Labyrinths function as traps that make access to a place or exit difficult.
A labyrinth is an artificially created space with various streets and crossroads so that the person who enters it becomes confused and cannot find the exit . The term comes from the Latin labyrinthus , although it has a more remote origin in the Greek language.
Labyrinths date back to very ancient times. Depictions of square and rectangular labyrinths have been found in Ancient Egyptian tombs, while circular-shaped labyrinths emerged in the late 7th century BC .
Historical labyrinths
In ancient times, labyrinths were built as a trap so that one could not enter or leave a place easily. Medieval labyrinths, for their part, symbolized man 's path to God . In modern times, however, labyrinths are created for landscape or recreational reasons.
One of the most famous labyrinths in history is the Cretan Labyrinth , mentioned in Greek mythology . This construction, designed by Daedalus at the request of King Minos , allowed his son Minotaur to be kept prisoner. Theseus managed to enter the labyrinth and kill the Minotaur .
A maze can be a printed hobby.
A game and a symbolic notion
The representation of mazes has become a game that appears in many children's magazines. Children must start a path at the entrance of the maze and continue until they find the exit.
In a symbolic sense, the notion of labyrinth refers to that which is confusing and far-fetched . For example: “The Argentine team was trapped in the defensive labyrinth proposed by the local team,” “For investigators, the case is a true labyrinth in which the exit is hidden behind a web of lies.”
Most popular mazes
There are labyrinths that bring together thousands of people every year in many parts of the world; Below are some of them:
Dole Plantation
It is the longest maze on the planet, located in the Dole pineapple plantation in Hawaii. In its extension you can see more than 11 thousand native and tropical plants, along 4.82 kilometers. The company responsible for its creation, Dole , is primarily dedicated to fruit planting.
Reignac-sur-Indre
This French maze, which holds the title of the largest in the world designed entirely with plants, is located in a field of sunflowers. Every year, sunflowers are planted in the field on which its enigmatic walls are built and during spring they bloom to create a new labyrinth. Tens of thousands of people have visited it since 1996 .
Cherry Crest
In the North American state of Pennsylvania is the leisure center called Cherry Crest , the adventure farm, where it is possible to explore a complicated 3.2-kilometer- long labyrinth. Its design is so difficult that two guides constantly walk through it to assist brave tourists.
“Snakes and Ladders” at Gore Farm
Machael Blee , an English entrepreneur, spent months creating an impressive maze inspired by the legendary board game "Snakes and Ladders" , on the Gore farm in Kent County. In his case, this is not the first time he has embarked on the design of a structure of these characteristics, but rather the tenth. Its surface covers about 6 hectares and its walls are hedges almost 3 meters high.
Ashcombe
This labyrinth is one of the oldest gardens in Australia , and has been entertaining visitors for more than three decades, allowing itself to grow and evolve.
Hampton Court
Located in Great Britain , the Hampton Court labyrinth was created in 1689 and is one of the oldest on the island, although it is not as large as others. One of the details that makes it especially attractive is that it appears in a large number of classic novels .