A Vacationer’s Guide to the Dark Side of Denver Intl. Airport

The Denver Intl. Airport is unlike any other airport you’ve visited. Spanning 35,000 acres, it’s twice as large as the next largest U.S. airport. According to some, within all that space, the Denver airport houses a myriad of dark mysteries, which are perfect to touch on in the month of Halloween.   

Since the airport’s opening, conspiracy theorists have come up with a host of unsettling, cryptic theories about the gigantic facility, from the meaning of Denver airport conspiracy murals, to the  existence of a network of underground bunkers, to the presence of a grotesque, reptilian race.

Are there any truths to these mysteries? Perhaps. Read our breakdown of the major conspiracy theories surrounding the airport, and make your own judgement calls.

Secret Societies and the New World Order

The theory: The Freemasons, a secret society that has existed for centuries, has controlled the airport since its opening, with ties to the New World Order, which is a group of elite people from around the globe, who supposedly control international affairs.

At the south entrance of Denver Intl. Airport, there is a dedication plaque dated March 19, 1994. The plaque is engraved with the Masonic symbol of a compass, with a capital “G” inside. Underneath that symbol, the “New World Airport Commission” is given credit for helping build the airport.

Although airport officials say the dedication is meant to reference the new “world airport” commission, the wording can easily be read either way. Regardless, there is no record of a group called the “New World Airport Commission.” Conspiracy theorists believe that this is evidence that the airport was built by the Freemasons, as part of their plan to install the New World Order.

For context, here is some brief history about the Freemasons. Today, the Freemasons are a group of fraternal organizations that can trace their ancestry back to 14th century fraternities of stonemasons. Masonic Lodges are the basic organizational units of the Freemasons, with each Lodge having a master, two wardens, a secretary, and a treasurer. While all Masonic Lodges adhere to an ancient set of principles called the Landmarks of Freemasonry, there is currently no universally accepted definition of Freemasonry.

But perhaps more interesting than the Freemasons themselves are the amount of conspiracy theories that surround them. These theories fall into three main groups: political, religious, and cultural. The Freemasons’ involvement with the Denver airport would fall into the political category.

While there are many political conspiracies about the Freemasons, the most relevant one is that they are secretly controlling many major aspects of government and society, in an attempt to establish the New World Order.

Beneath the dedication plaque, a time capsule was buried. Set to be opened in 2094, it is said to contain coins, a signed opening-day ball from Coors Field, Mayor Wellington Webb’s sneakers, a few Black Hawk casino tokens, and other items. The capsule, which is also stamped with “New World Airport Commission” and the Freemason symbol, is believed by conspiracy theorists to contain something more sinister, something that could be a part of a New World Order plot.

Another thing that theorists note about the plaque is the date. If you add up the numbers in the date, you get 33 as the sum. Coincidentally, 33 is also the number that "represents perfection and the highest degree in Masonry you can hold” among Freemasons.

Was the airport built as a way of furthering the Freemasons’ bid for a New World Order? The dedication plaque isn’t the only hint. Many other parts of the Denver airport point to this theory, too.

Murals that Hint at the Apocalypse

The theory: Two murals by Leo Tanguma depict a biowarfare apocalypse that will end with the New World Order taking control of the globe.

The art inside the airport has long been the subject of speculation by conspiracy theorists, most notably the Denver airport conspiracy murals. Not too far from the baggage claim and our location for van rentals in the Denver airport, you can find a pair of murals. These murals, painted by artist Leo Tanguma, depict scenes of war and peace between people and nature.

The first mural by Tanguma is called “In Peace and Harmony with Nature,” and it has two panels. In the first panel, people of many cultures come together to celebrate nature, gathering around a tree, while animals look on. In the second panel, humans look on at various sick and dying animals, which are meant to represent human impact on endangered species.

The second of Tanguma’s murals is called, “Children of the World Dream of Peace,” and it also features two panels. In the first panel, children representing many cultures come together to destroy bundles of swords that are wrapped in various international flags. In the second panel, a masked soldier kills a dove with a sword, while holding a machine gun in his other hand.

