International Travel
10 amazing abandoned sites around the world
For every perfectly-manicured tourist attraction around the world, there are scores more that haven’t been touched in years, yet still draw thousands of curious thrill-seekers who aren’t afraid of a bit of dust (and maybe a few ghosts!). Take a look at these incredible abandoned places that are definitely worth a visit – but only if you’re game.
- Chateau Miranda, Belgium – an imposing castle built in 1866 but abandoned in 1991 after becoming too expensive to maintain.
- Kolmanskop, Namibia – a German settlement established in the early 20th century to mine for diamonds, but which has been a ghost town since the ‘50s.
- Teufelsberg, Germany – the “Devil’s Mountain” is a manmade hill in Berlin created out of rubble from WWII and home to a former US National Security Agency (NSA) listening station.
- House-Monument of the Bulgaria Communist Party, Bulgaria – it looks like it’s straight out of a sci-fi film, but in its heyday, this structure was the meeting place of communist leaders.
- Garnet Ghost Town, USA – this remote town in Montana was built to house those rushing to the state during the gold rush, but these days, the mines are empty and so are the houses.
- Ross Island, India – this British Administrative Centre was abandoned after a serious earthquake in 1941. It now lies in overgrown yet beautiful ruins.
- Wonderland Amusement Park, China – construction on Beijing’s answer to Disneyland stopped after land disputes, so all that’s left is the surreal shell to a Disney-esque castle.
- SS Ayrfield, Australia – right in the middle of Homebush Bay lies this floating relic of the past, covered in beautiful greenery.
- Villa Epecuén, Argentina – from the 1920s to 1985, this Buenos Aires village was a popular tourist destination, after a flood forced both residents and visitors out for good.
- Gouqi Island, China – on the banks of the Yangtze River lies this beautiful forgotten fishing village, filled with ivy-covered homes reminiscent of old European towns.
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