[Dungeon inspiration] Catacombs of Buda Castle

[SolemnGolem]

In case it's helpful for dungeon design, I've uploaded a few photos of a real life dungeon. This is in the Labyrinth below (or at least near) Buda Castle, Budapest.

This is the overall map of the complex.

Archways were maybe about 6' in height at the middle, presumably for support. Behind the modern plastic screen there's one of the many periodic water cisterns for rainwater collection.

One such cistern, barred off for safety.

The general state of the masonry.

At one point, the dungeons were part of an above ground opera hall and they stored things here. Some appear to be permanent fixtures.

A tomb, at the intersection of several of the archways. The entire atmosphere was quite misty and foggy, due to the damp, which made for an eerie atmosphere (although it's hard to capture with a flash photograph).

Tomb from another view.

One approach, allegedly leading to a chamber where Vlad Tepes was incarcerated for a time, had these brick protrusions - which may have been a later addition, as the dungeon was used during WW2.

This is the same crenellated (?) corridor attempted with flash photography - you can get a sense of the dampness and mist here.

Squat low room.

Round the corner.

Branching corridors.

Exit corridor.

Back above ground in modern Buda city.

Thoughts: the experience really brought home the importance of lighting. Even dedicating one hand to hold up a cell phone with a bright LED light, I felt inconvenienced getting around (looking at maps, holding my water bottle, etc.) If I had to hold a torch in one hand, with leaping shadows making peripheral threat detection less reliable, while also holding something in hand to defend myself with, I could imagine it would get very complicated very quickly.

Add to that the fact that space (especially vertical) is quite limited. I could see the benefits to something like a shortsword in such conditions, even if a nice heavy halberd, axe, or mace would have more muscular heft behind it in better circumstances.

One complaint I've personally had about fantasy adventure dungeon design is that "the layout feels very contrived and there's so many expensive corridors dug out with zero purpose". Well, in a real dungeon, I'd say you still get nooks and crannies and even short corridors with dead ends that do nothing and go nowhere. So maybe it's an exaggeration in RPGs, but it seems to be based in some degree of truth, at least if Buda Dungeon is anything to go by.

That dungeon's floors were all pretty level. Maybe a missing flagstone here and there, but nothing like a bare earth pit or long staircase or what have you. The longest staircase was the entry staircase, which made a 90° turn.

Not pictured: several iron gates, of the type that PCs may struggle with, but a vampire might just mist-walk through.

[thorr-kan]

Those are excellent inspiration.