The thing about humans is that they do not want to settle in one place for long. This has been a practice that humans developed when they learnt how to farm crops. While earlier we used to leave land and move to another area for farming, now we leave behind concrete structures that no longer serve our purposes. These abandoned buildings can be found all over the globe and are one of the creepiest things that you will ever see, leaving you with a sense of eerie.
Pontiac Silverdome, Michigan
What was once the home to the Detroit Lions until 2002 is now an abandoned stadium that lies in an urban rot. The stadium was the source of entertainment for nearly 80,000 fans every Sunday but today, you will not see a single soul wandering there.
Ghost Town, Rhyolite
Located in the Nye County in Nevada, Rhyolite is truly a ghost town today. The town came in existence in mid 1905 when a few mining camps were set up there. However, all you will see today are abandoned structures from the era rotting away with time.
Enchanted Forest Playland, Toledo, Ohio
There is not much left of the Enchanted Forest Playland today except the statue of the comedian with a snicker plastered on his face standing alone with a monster tea container. Except the clown, there is nothing to see there and the theme park has been closed for almost ten years now after being in operation for just five years.
Graun Church Tower, Lake Reschen, Italy
This 14th century church has submerged under the man made lake of Reschenesee. All that is visible is the bell tower that juts out of the lake all year long. Even though there are no ringers, the bell can often be heard ringing from time to time.
Abandoned City Hall Subway Stop, New York City
Shut since 1945, this metro station was never destroyed. Even today, six trains pass through this station when they turn around after the last downtown stop at the Brooklyn Bridge station.
Ross Island, Andaman And Nicobar Islands, India
This group of islands was once captured by the British and then by the Japanese during the era of colonization. There are ruins of many old British buildings that are now covered by the roots of many trees growing on them.
Buzludzha Monument, Bulgaria
This monument was built to celebrate the Communist Party in 1981 and mark the start of the Bulgarian communism. The sci-fi design and the history behind it make it one of the most beautiful abandoned buildings in the world but sadly, today the building remains without life.
Simacem, North Sumatra, Indonesia
The 8,070 ft volcano started to spew lava in 2010, 400 years after it was last active. For five years, the flow of lava caused the death of 17 people and covered the towns of Berkerah in 2013 and Sukameriah in 2014. The residents of six different towns had to leave their homes to save themselves from being burnt.
Jonestown, Guyana
In the 1970s, Jonestown was a small village with a small population living a happy life. However, the village saw a mass homicide-suicide under the command of Jim Jones, an agrarian of the village. The village is said to be cursed. Home to one of the biggest mass deaths in the American history, the town lost more than 900 lives in a single episode.
Military Hospital, Beelitz, Germany
There was a huge outbreak of diseases between 1898 and 1939 in the area. Patients, majorly suffering from tuberculosis, sought treatment in this hospital. However, in 1945 the Soviet Union took control of the city and transformed this hospital in a military clinic for the Soviet soldiers. Now abandoned, the building is an attraction for many tours in the area.
Pripyat, Ukraine
The Chernobyl atomic accident is one of the worst catastrophes in the world history. The city of Pripyat was left abandoned shortly after the accident because of the radiations from the accident. Today, the city sees only adventurers and photographers who visit the city to see a sight that encloses humans, schools, and carnivals left to rot.
Bannerman Castle, Beacon, New York
In 1967, the state of New York bought the island and removed all the ammunition that was stored on the island by its previous residents. There were many tours which found their way to the island after that. However, there was a fire in 1969 which destroyed the roof and the upper floors of the castle. While the castle is abandoned today, it belongs to the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation even though it lies in a state of destruction.
Haludovo Palace Hotel, Krk, Croatia
In its prime, the Haludovo Palace Hotel was one of the richest inns in all of Europe. However, it was abandoned not long ago and now it lies in a state of degradation with no sign of life around it.
The Orpheum Theatre, New Bedford, Massachusetts
Once a popular central monument, the Orpheum Theatre is a degrading structure that is now under the care of the Orpheum Rising Project Helpers Inc.. The organization aims at rebuilding the structure to its former glory and the probable plans include a network theatre and a multi-social place.
Kolmanskop, Namibia
In the mid 1900s, precious stones were found in the desert of Namibia which led to the establishment of Kolmanskop. Just after 40 years, the town was left to rot. It was once home to many German families who were in control of the region and were all looking to make a fortune with the stones.
Maunsell Sea & Air Forts, Thames And Mersey Estuaries, UK
These wartime structures were erected during the Second World War in 1942 to slow down the invasion of the Axis on the United Kingdom. However, after the war ended, the structures were decommissioned in 1950. These forts were surrendered in 1958 but there are some of them which have stood the test of time.
Coal Plant, Lynch, Kentucky
Built by the US Steel Corporation in 1917, the coal plant was the major source of occupation for the town of Lynch and its 10,000 residents. Nearly 4,000 representatives of the company worked in the mines along with the residents but soon after the mine closed, people started to leave the town as well. Today, the town has many rotting structures and a population of just 665 residents.
Submarine Base, Balaklava, Ukraine
This secret submarine base was in operation until 1993 and was said to be one of the indestructible structures that could even survive a direct nuclear hit. The town of Balaklava was the most famous of the many locations that the Soviet Union built such bases.
Humberstone, Chile
There was a time when the town of Humberstone was flourishing with life. It was established in 1872 to mine Saltpeter, a mineral that was used to make manure. The mineral was quite popular in the European markets. However, all 3,000 residents left soon after and the town was left dry and destroyed. It is one of the spookiest places in Chile today.
Michigan Central Station, Detroit, Michigan
Located on 2001 15th St, Detroit, this 18-storeyed building has been empty since 1988 when it was decommissioned. There are many legends and supernatural stories that surround this building. Recently, the building was bought by Ford Motor Company but there have been no efforts to rebuild the monument.
