A Journey to the Centre of the Earth is a classic 1864 science fiction novel by Jules Verne. The story involves a German professor (Otto Lidenbrock in the original French,[1] Professor Von Hardwigg in the most common English translation[2]) who believes there are volcanic tubes going toward the centre of the Earth. He, his nephew Axel (Harry[2]), and their guide Hans descend into an extinct Icelandic volcano, encountering many adventures, including prehistoric animals and natural hazards, before eventually coming to the surface again in southern Italy.