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A secret passage (or '''hidden passage''' or a '''secret tunnel''') is a hidden route that is used to travel stealthily. Such passageways may be inside a Building leading to a '''secret room''', or be a way of entering (or exiting) somewhere without being seen. Hidden passages are a common feature of Fiction , but have also served a variety of purposes throughout history. Hidden rooms have helped some people evade capture, but have also been used for criminal activities. APPEARANCE AND CONSTRUCTION Secret doors are by design very difficult to spot, using a variety of Camouflage techniques to blend in with their surroundings. Some such doors can appear to be part of the wall, while others disguise themselves as a Fireplace , Bookcase or other feature. Some entrances are elaborate and require a specific mechanism in order for the door to open, while others are much more simple; a Trapdoor hidden under a rug, for example, can easily conceal a secret passage. Within buildings, most secret areas were built into the original plans. Other secret passages have sometimes been constructed, particularly secret Tunnel s. Such tunnels have often been created as escape routes from Prison s or Prisoner-of-war Camp s (both having happened in real life as well as in many fictional works), where they are known as Escape Tunnel s. Other tunnels have been made for different reasons, such as Smuggling Tunnel s. FAMOUS HISTORICAL USES . Closed and camouflaged, it is almost undetectable.]] There have been many instances throughout history of secret passages and rooms having been used:
MODERN SECRET PASSAGES On 25 January 2006 a 720 meter (2,400 foot) Smuggling Tunnel which crossed under the border of the United States and Mexico was discovered. The tunnel was used to transport vast quantities of Marijuana from Tijuana into Otay, California . The passage linked two industrial warehouses, and was ventilated and well-lit. As well as illegal substances, this tunnel and others that have previously been discovered have been used for Illegal Immigration . Between August 2000 and May 2002 more than 1,000 ancient books went missing from the library of the monastery of Mont Saint-Odile . Stanislas Gosse stole the books after finding an old map showing a secret entrance into the library. The route was not easy, however, involving climbing up exterior walls, a steep staircase and a secret chamber. A mechanism then opened the back of one of five cupboards. The disappearance of so many books over such a length of time confused the librarian, the monks and the police, with Gosse finally being caught by Closed-circuit Television cameras. MYTHOLOGICAL USES Greek Mythology :
FICTIONAL USES The use of secret passages is a common Plot Element in Fiction . They often appear in old buildings, especially Haunted House s and the lairs of Villain s or Superhero es. They are often opened by pulling a disguised lever, often as a book in a bookshelf (regarded as a Cliché ). In numerous stories a character accidentally activates the mechanism for a secret door by leaning on the switch. Hidden lairs Many fictional characters, both good and bad, have secret lairs. Villains are usually shown to be plotting their evil deeds in these lairs, and it is often the location of the final act of a story. Many such bases are located on remote islands, such as that of James Bond villains Dr. Julius No in '' Dr. No '' and Francisco Scaramanga in '' The Man With The Golden Gun ''. Another popular choice is that of a mountain or, for increased dramatic effect, a Volcano . Not all lairs are located in such a remote location – in '' The Phantom Of The Opera '', the Phantom's lair is beneath the opera house which he haunts. Superheroes also frequently operate from a secret base, but most usually use it for maintaining their Secret Identity . Batman 's Batcave is made up of a series of subterranean caves beneath his residence, Wayne Manor . The base features a secret door within the mansion, often behind a grandfather clock in the main study, which leads into the lair. In games In Role-playing Game s, secret passages, like Trap s, can be found in all sorts of buildings, especially in the Dungeons . The mansion in the board game Cluedo (Clue) has two secret passages that players can use to move to an opposite corner of the board. Computer And Video Games often feature hidden areas, sometimes as an important part of the game and other times as an Easter Egg . Such areas can be a required route in order to continue or may be optional and contain rewards for the player, such as a Bonus Stage , a Secret Character , extra items or a shortcut to a later part of the game. Some secret entrances are totally invisible, such as a normal-looking wall that can be walked through, while others give a slight visual clue. SEE ALSO REFERENCES |
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