Behind closed doors, above colonnades and underneath bustling streets are the University's secret places -- out of sight, but not out of mind. While they may not be featured on a typical University Guides tour, these secret places -- rooftops, steam tunnels, boiler roomsand attics -- have continually enticed urban explorers, curious locals and even secret societies.
One urban explorer, who would only be identified as "Publius," claimed that there is a flourishing underground culture at the University.
"There's a social network of people here who are just curious about their surroundings and like to explore the University's buildings," Publius said. "It is much more widespread than most people would think."
Over the past several years, Publius has accessed hidden stairwells, climbed walls and discovered obscure passageways in order to explore the rooftops of the University's major academic buildings.
Since his first year at the University, Publius has been to the tops of Brooks, Gilmer, Wilson, New Cabell and Old Cabell Halls, as well as on the rooftops of the Chemistry Building, Observatory Hill Dining Hall and several of the McCormick Road dormitories -- just to name a few.
The birth of a trend
While in high school, Publius and a number of friends began exploring urban areas.
"There were about 130 schools in my home county," Publius said. "We just wanted to see how many rooftops we could get to. Besides a couple of injuries, it was a pretty fun thing to do when we got bored."
To "undergrounders" like Publius, urban exploration is much like any other hobby.
"Climbing buildings and discovering new places is like playing king of the hill," Publius said. "It makes you forget about other things. I have run into people at these places who just wanted to find a place to listen to music, enjoy views of Grounds and look at the stars at night."
From watching a meteor shower on the roof of Gilmer to rummaging through old fraternity composites in the attic of Monroe Hall, Publius has explored places and seen things that the majority of University students rarely think about.
"I like getting to know the areas that we live in and seeing them in a different light," Publius said. "Exploration is just kind of a passion for me."
Underground groups at colleges and universities are nothing new. Among the most notorious nationwide are the Hackers, who are based out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Comprised mostly of MIT students and alumni, the Hackers are known for accessing off-limits areas such as rooftops and corridors, while periodically playing practical jokes at the campuses of MIT and neighboring Harvard University.
According to the Hackers Web site, in 1994 a group of Hackers managed to sneak what appeared to be a police cruiser on the top of MIT's Great Dome in the middle of the night, leaving administrators, faculty and students in collective bewilderment.
To their relief, the "police cruiser" turned out to be nothing more than a model constructed by the pranksters.
While most pranks are smaller in scale, the Hackers remain active, often leaving humorous signs and banners on the rooftops of various academic buildings.
What lies beneath
At the University, a number of secret societies use hidden locations as meeting places.
On several occasions, Publius has stumbled upon meetings of University societies while exploring a handful of secret spots.
"A few secret societies meet in places like boiler rooms and various other hidden rooms in our buildings," Publius said. "There are probably 14 or 15 secret societies at the University that have their own agendas. Some of the most active and involved societies are ones that most U.Va. students have never heard of, and there are five or six societies that are never spoken of."
Publius claims to have seen a number of cryptic symbols some societies have left in order to direct their members to various locations around Grounds.
"There is a whole culture of underground activity that most people don't get to see," Publius said.
Perhaps the more well-known of the University's hidden places are the steam tunnels that stretch across Grounds below the walkways and streets of the University.
Largely accessible through portholes resembling manhole covers, steam tunnels are rumored to have been explored by curious students for years.
"Steam tunnels can get you into most of the old buildings," Publius said. "Back in the day, male students used to sneak down the tunnels to get to the Nursing School where many of the women were."
In addition to students, certain groups of Charlottesville locals, perhaps even gangs, allegedly have used steam tunnels as meeting places, leaving behind obscure markings on tunnel walls and entrance ways, Publius said.
"There are tons of steam tunnels around the University," Publius said. "I have probably been to around 30 of them, and there are probably more."
Hidden dangers
While it can be a rewarding hobby for some, many of the activities involved with urban exploration could be considered violations of the University's Standards of Conduct.
"We want our students to do things that are smart and safe," said Virginia Carter, director of external relations for student affairs. "These types of things put the participants at risk."
Students who engage in such activity could be cited by the University Judiciary Committee under a number of statutes, Carter said. University standards prohibit conduct that "intentionally or recklessly threatens the health or safety" of any person at the University and forbid unauthorized entry into restricted University buildings.
"There have been people who have gotten into trouble while trying to access certain buildings, such as the stadium," Publius said. "It is important for people to exercise discretion, do things carefully and not ruin urban exploration for others."
Among loose social networks of explorers, Publius said there are a number of ground rules that members have informally established. It is generally understood, for example, that urban explorers do not vandalize property or break into locked entrances.
"A good way of thinking about it is to leave everything the way it was when you found it," Publius said.
The Hackers at MIT agree.
According to their Web site, the informal Hacker code of ethics dictates that pranksters only attempt safe, unoffensive and harmless jokes that can be enjoyed by most of the MIT community.
While advising large groups against accessing the University's secluded areas, Publius recommended that potential urban explorers embark with a companion, just in case.
"It is important to remember that you are exploring the places that make where you live unique and that property should be respected," Publius said.
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