Athens Olympic Village, Athens, Greece
The Athens Olympic Village was built for the 2004 Summer Olympics. Since Greece was the place where it all started, the Greek government spent £7 billion on the project. However, after the visiting countries and their representatives left, the structure was not used for anything and lies vacant and rotting.
Rum Orphanage, Büyükada, Istanbul, Turkey
From 1903 up until 1964, this building was home to nearly 5,800 Greek youngsters until it was closed down due to the political differences and strained relations between Greece and Turkey over the island of Cyprus.
Mirny Diamond Mine, Eastern Siberia, Russia
This is the world’s second largest man-made hole. It was built during the reign of Joseph Stalin in order to fulfil the demand for diamonds. The Russians dug deeper until they reached a point where it was impossible to dig further. It was then that the mine was abandoned and it has been abandoned ever since.
Farmhouse, Seneca Lake, New York
Are you a lover of vintage cars? If yes, then you should definitely add this place to your bucket list. This farmhouse is a graveyard for vintage cars and you will see cars out of time with haunting stories and legends that come along with them. People around the area swear seeing blinking tail-lights from cars that have been abandoned for decades.
Petite Ceinture, Paris, France
Built under the Napoleon III administration, this steam railroad served as a mode of transportation for the focal Paris. However, this railroad was shut in 1934 and ever since then, no one has been able to manage it.
St. George’s Basilica, Lukova, Czech Republic
This church in the town of Lukova was deserted for almost five decades. Jakub Hadrava, a craftsman, was appointed to create and install ghost sculptures inside the church. His work was so well-acclaimed that the church shot to the limelight and it is a popular tourist destination today.
Willard Asylum, Willard, New York
Home to the chronically insane from 1869 to 1995, the Willard Asylum covered an area of 475 acres and nearly 1,500 patients found a safe home here for treatment. Even though most of lies abandoned, a small section of the estate is used by the New York State Department of Corrections as a restoration office for prisoners.
Moynaq Ship Graveyard, Uzbekistan
This is a true phantom town located in the middle of the desert. Once home to a bustling population working at the port. The lake was once among the four biggest lakes on Earth but it started to shrink when the Soviet water system ventures started to build their home on the waterways. Even though there is a possibility to return the town to its former glory, the country of Uzbekistan does not have the resources to do so.
Holy Family Orphanage, Marquette, Michigan
This building served as an orphanage for 66 years from 1915 up until 1981. Most of the children who called it home were Native American who were shunned from their clans for wanting a lifestyle of the white culture. However, the orphanage was closed in 1981 and it has been empty ever since.
Gwrych Castle, North Wales
This Victorian Gothic castle has only recently been reestablished. For quite a lot of years, the castle was ignored and it was in a state of rot. It was a landmark to its previous residents and was bought off by a well-off industrialist.
Pompeii, Italy
The city of Pompeii was abandoned after it was buried under a mass of volcanic mud. The entire city is preserved and there are still many large structures, lanes, and the corpses of unfortunate casualties of the people buried under the lava.
Prora, Rügen, Germany
Before the start of the Second World War, the city of Prora, Rügen was being worked by Hitler from 1936 to 1939 as ‘Baltic Butlin’s’ for nearly 20,000 laborers. However, once the war started, all the focus was shifted to the war and the entire project was left for abandonment.
Houston Astrodome, Texas
Built as a first fully integrated sports venue in Houston, this architectural wonder is often referred to as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” However, it has been empty since 2009. There have been countless rumors of modifications to reopen the historic monument but there are no plans set in stone.
Mys Aniva Lighthouse, Sakhalin Island, Russia
The Mys Aniva Lighthouse was built by the Japanese in 1939 and it was shrouded in mystery. Situated on a rock off the shore in the south-east fork of the Sakhalin Island, no visitors are permitted to visit the lighthouse since it was a testing ground for many radioactive activities.
Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia
This was once a very popular and one of the most luxurious prisons in the world. Major criminals like “Slick Willie” Sutton and “Scarface” Al Capone were imprisoned here. The correctional facility was operational from 1829 until 1971 and after it was abandoned, it crumbled into a state of badland experiences.
St. Nicholas Church, Mavrovo, Macedonia
The church stands in the middle of an artificial lake, Lake Mavrovo. It is only visible during the days when the water level in the lake is low. The constant water erosion has caused deterioration of the architecture and all that remains is an abandoned shell.
Domes Homes, Marco Island, Florida
The Dome Homes are located on the tip of Marco Island in cape Romano, Florida. They are all covered in graffiti and serve as reefs for the underwater life. Sudden erosion of the domes caused the lifeforms to leave the structures abandoned for their own safety.
City Methodist Church, Gary, Indiana
When the economy of the steel business crashed, the services in the holy church came to a sudden halt. The church was built in Gary in 1926 and the cost of building came at a million dollars at that time. Taking inflation into account, it was one of the most lavish structures to be erected in that time. However, today, the church is rotting since there is no proper maintenance.
Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Louisville, Kentucky
There are many supernatural legends that surround this building. The two-story sanatorium opened in 1910 to cater to the health of the patients suffering from tuberculosis. However, it was soon overcrowded and the patients had to be moved to a bigger hospital. Room 502 in the hospital has a legend about the murder of a nurse in it and it has been the subject of many horror and sci-fi shows.
Sathorn Unique Building “Ghost Tower”, Bangkok, Thailand
This “Ghost Tower” was originally called the Sathorn Unique Condominium. However, it was abandoned mid-construction in 1997 and the building never saw completion. The only people that live there are street gang members and junkies looking for a place to crawl into.
