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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.

  1. Chateau Miranda, Belgium – an imposing castle built in 1866 but abandoned in 1991 after becoming too expensive to maintain.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Ross Island, India – this British Administrative Centre was abandoned after a serious earthquake in 1941. It now lies in overgrown yet beautiful ruins.
  7. 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.
  8. SS Ayrfield, Australia – right in the middle of Homebush Bay lies this floating relic of the past, covered in beautiful greenery.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.

Images: Shutterstock

Tags:
travel, destinations, haunted, attractions, abandoned