EXCLUSIVE: Pictured up close for the first time, Scientology's 'alien space cathedral and spaceship landing pad'

built in the New Mexico desert for the 'return of followers after Armageddon on Earth'
Tunnels stretch for hundreds of feet into cliff behind unassuming facade and reportedly hold sacred texts Mysterious pair of overlapping circles with a diamond inside believed to be navigation markers for space craft Compound is 20 miles from nearest town and has a landing strip and its own water supply
By Chris White In New Mexico PUBLISHED: 10:30 GMT, 16 August 2013 | UPDATED: 20:37 GMT, 16 August 2013

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MailOnline can today reveal the first close-up pictures of the Church of Scientology's 'alien space cathedral' built in a remote part of the New Mexico desert. The mysterious building which leads to an underground vault sits next to two giant symbols carved into the ground - believed to be markers for the religion's followers to find their way back from the ends of the universe after humanity is destroyed in the future. While no one knows the definite meaning of the pair of overlapping circles, each with a diamond in them, it is believed to have been trademarked by the Church of Technology, a branch of Scientology. Scroll down for video

'Space alien cathedral': Aerial pictures taken from a helicopter hovering above a Scientology complex in New Mexico show a house-like structure built into the side of a mountain

Secret vault: Behind the three-story house it is believed there are tunnels dug hundreds of feet deep into the rock that contain L. Ron Hubbard's texts engraved on stainless steel tablets or gold discs

Mystery symbols: The two giant overlapping circles, each with a diamond in them, are believed to have been trademarked by the Church of Technology, a branch of Scientology

Signs: The symbols are thought to be landing markers, which signify a 'return point' so members of the church know where they can find the works of church founder L. Ron Hubbard

Scientologists' 'spaceship landing pad' in New Mexico desert

It is believed that they are a return point so members of the church know where they can find the works of founder L. Ron Hubbard when they come back from space after a nuclear catastrophe wipes out the human race. For behind the three-story house are tunnels dug hundreds of feet deep into the rock. Inside them are Hubbards texts, believed to have been either engraved on stainless steel tablets or gold discs and encased in titanium capsules underground. Previously, the world has only seen grainy satellite images and blurry pictures of the top-secret Trementina Base, but these are the first fascinating photographs of the structure up-close.

Time capsule: A police officer who was given a tour of the 'alien space cathedral' in the 1990s reported seeing machines for copying the works of church founder L. Ron Hubbard

Mapped: This map shows the location of the secret Trementina Base in the New Mexico desert

Puzzling images: Similar symbols have been spotted from the air near Lake Arrowhead in San Bernardino, California

The aerial pictures taken from a helicopter show the house-like structure that covers the entrance to the vault. Green and beige, the house is built against a flat, stone buttress that blends into the mountain itself. Down a paved path is a mile-long landing strip, water storage units as well as several RV trailers. The entire complex of buildings and temporary structures sits atop 50-60 acres nestled in the heart of the New Mexico desert 20 miles west of the nearest town of Las Vegas.

Core beliefs: Hubbard (left) wrote a book outlining the concept of Dianetics - a set of ideas and practices regarding the metaphysical relationship between the mind and body

Enigmatic: Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, better known as L. Ron Hubbard and often referred to by his initials, LRH, was an American pulp fiction author and the founder of the Church of Scientology

During a recent flyover, the compound appeared uninhabited, except for a solitary dog walking the grounds. Tim Gallagos, ex-police chief of the Las Vegas, New Mexico, Sheriff's Department, was given a tour of the vault by church officials in the late 1990s. He is believed to be the only non-Scientologist to have ever visited the site. He told MailOnline that within the stone walls are several machines for copying the works of Hubbard. He explained: They were transferring writings, speeches and videos. This vault is like a giant time capsule and they told me all the scriptures are being kept there.

Harsh landscape: This image shows what is believed to be a dried-up man-made lake with a picnic area in the middle

Inviting: This complex topped with green roofs was described as a 'welcome center,' built with a small courtyard in the middle

Uninhabited: No people were observed on the grounds of the remote Scientology base, with only a dog walking around

Gallagos was also given a tour of the welcome center,' built with a small courtyard in the middle, though he told us he only saw two people on the entire tour. He described to us the small living quarters nearby: The house next to the vault had a small room, kitchen and living area, but there was no technology no phone, TV, internet. I wouldnt want to live there. He explained why he asked for a tour of the complex. I visited the base because we wanted to dispel the rumors that there were cameras in the trees and sharp shooters hiding everywhere, waiting to kill anyone who entered. I didnt see that, but my visit was planned and so they wouldnt show me any bad side [if there was one].'

In the past, the world has only seen grainy satellite images and blurry pictures of the top-secret Trementina Base

Pricey: A BBC journalist reported that the 'space alien cathedral' was built deep underground by the church in the 1980s at the cost of millions of dollars

It did feel like they were hiding something. I wasnt allowed to go into certain areas. I know when people are lying to me, I can tell from their body language and voice they were concealing something. He added, I was suspicious of it, the whole thing. Ex-Scientologists told BBC journalist John Sweeney that the 'alien space cathedral' was built deep underground by the church in the 1980s at the cost of millions of dollars.

