We Dare You To Visit The World's Most Spine-Chilling Abandoned Places

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We Dare You To Visit The World's Most Spine-Chilling Abandoned Places

Story by Jacqui Agate • Yesterday 4:45 am

Abandoned bucket list

The world is filled with intriguing deserted places, from forgotten Gold Rush-era towns and derelict islands to amusement parks left to rust. We've scoured the globe to find the world's most fascinating and spine-chilling abandoned spots 

Spinalonga, Greece

This abandoned isle in northeastern Crete has a long and tumultuous history. It was originally occupied by the Venetians who, in the 1500s, built a defensive fort here. By 1715, the Ottomans had laid claim to the island, and the last Turks wouldn't leave until the early 20th century. The remnants of the fortress and the hulking defensive walls remain one of the island's major draws today.

Old Idaho State Penitentiary, Idaho, USA

The eerie Old Idaho State Penitentiary sits on the eastern edge of Boise, Idaho's state capital. It was opened in 1872 and was operational for more than 100 years. During this time, the prison housed notorious criminals such as Harry Orchard, who was convicted of murdering former Idaho governor Frank Steunenberg. 

Jazirat Al Hamra, United Arab Emirates

Now a haunting ghost town, Jazirat Al Hamra, near the UAE's Ras Al Khaimah, was once a thriving pearl-fishing village with a population of thousands. However, by 1968 the town was altogether abandoned. It's thought that, as the value of pearls was in decline, many of Jazirat Al Hamra's residents left to find their fortunes in big cities such as Abu Dhabi. Other reports suggest inhabitants left due to tribal conflicts.

Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital, New Jersey, USA

One of the most infamous abandoned properties in America, the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital opened in the early 20th century. The hospital served as a facility to hold, assess and treat immigrants seeking a new life in the United States. If the new arrivals were deemed unfit to enter the US for any reason, they risked being sent back to their home countries.

Ha Ha Tonka Castle, Missouri, USA

These are the enchanting ruins of Ha Ha Tonka Castle, the European-style mansion dreamed up by businessman Robert Snyder. Inspired by the fairy-tale fortresses across the pond, Snyder began construction of this pile in 1905. However, he was tragically killed in one of the state's earliest motoring incidents in 1906, so he never saw Ha Ha Tonka Castle in all its glory.

Lake Shawnee Amusement Park, West Virginia, USA

One of the creepiest abandoned amusement parks in the USA, Lake Shawnee can be found in Mercer County in southern West Virginia. This site has a macabre history, which begins even before the park itself was constructed. In the 18th century, the Clay family moved onto this land, which belonged to an indigenous tribe. The angered tribespeople murdered two of Clay's children: the bloodshed then continued as Clay retaliated by murdering several of the indigenous peoples.

Kolmanskop, Namibia

Desert sand has overtaken every corner of Kolmanskop, an atmospheric ghost town in the Namib Desert. In 1908, a curious stone was discovered in the area by a railway worker named Zacharias Lewala. That stone turned out to be a diamond, and soon rich deposits of the precious mineral were discovered here. As folks hoping to make their fortune descended upon the area, the town of Kolmanskop was born.

Old Cahawba Archaeological Park, Alabama, USA

Old Cahawba was once a flourishing riverside town and the former capital of Alabama from around 1820 to 1826. However, the town's luck changed as it was decided that Old Cahawba's proneness to flooding made it an unsuitable state capital. Tuscaloosa succeeded it and Old Cahawba quickly began to leak residents.

Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Kentucky, USA

The Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky dubs itself "one of the most haunted places on Earth". Construction of this striking Tudor Gothic Revival-style building was completed in the 1920s – at this time, Waverly Hills could accommodate more than 400 sufferers of tuberculosis at one time. 

Canfranc International Railway Station, Spain

This grand station building is nestled high in the Pyrenees, right on the border with France. It was once one of Europe's most important rail hubs, though it has been left abandoned since the 1970s. The station opened to much applause in 1928, with a ceremony attended by Spanish royalty and the French president.

