Dead ghost towns of Russia. Ten Most Scary Abandoned Cities in the World

10. Bodie, California

This city was founded in 1876 as a small settlement of gold miners. The nearby mines attracted more and more victims of the gold rush, and in just 4 years the population of Badi grew to 10,000 people. At its peak, the city managed to acquire 65 bars on the main street and its own Chinatown. However, the rapid depletion of resources led to the fact that gold miners began to leave the city en masse. Until the mid-20th century, the city was still partially inhabited, despite the fact that in 1932 a fire destroyed the main part of Badi. Now the city has the status of a State Historical Park. If you want to wander around the dead city, it is better to go there in the spring, since in winter it will be quite difficult to get to Badi due to snow blockages on the roads.

9. San Zhi, Taiwan.

This abandoned futuristic city is located in northern Taiwan. When developing the project, the main bet was that houses in San Zhi would be sold to rich people, and the city would acquire the status of an elite and closed to outsiders. However, a series of fatal accidents during the construction of the city led to the fact that the project had to be urgently curtailed. Well, no one was going to dismantle the “alien” houses, so they left everything as it was. Local residents say that the city is now inhabited by the ghosts of those who died during construction. That is why this territory is unlikely to be cleared for other needs, because superstitious Thais believe that by destroying houses inhabited by ghosts, they will bring themselves a lot of troubles and misfortunes.

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8. Varosha, Cyprus.

Varosha was once one of the most visited resorts in Greece, but in August 1974 the Turkish army invaded the island and occupied the city within a day or two. As a result, Greek Cypriots had to leave their homes overnight. They left in the holy confidence that they would return in a week or two. However, 34 years have passed since then, and the parties have not reached a compromise solution. The Turkish side declared the city a “forbidden zone,” but this did not save Varosha from looting. However, those who managed to get over the barbed wire fence say that, despite the looted apartments and houses, the city looks as if time has simply stopped there.

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7. Gunkanjima, Japan.

Another city that has become a victim of the pursuit of minerals. Hashima Island - one of 505 uninhabited islands owned by Japan. It is also known as Gunkajima (cruiser island) due to its high and steep cliffs. The history of the city began when in 1890 it was bought by the Mitsubishi company (the same ones that are now engaged in the production of cars) and launched a large project to extract coal from the bottom of the sea. This event attracted a lot of attention, and in 1916 the first concrete building was built on the island, which was intended to protect workers from heavy weather conditions. By 1959, the population density on the island had increased to a record 835 people per hectare. However, in the 60s, when gasoline replaced coal, the mines began to be closed en masse. Gunkanjima was no exception, and Mitsubishi officially closed the mine in 1974. Today the city is empty, and entering the territory of Gunkanjima is considered illegal.

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6. Balestrino, Italy.

The history of the city's formation is a mystery. The earliest information about Balestrino dates back to 1860, when the town was inhabited by about 850 people, mostly farmers, who subsisted on production olive oil. IN late XIX century, the northwestern coast of Italy suffered from several powerful earthquakes, after which people gradually began to leave Balestrino. As a result, the city was abandoned due to geological instability, and the inhabitants (about 400 of them remained) moved to safer places closer to the west. The city is going to be rebuilt in the near future.

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5. Katoli World, Taiwan.

There are many such abandoned amusement parks in Taiwan, but most of them were closed due to financial problems. The story of Mira Katoli is completely different. This park opened in the mid-80s and became very popular because it had roller coasters, which were not very common in Taiwan at that time. The park was closed after the earthquake in September 1999, which killed thousands of people. So it's empty now.

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4. Centralia, Pennsylvania

Centralia was located in the heart of anthracite coal mining. Formed in 1866, the city flourished until the 60s, while the coal industry was interested in hiring workers. After most companies left this business, proper control over the deposits ceased. The result of this negligence was an underground coal mine fire in 1962, caused by the regular burning of garbage. Measures taken to stop the disaster led nowhere. As a result, coal burned underground for decades. In 1981, after a 12-year-old child nearly died when a huge crack appeared in the ground under his feet, the decision was made to evacuate residents to safe areas. Regular underground fires continue, and experts say that the situation will remain unchanged for the next 250 years.

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3. Yashima, Japan.

Yashima is a plateau that lies northwest of Takamatsu, the second largest on Shinoku Island, which is one of Japan's largest islands. This place is famous among the Japanese due to one of the major historical battles in the 12th century. At the top of the plateau is a monastery known as Shikoku, a favorite destination for pilgrims. During the period of rapid growth of the Japanese economy, the residents of Takamatsu decided that this was an ideal place to attract tourists, and invested great amount money for the development of these sacred places. Six hotels, a considerable number of parks and even an aquarium were built. However, experience has shown that all this is of little interest to European people, and the goodness remained unclaimed.