Well kept: Although no people have been observed at the compound, all the buildings and surrounding grounds appear to be well-maintained

'Alien' runway: The base includes a mile-long landing strip believed to have been built in case L. Ron Hubbard returns to Earth

Remote: The entire complex of buildings and temporary structures, including RV trailers, sits atop 50-60 acres nestled in the heart of the New Mexico desert

In his book The Church of Fear - Inside the Weird World of Scientology, he reports how he was told the vault houses the lectures of church founder L Ron Hubbard on gold discs locked in titanium caskets sealed with argon. The cathedral is H-bomb proof, protected by three 5,000lb stainless steel airlocks. He adds: Experts say the weird signs on top of the mountain will guide Clears, [high-ranking Scientologists] returning from space to find Hubbards works after a nuclear Armageddon wipes out humanity.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY:

The Church of Scientology was founded in 1953 by American science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, who wrote that 75 million years ago, an alien ruler called Xenu brought billions of his people to Earth in a spaceship and then killed them in a bomb blast, leaving their spirits to wander around and harm

the living. Following Scientology, according to Hubbard, means you can be clear of these malevolent spirits. Scientology describes itself as the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others, and all of life. One purpose of Scientology, as stated by the Church, is to become certain of one's spiritual existence and one's relationship to God, or the 'Supreme Being.' To progress up the Scientology ladder, followers have to complete a number of courses and be 'Clear' in Dianetics. This is a state, according to Hubbard, when a human 'no longer has his own reactive mind and therefore suffers none of the ill-effects that the reactive mind can cause.' The Church believes that humans suffer unwanted and negative feelings, which lead to illnesses. If every person applies Dianetics in their life, they can be 'Clear', or free, of these feelings and therefore avoid sickness. The next stage is to achieve Operating Thetan levels, or OTs for short. There are eight levels before the truth of Scientology can be fully revealed. It is believed that it took actor Tom Cruise five years and $100,000 to reach this level.

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Comments (713)
Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all It takes waaay more than $100,000 to get through the bottom layers only. People have spent millions and are still trying to grab the brass ring of "clear". Problem is that if they can be labeled as "clear" there is no more money to be made, so every time they get close, Scientology moves the goal back another million yards as it were. David Miscavige is not only laughing all the way to the bank, he is reveling in being puppeteer to millions of delusional people searching for meaning in a mirror.Scientology works the loopholes in definitions of religion and also in tax laws, and has proven that they are willing to expend their last cent whether to break down the US government via the IRS or through the Supreme Court, and no one has had both the "guts" and the bucks to stand up to them, sacrificing our deluded citizenry in the process. - kathrynwitte , Huntingdon PA USA, 16/8/2013 16:37 Click to rate Report abuse They just opened a mega-Scientology place near me. People going in and out of it all the time, all day long. Another one opened in Nashville - and now this?. With so much bad press how are they growing so fast? Rating 687

- Doofus , Dallas, United States, 16/8/2013 16:36 Click to rate Report abuse All that money on a landing pad and ET uses the fields up the road from me. Duh ! - massive-cloud-fan , northshire, Cameroon, 16/8/2013 16:35 Click to rate Report abuse Scientology is a highly profitable company, which is disguised as a charity so they can operate tax free. - UKSSR , Expat, Netherlands, 16/8/2013 16:32 Click to rate Report abuse Why didn't DM post a picture of a dog so we know what one looks like? ;) - Piper , Cobourg, Canada, 16/8/2013 16:31 Click to rate Report abuse They are all quite mad and, due to pyramid-sold religion (as opposed to Forever Living) very wealthy - lanz resident , carmen, Spain, 16/8/2013 16:27 Click to rate Report abuse The only visitors that place should be getting is from a very large fleet of ambulances chock full of men in white coats carrying strait-jackets to help in the removal to a place of safety all members of scientology! - cen , sored, Zimbabwe, 16/8/2013 16:27 Click to rate Report abuse Let me ask a question: your neighbour all of a sudden has a strange women show up while his wife is away on holiday with some friends. One of your other neighbours notices and starts asking questions and spreading rumours. It turns out it was just his sister coming round to keep him company. Man has a tendency to make up the most far fetched stories where he doesn't know the truth or have any information. Newspapers make up the most dramatic rumours as it sells papers and they really believe the bull they feed us. I don't see anything wrong with a religion protecting their sacred texts from the potential threat of complete destruction that a war can bring. - Photoman , Sussex, United Kingdom, 16/8/2013 16:26 Click to rate Report abuse I have lost friends to this cult. One lady whom I still see, has been in the cult now for over 30 years! She constantly quotes Ron Hubbard and compares his teachings to Jesus! Her and her husband are such nice people and totally immersed in this cult. It is so strange and sad. - Zee Chen , San Francisco, 16/8/2013 16:23 Click to rate Report abuse This story reminds me of the famous saying of P.T. Barnum (circus owner) . . . . 'There's a sucker born every minute." - A Bostonian , Boston, United States, 16/8/2013 16:13 Click to rate Report abuse Share this comment The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Rating 258 Rating 550 Rating 667 Rating 325 Rating 260 Rating 132 Rating 572 Rating 286 Rating 283

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