Best quote from 12 Cities With Unspoken Secrets: Hidden History and Buried Ruins
Every city has two timelines—the one you see with the Starbucks and the traffic lights, and the one that is buried. It’s like the past is refusing to stay buried, and the history is there for the people who are patient enough to look past the surface.
This audio lesson was created by a BeFreed community member
12 Cities With Unspoken Secrets
Frequently Asked Questions
Edinburgh is home to the South Bridge, which features nineteen massive stone arches. While most people only see one, the other eighteen are buried inside a hill. These arches remained sealed for two hundred years, acting as a time capsule for the city's forgotten underclass. This hidden history reveals a side of the city that is literally breathing under the pavement, far beneath the modern streets and squares.
In Mexico City, residents and workers are essentially walking over a lost civilization every day. The city serves as a living archive where modern construction projects often uncover buried history. It is not uncommon for workers digging a foundation for a new shop to discover ritual skull racks or ancient temple courtyards. This creates a unique environment where ancient portals and buried civilizations exist directly beneath the feet of those going to the office.
Beyond Edinburgh and Mexico City, several other locations hold deep architectural secrets and forgotten history. This includes the 'Invisible Kingdom' in Thailand and a site in Italy featuring 666 arches. These cities are described as architectural onions with layers of secrets that challenge how we view a map. Each location sits on top of hidden canals, ancient portals, or buried ruins that remain largely unspoken of by the general public.
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