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2. Pripyat, Ukraine.

Well, here’s a little history lesson, since we are more or less familiar with the history of this city firsthand. It was founded in 1970 and acquired city status in 1979. The general reason for the founding of the city was the construction and subsequent operation of one of the largest Chernobyl mines in Europe. nuclear power plant, a city-forming enterprise that gave Pripyat the honorary title of the city of nuclear scientists. Thus, Pripyat became the ninth atomic city in the Soviet Union. At the time of the infamous Chernobyl accident, the city's population reached 47,000 people. The evacuation took place on April 27, 1986, the day after the explosion.

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1. Craco, Italy (Craco, Italy).

The history of Kracko dates back to the beginning of the second millennium. Like many other cities of that time, it existed due to Agriculture. By 1891, Craco's population was 2,000. Difficult agricultural conditions led to a food crisis that forced approximately 1,300 people to flee the city for North America between 1892 and 1922. The agrarian crisis was compounded by more frequent earthquakes and landslides. As a result, in 1963, the remaining 1,300 residents were relocated to a nearby valley called Craco's Cave, and Craco itself still stands in that same place, only now completely empty.

There are many unexplained phenomena in the world. However, the most interesting and mysterious have always been. There are many nuances and reasons for their occurrence. In one case, these are large-scale disasters, and in the other, inexplicable phenomena. Here are a number of the most famous and interesting ten ghost towns that still excite the minds of contemporaries today.

Taiwan, the dead city of San Zhi

Sometimes even the most ambitious projects become failures due to fate, chance, or inexplicable reasons. This is the city of San Zhi in Taiwan.

It was built as the greatest and unique. The city project was created back in the seventies. A huge amount of money was allocated for the construction, and the architecture itself was amazing. For a decade, construction was in full swing, but there were no customers. Everyone was afraid of this city of glass and plastic. This is strange for us, since nowadays it attracts tourists and rich people who want to relax. At that time, such styles in architecture were frightening.

Throughout the construction, the city was plagued by failures. Mostly these were the absurd and horrific deaths of workers, installers and guides. It is worth saying that the excursion groups could not find a place for themselves and tried to leave the entertainment complex as quickly as possible. Soon the money for construction ran out, and investors abandoned the project. Local homeless people immediately fell in love with it, but they could not live in it for long, since the dead constantly appeared to them.

After lengthy proceedings in the government of the country, they decided to completely demolish the city. However, local residents did not allow this. According to people's beliefs spirits of the dead They can, but as long as they have their own city, no one bothers anyone.

In any case, this is probably the most misterious story, and the city of San Zhi rightfully occupies.

Chernobyl

Number two is one of the most terrible and mysterious cities in the world - Chernobyl, Ukraine.
Chernobyl became abandoned after the disaster that occurred in 1986. The explosion at a nuclear power plant shocked the whole world without exception.

The wind carried radioactive particles. The city was deserted within a month, as the government feared disclosure. People lived for several more days, not knowing that a mortal threat hung over them. The mass removal put an end to the existence of this small town. In those days, Chernobyl was the great pride of the USSR, but in the end it became its biggest disappointment.

It is worth noting that a huge number of films have been shot about him, and computer games have been created. Even on this moment the phrase “Pripyat is a ghost town” makes your body tremble. A huge amount of radiation made Chernobyl and its territory both dangerous and popular. Now tourists from all over the world and people calling themselves stalkers go there. They are willing to pay money for excursions and the opportunity to see ghosts caused by anomalies in places where radiation accumulates. Excursions are held daily to the reactor itself, covered with a dome, and simply around the territory of the city, which was abandoned. The guides show apartments with remaining furniture, toys in the kindergarten, etc. Against the general background, it actually looks creepy and unpleasant.

Abandoned Chernobyl will continue to attract tourists and ghost hunters for decades to come.

Famagusta

Among the most famous places in the world is Famagusta, a ghost town on the island of Cyprus.

On the sunny tourist island of Cyprus lies the most famous abandoned city in the world, Famagusta. No one lives in it except the wind. Silence and trees that grow through concrete walls are his lot for many years to come.

The reason for the desolation of the city was the war between two states - Turkey and Greece. They did not divide the right to the territory among themselves. And now Famagusta stands in complete desolation and is covered with barbed wire. It has become the border between two states that are not moving toward reconciliation.

The once successful and prosperous center was completely looted, only a few buildings remained intact, but they had already begun to collapse under the influence of water, wind and sun. You cannot visit its territory, but the abandoned city still attracts a huge and irrepressible desire to visit it.