According to conspiracy theorists, the imagery in these murals depicts the world as we know it ending due to biowarfare, only to be taken over by the New World Order.

Before being displayed in the airport, the art went through a selection panel of local artists and government officials. It was then approved by several government committees and the then-mayor of Denver. Conspiracy theorists believe that government officials approved these murals because the officials are a part of the New World Order. Would members of the New World Order want to display such blatant imagery? Are they trying to send a message? No one can know for sure.

While the theory of the murals representing the New World Order are the most prevalent, conspiracy theorists have interpreted the imagery in a host of other ways.

“Blucifer” the Killer Horse Sculpture

The theory: The large blue horse sculpture, called Blue Mustang, is a cursed statue that represents the fourth horseman of the apocalypse.

Tanguma’s murals aren’t the only pieces of creepy art connected with the Denver airport. Outside the airport, a 32-foot, 9,000 pound sculpture of an angry blue mustang stands on its hind legs. Its eyes glow red. Its official name is Blue Mustang, but it is colloquially known as “Blucifer” (as in blue Lucifer).

Apart from conspiracies about the sculpture, there is a very real, tragic story that surrounds it. The artist who built the sculpture, Luis Jiménez, was killed in his studio in New Mexico when a piece of the sculpture broke off. It fell onto Jiménez, severing an artery in his leg. Still, the completed sculpture was erected in Denver Intl. Airport, but not without many people believing it to be cursed.

Like the Tanguma murals, conspiracy theorists believe that this piece also hints at an impending apocalypse. Specifically, they think the statue represents the fourth horseman of the apocalypse, which comes from a Biblical story.

In the Book of Revelations, in the New Testament of the Bible, God has a book or scroll that contains seven seals. Jesus opens the first four seals, releasing four beings that ride out on different colored horses. The first horseman rides a white horse believed to represent conquest or pestilence; the second horseman rides a red horse that represents war; the third horseman rides a black horse that represents famine; and the fourth horseman rides a pale horse that represents death. While the color of the last horse is not explicitly named, the pale color is thought to reflect the pallor of corpses.

This story represents the Christian version of the apocalypse, in which the four horsemen come down as harbingers of the Last Judgement.

Again, the recurring theme of the apocalypse harkens back to the idea of the New World Order taking over, bolstering the theory of the Freemasons controlling the airport, as a part of their plot to put the New World Order in place.

Underground Bunkers

The theory: A system of underground bunkers were built under the airport to protect members of the New World Order.

The Denver airport opened on February 28, 1995, 16 months after it was scheduled to be completed. The airport construction was expected to cost $2 billion, but the final cost totalled $4.8 billion. This huge disparity in time and money needed to complete the airport left many puzzled. Some think that a system of underground bunkers lies beneath the airport, made to house the global elite in case of an apocalyptic event.

A former airport construction worker claimed that the reason the airport was so far behind schedule was because five multistory buildings were built underneath the facility. Construction workers who helped build the airport claimed to have seen entrances to bunkers and unexplained tunnels.

When you approach the airport, you may notice that the surrounding land is filled with rolling hills. However, the land around the Denver airport was completely flat before construction began. Those “hills” are more accurately characterized as mounds that were formed when the airport was being built.

In order to build the baggage claim tunnels under the airport, 110 million cubic yards of earth were removed from the ground. That’s enough to cover 32 city blocks at a depth of a quarter mile. According to conspiracy theorists, this amount of earth is larger than the size of the airport, meaning that there has to be more than meets the eye lying underneath the airport.

There are actually several theories as to what lies beneath the airport. Some say that there is a complex series of bunkers for members of the New World Order, so that they can safely hide while the world outside ends. When the destruction is over, they can then emerge to institute their plan to rule the world.

Similarly, others believe that the airport houses post-apocalyptic fallout shelters for the global elite, though this version doesn’t necessarily support the New World Order theory.

Still others think that a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) concentration camp lies beneath, waiting for future use.

