moment the animal fell on the platform

to the moment it was stored in the cold chamber.

to the moment it was stored in the cold chamber.

A phrase often repeated here...

was that everything from the animal was used except its mooing.

[narrator] As profits grew, so did investment.

In 1883, this became the first place in Uruguay

to be powered by electricity.

The country's capital had to wait another three years.

The factory was extremely important for the city,

not only in terms of employment,

but because it created a neighborhood where the workers lived.

It also founded a football club and sponsored sports and social clubs.

[narrator] In 1924, the factory was sold to a British company.

Its new owners soon faced their greatest test.

Its new owners soon faced their greatest test.

As Nazi forces terrorized Europe,

could the workers of Frey Bentos step up production

and prove an unlikely hero in the fight against Hitler?

Corned beef was extremely important for soldiers during World War II.

Because it was easy to transport in their backpacks,

Because it was easy to transport in their backpacks,

easy to open and had a large amount of protein in each can.

The process would start by boiling the meat,

then it would be put into cans

and sterilized in these autoclaves,

with a capacity for 1,800 cans in each one.

[narrator] 4,000 workers at the factory

kept this powerhouse of production running like clockwork.

In just four months, they churned out 16 million cans of corned beef.

Hundreds of thousands of hungry allied troops

were kept fighting fit eating this Uruguayan export.

A nice story is always remembered.

A nice story is always remembered.

Workers, before packing the cans, would write messages of support

on the labels to the soldiers...

soldiers that they would never meet.

[narrator] The popularity of Frey Bentos

soared in the early post-war years.

But by the mid-1960s, appetite for the iconic tinned food plummeted.

There is less demand for preserved food

and salted and canned food in Europe, especially in Great Britain.

So it is no longer as profitable

to can that much beef

and ship it overseas.

[narrator] Then in 1964, a typhoid outbreak in Scotland

in which three people died

in which three people died

was traced back to the Fray Bentos plant in Uruguay.

This signaled the end of the factory's British ownership.

This had a massive effect and shut the English market down.

Shortly after in 1968,

the British gave this factory away to the Uruguayan government.

the British gave this factory away to the Uruguayan government.

[narrator] The factory limped on for the next decade.

But by 1979, profits had slumped so low,

it was forced to permanently close.

Today, much of the facility has fallen into disrepair.

Today, much of the facility has fallen into disrepair.

It's pretty much only disturbed by the occasional tourists

who come in to check out this place.

In 2015, UNESCO declared the factory

a world heritage site,

ensuring its place in history

as one of the world's biggest producers of tinned food

will not be forgotten.