Interesting
15 Creepy and Mysterious Abandoned Places in the World
Are you brave enough to explore these places?
The world is full of wondrously amazing spots which are often crowded with tourists. But have you ever wondered what happens when a previously populated and frequently-visited place becomes completely abandoned? Would it entirely lose its beauty? Or will the scary feel and mystery make the place more interesting?
Here is a compilation of 15 abandoned places in the world that are sure to spark a pint of curiosity and maybe an ounce of fear in just about anyone that might pass by. These places, which may have been teeming with people and bustling with activity many years ago, have now been reduced to something eerily similar to ghost towns.
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1. The Ghost Town of Bodie (California, USA)
Officially founded in 1876, the town was a rich source of gold and silver. Hearing about these valuable deposits, people flocked to the place in search of wealth. Soon enough, numerous brothels and hop joints sprouted in the town, earning it the title “Sin City.” However, Bodie eventually went bankrupt and the people left. It officially became a ghost town in the 1940s and is currently one of the best-preserved ones in the country.
2. Eastern State Penitentiary (Pennsylvania, USA)
Located in Philadelphia, the penitentiary operated for more than 150 years beginning in 1829 up until 1971. Numerous notorious and high-profile inmates were jailed here, including Al Capone. Now, it is a U.S. Historic Landmark and is open to the public for guided tours.
3. Czestochowa Railway Station (Poland)
This railway system in southern Poland was built at the time when industrial development was at its peak. At present, this abandoned place is one of the most mysterious places in Europe. We just hope no zombie will come barging out from one of those train cars (gulp).
4. The Ghost Tower of Sathorn (Thailand)
Thailand witnessed a massive boom in its economy in the early 1990s. During that period, financial stability and confidence caused projects and infrastructures to become relatively ambitious. Construction of a large number of buildings and skyscrapers went underway. Unfortunately, the Asian financial crisis hit Thailand hard and the construction of the Sathorn Tower was put on hold, never to be resumed again.
Plans whether to continue the skyscraper project remain unclear as experts revealed that its reconstruction is more expensive than erecting a new building. Now, the Sathorn tower has a reputation for being haunted.
5. North Brother Island (New York, USA)
Located in the Northern Island is the Riverside Hospital, a medical facility that catered to patients with infectious diseases such as smallpox, scarlet fever, typhoid fever, and leprosy between 1885 until the late 1930s. In 1963, the hospital ceased operation and the island became a drug rehabilitation center for heroin addicts. Now, the place is a bird sanctuary. Although it is now dilapidated, the hospital building remains standing.
6. Teufelsberg, also known as Devil’s Mountain (Berlin, Germany)
Sitting atop the highest hill in what used to be West Berlin is Teufelsberg, a former Nazi military college. The allies attempted to demolish the building but were unsuccessful so they decided to bury it instead under 120 meters of debris. The building encountered several owners after the Berlin Wall fell. Suggestions for reconstructing the building were given but the proposals were turned down by the Berlin authorities.
7. Château Miranda (Namur, Belgium)
Count Liedekerke-Beaufort, a Belgian activist, was forced to move from this castle to a nearby farm together with his family during the French Revolution. Centuries later, the National Railway Company took over the structure and used it as an orphanage and a summer camp after World War II. However, the building was abandoned in 1991 due to expensive maintenance costs.
8. Kijong-Dong or Peace Village (North Korea)
The Peace Village, which is located in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, is the only village that can be seen from the South Korean territory. It was allegedly built to remain uninhabited and has a reputation of being a fake village. How so? The place was built to look perfect and upon close examination, nobody seemed to live in the houses. Even the windows do not have glasses. Also, all the lights are lit simultaneously at specific times of the day.
9. Oradour-sur-Glane (France)
This French village was wiped out by a Nazi Waffen-SS Company in 1944. Its entire population of over 600, including children and women, were massacred. After the war, a new village was built nearby but then president Charles de Gaulle ordered that the town remains preserved.
10. Abandoned Movie Theater, Sinai Desert
Stories say that the theater was built by a French guy who thought that the desert needed a movie house. He bought the necessary stuff for a cinema: a generator from Cairo, about a hundred movie seats, and a movie screen. Everything was ready for the first show but unfortunately, the idea did not sell to the locals at all. So, the project was scrapped before it even became operational.
11. Varosha, Cyprus
Varosha used to be a tourist destination in the 1970s and was famous for its beaches. Billionaires and well-known celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot frequented the place. However, in 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus and Varosha’s glorious brightness dimmed. Approximately 15,000 residents fled and left their houses and possessions behind. Many of these residents initially planned to come back later on but the chaotic political situation prevented them from doing so.
12. Hotel del Salto (Colombia)
Otherwise known as the Tequendama Falls Hotel, the then luxurious structure was built in 1924 in San Antonio del Tequendama. Unfortunately, the Bogota River eventually became polluted and tourists stopped coming. The place then became the first choice for people committing suicide, thus rendering the place haunted.
13. Discovery Island (Florida, USA)
Discovery Island used to be a Disney theme park. However, a dangerous bacteria was found to inhabit the waters of Bay Lake, prompting the closure of the amusement park. The place had been abandoned since.
14. Holy Land Theme Park (Connecticut, USA)
This religious-themed amusement park, which was built by John Greco in 1958, was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Back then, more than 40,000 people flocked to the park every year. In 1982, plans for reconstruction and renovation caused the park to temporarily close. However, Greco died after two years and the park never reopened.
15. The Orpheum Theater (Massachusetts, USA)
The Orpheum Theater, which could seat a maximum of 1,500 people, opened to the public in 1912 and was closed in 1959. It was sold in 1962 and was later used as a storage warehouse by a tobacco company. Currently, the building is privately owned and houses a supermarket at the back. However, the rest of the building remains empty.
Do you know of other mysterious abandoned places? Share it with us in the comments section below!