There are even more theories for what lies beneath the airport, but some people think that something ordinary lies beneath, like tunnels for cargo trains to the baggage claim, not far from our location for van rentals in the Denver airport.

Too Much Fuel

The theory: The fuel tanks around the airport are actually meant to power the underground bunker.

In addition to the hills that surround the airport, you may notice the large, white fuel tanks that dot the landscape. These tanks hold more than 40% more fuel than any other airport around the world, including the world’s largest airport. Why does the airport need so much fuel?

According to the Denver Intl. Airport’s website, "The fueling system at DIA is capable of pumping 1,000 gallons of jet fuel per minute through a 28-mile network of pipes. Each of the six fuel farm tanks holds 65,000 barrels (2.73 million gallons) of jet fuel.” However, conspiracy theorists claim that this is completely unnecessary for a commercial airport.

Instead, theorists believe that these fuel tanks will serve as the power sources for the underground bunker when the world is plunged into its post-apocalyptic state.

The Australia Antigen Tile

The theory: A tile in the Great Hall bears the letters Au Ag, alluding to the deadly Australia antigen.

If you walk along the Great Hall in the Denver airport, look closely at the floor tiles. With a careful eye, you can pick out a tile engraved with a minecart and the letters Au Ag. Some believe that the letters represent the chemical symbols for gold and silver, representing the gold rush’s role in Denver’s growth. Others, however, believe it has a more sinister meaning.

Au Ag can also stand for the Australia Antigen, which is a deadly strain of hepatitis. It has long been rumored that this strain could be used in biowarfare. What’s more, one of the founders of Denver’s airport is reportedly the one who discovered the new, deadly strain. Since this tile lies just below one of Tanguma’s murals that supposedly portrays biowarfare, conspiracy theorists believe this cannot be a coincidence.

Theorists believe that this tile could be a clue to the New World Order’s plan for taking over the world via biowarfare.

Nazi Symbolism

The theory: Nazi symbolism exists in various places in the airport, possibly hinting at Nazi influence.

If you fly above the Denver airport and look down, you can see the runways beneath you. The shape may look familiar; it’s said that from the sky, the runways form a swastika, the infamous symbol of Nazi propaganda.

Revisiting the Tanguma mural “Children of the World Dream of Peace,” the second tile’s soldier looks a lot like a nightmarish Nazi soldier. The green uniform with the three-point strap is strikingly similar to the uniforms worn by actual Nazis during World War II.

In the lower right corner of the mural, there is a letter written by a child that reads: “I was once a little child who longed for other worlds. But I am no more a child for I have known fear. I have learned to hate.... How tragic, then, is youth which lives with enemies, with gallows ropes. Yet, I still believe I only sleep today, that I'll wake up, a child again, and start to laugh and play.”

Ominously, the letter is signed “Hanus Hachenburg, 14 years old, died December 18, 1943, Auschwitz Concentration Camp.”

Theorists believe that these pieces of the mural suggest that the painting was commissioned by the New World Order to symbolize an imminent Nazi uprising that will occur via the underground bunker.

And...Aliens

The theory: Shapeshifting lizard people called Reptilians are using the airport as a base to take over the world.

Our last theory about the Denver Intl. Airport is another explanation for what lies beneath the airport. Instead of bunkers or shelters, some claim that the airport’s underbelly is actually home to a race of shape-shifting lizard aliens known as Reptilians. In order to take over the world, they take the shape of humans in order to gain political power and influence society. Some people claim to have spotted these Reptilians in the airport, yet many remain skeptic.

Conclusion

It is amazing how many theories you can pack into just one airport. From Freemasons to the New World Order, to biowarfare, to lizard aliens, there really is a wide range of mysteries swirling around Denver International Airport.

While some of the theories may seem more plausible than others, only you can be the final judge of whether they are true, or not. Perhaps the best way to explore these conspiracy theories is to visit the airport and see for yourself. Hop on a plane, or get a van rental at the Denver airport. Many mysteries await you this Halloween season!