Beneath Fresno’s scorching summer heat lies a hidden world that few expect to find — a hand-carved underground sanctuary built entirely by one man’s vision and persistence.
What began as a practical solution to California’s unforgiving climate slowly evolved into an architectural wonder unlike anything else in the state.
Over the course of four decades, Baldassare Forestiere dug through dense hardpan rock using only basic tools, shaping a subterranean network of passageways, courtyards, and living spaces designed to stay naturally cool year-round…