Old Joliet Prison, Illinois, USA

The imposing Old Joliet Prison was built back in 1858 and the castle-like building was designed not only to incarcerate criminals, but to intimidate them too. By the 1870s, the prison was overpopulated and conditions were reported to be unsanitary and potentially dangerous. The prison was not closed at this time, though, and it actually remained operational until 2002, when it was eventually shuttered.

Hashima Island, Japan

Also known as "Battleship Island" because of its distinctive shape, Hashima, off the coast of Nagasaki, was once the site of an important undersea coal mine. Among the most densely populated places on the planet in its heyday, the island was home to thousands of miners through the 1940s and 1950s. It's also reported that many of these people were forced labourers brought over from Korea.

Hashima Island, Japan

Inevitably the island's undersea coal stores became depleted and the mine on Hashima closed in the 1970s. Since then the high-rise apartment blocks, built to accommodate the huge volume of workers, and the mining buildings have been left to moulder. Tours generally go out to visit the eerie island with guides chronicling its dark history. The island also made an appearance in 2012 James Bond blockbuster Skyfall.

Bannack, Montana, USA

A wonderfully-preserved western ghost town, Bannack began life in 1862, when gold was discovered by prospector John White. Men hoping to make their fortune poured in from all over the country, and Bannack boomed. Mining activity continued right up until the 1930s – but by the 1950s, the gold reserves had been all but depleted and Bannack's final residents moved on.

Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia

Port Arthur originated in 1830 and was once a penal settlement and town. The site was used to punish transported British convicts who had reoffended and the detainees were put to work with manual activities such as ship building. By 1853, the era of convict transportation had ended, though Port Arthur wasn't abandoned as a prison until the 1870s.

City Hall Subway Station, New York, USA

This stunning subway station is a New York City attraction that's often missed by tourists and locals alike. It was opened in 1904, making it the first subway station in the Big Apple, and it was operational for around four decades. However, the station was not adapted to more modern train cars and was ultimately shut down in 1945.

Kennecott, Alaska, USA

While prospectors hunted for gold in the USA's southwest, in Alaska's Kennecott it was rich supplies of copper that were drawing in the fortune hunters. Copper was discovered here in 1900, and it didn't take long for a bustling mining camp to build up around the preserves. The area boomed right up until 1938.

Yongma Land, Seoul, South Korea

This dinky theme park in Seoul opened in the 1980s and enjoyed several decades as a buzzing family attraction. Up until the early 2000s, locals would come to enjoy the kid-friendly rides, colourful bumper cars and fairground games, but sadly the park couldn't keep up with the competition. The promise of stomach-flipping rides and hi-tech attractions elsewhere ultimately lured Yongma Land's punters away.

Ohio State Reformatory, Ohio, USA

Another of America's eerie abandoned prisons, the formidable Ohio State Reformatory (also known as the Mansfield Reformatory) dates back to 1886, when construction began. While the prison's population was in the hundreds when it first opened, more and more people were incarcerated here until the inmates numbered in their thousands. Unsurprisingly, issues of overcrowding and poor sanitation ensued.

Ross Island, India

Ross Island, part of India's Andaman archipelago, was taken over by British colonists in the 1850s. They initially used the land as a penal colony for Indian rebels, but soon changed their plans. The prisoners were moved elsewhere, and the British made beautiful Ross Island into their administrative headquarters.

Eastern State Penitentiary, Pennsylvania, USA

Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary describes itself as "America's most historic prison". The prison was opened in 1829 and was unique in its treatment of inmates, who were subjected to "confinement in solitude with labour".

La Petite Ceinture, Paris, France

Paris' La Petite Ceinture was formerly a busy overland railway line used by passenger and freight trains alike. However, as the Paris Métro and the motorcar gained popularity, this once-buzzing railway line fell into disuse. It has remained closed as a railway station since 1934, but now serves as a tranquil stretch of pathway for urban lovers of wildlife and the outdoors. 

Houtouwan, China

A dream location for photographers, the abandoned fishing village of Houtouwan is almost entirely carpeted in green, from its narrow passageways to its windowless houses. Houtouwan, on Shengshan Island, was once home to a sizeable fishing community – but ultimately the village's remote location made living here a challenge.