I got a behind-the-scenes tour of the conspiracy theory-filled Denver Airport to see its 'secret' tunnels and 'cursed' horse

16.07.2024 - 18:56 / insider.com

I was doom-scrolling TikTok a few months ago when a video of someone walking around empty terminals at Denver International Airport popped up. The video, posted at the end of May, had about 25 million views and 3.7 million likes as of this month.

Any other US airport probably wouldn't garner the same attention, but Denver Airport is riddled with conspiracy theories and ghost stories that date back decades.

The most famous myth is that a giant horse statue sitting outside the terminal killed its creator in the early 2000s. There's also the theory that the airport hides aliens and lizard people in secret underground tunnels, while some believe demon gargoyles haunt the halls.

I've always known about Denver's urban legends but never really believed in them, mostly because the stories are pretty outlandish and easily debunkable.

The runways being a Swastika, for example, is a nasty conspiracy, considering the shape simply compensates for wind and optimizes traffic, as planes can land and take off in several different directions.

But a trip down the TikTok and Reddit rabbit holes tells me there are plenty of people who think the airport is hiding something sinister — so I decided to fly out and see for myself.

The airport's marketing and communications team — which has leaned into the lore in its alien-themed gate events and talking gargoyle — gave me full access, including an up-close encounter with the "haunted" horse, a look at those empty hallways from TikTok, and a ride around its "secret" bunkers.

Much of Denver airport's lore started in March 1994, when a capstone was placed ahead of the airport's 1995 opening to house a time capsule dedicated to the people of Colorado.

The capstone features the Freemasons' Square and Compass symbol and mentions a group called the "New World Airport Commission."

This snowballed into the idea that secret societies like the Freemasons, the Illuminati, and the New World Order were operating from within the newly built airport with the goal of world domination.

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Other artwork around the airport supposedly supports the theory. One mural, for example, has a man in a gas mask with a sword, who people say represents the New World Order's plan for genocide and destruction.

Another, no longer there after remodeling, was a floor inscription of a mining cart with the atomic symbols "Au" and "Ag" for gold and silver, respectively. Theorists said they stood for "Australian antigen" and exposed how the Illuminati planned to take out humanity.

While some of the airport's diverse collection of artwork is big and bold, Stacey Stegman, the airport's SVP of communications, marketing, and customer service, who has worked there for almost 13 years, told Business Insider