Villa Epequeen, Argentina

This once wonderful place is now one of the most famous abandoned ghost towns on the planet. The villa was built on the banks of a beautiful estuary and opened as a huge spa, where the rich could recover their health at great expense. However, the city authorities found few buildings and clean water on the coast, and they decided to expand the territory by expanding the fresh lake. However, less than ten years had passed before water from the reservoir began to flood the beaches and resort area.

Nature warned that it was not worth interfering with the sequential course of events. However, the authorities of Villa Epequeen decided that it was worth strengthening the city’s borders with dams, and excess water dump on irrigation fields.

Nature could not tolerate this careless attitude and one day completely flooded the city. The water rose 15 meters up, and also mixed with fresh water. Residents had to leave all their belongings and leave. Salt and sun have turned the once prosperous place into whitish ghosts.

Soon a new spa resort grew up nearby, and tourists are gladly taken to the Villa, since it is a local landmark, and former residents are trying to look out for traces of their long-standing stay.

Centralia, USA

If you have ever played a game called Silent Hill or watched the movie of the same name, know that the idea was based on an example - the abandoned city of Centralia in Pennsylvania.

It's really scary and creepy place with smoke constantly rising from cracks in the asphalt and in houses. Once upon a time, this city was a successful and prosperous settlement of hard workers who mined anthracite coal. It lay very close to the surface. However, the mine was closed, and the residents successfully adjusted their lives and lived quietly, earning a living farming and so on.

One fine day, the mayor of the city decided that it was time to burn heaps of garbage outside the city, since an inspection would soon arrive. However, he did not take into account how disastrous this would be and turn Centralia into the abandoned city of the world. It turned out that anthracite lies very close to the surface, and even after the workers burned the garbage heaps, it continued to smolder methodically.

The authorities miscalculated not only in this, but also in the fact that they closed the mine, since there was a lot of fuel left there. For a long time, everyone turned a blind eye to the poisoning of people carbon monoxide. Centralia continued to live in peace. The impetus for complete desolation was the increasing frequency of tremors underground and ruptures of asphalt and houses at the most unexpected moments. Coal burns in the depths, and hot smoke needs to escape to the surface. Thus, city authorities evacuated people. However, it still burns to this day. Abandoned streets and houses smoke, and the air is saturated with carbon monoxide.

Neftegorsk

Among the most famous places in the world is Neftegorsk, Russian Federation.

Neftegorsk is probably the most terrible example of an earthquake. It happened terrible event in 1995. The city was founded as a settlement for oil workers who worked there on a rotational basis. However, as the years passed, high wages and jobs turned the town into a developing and successful one. However, it also became the last refuge for most of its residents.

So on the evening of May 25, an earthquake measuring 10 on the Richter scale occurred. Not a trace remained of the city; only a few buildings survived. More than two thousand people were buried alive under the ruins. They decided not to restore Neftegorsk, but only built a huge monument that reminds of the tragedy that happened on May 25, 1995. Thus, he enters the most terrible abandoned ghost towns, which were not just abandoned, but destroyed by natural disasters.

Detroit, USA

The city still exists and is partially inhabited. It is worth saying that it was founded back in the 17th century and was considered one of the most successful. A thriving industry, a huge number of majestic buildings, architecture that amazes the imagination, all this once existed. Now Detroit can be safely classified as an abandoned ghost town.

The first impetus for the desolation was the construction of huge corporations - Ford and General Motors. They are automobile manufacturers. The city is becoming industrial, pollution is only growing every year. The second step is the settlement of Detroit with a black population. Moreover, the majority of them are criminals and low-income people. The city simply began to be robbed. Crime reached unprecedented heights, and the white population simply began to leave.

Gradual desolation and lack of jobs have taken their toll, and now the ghost towns of the world have been replenished with another representative.

Time Beach, USA

A town in Missouri was destroyed by human hands. The small settlement decided to deal with the enormous dustiness of the country roads. In order to improve the situation, the authorities decided to spend money. However, either due to lack of funding or for some other reason, an unknown contractor was hired. Neither his documents nor the means with which he decided to spray the roads were checked.

For a small sum, he successfully completed the work assigned to him. However, after several years the city died out completely. It turned out that the agent the contractor used was dioxide. This is a powerful poison that causes mutations and a host of serious diseases, as well as livestock pestilence.
This is how the town was destroyed, as they say, with his own hands, due to a banal lack of finance. All that was left of him was dead houses and cracked asphalt.

Chaiten, Chile

The port town of Chaiten completely died out after a volcanic eruption that happened in May 2008.

The main thing is that the authorities managed to evacuate the population and save them from imminent death. Despite the fact that the village is located deep in the mountains. It is worth saying that the volcanic eruption lasted from May to September 2008. The city was completely covered in ash. Only 10% of the houses remain. Everything is covered with a thick layer of ash several meters deep.

Namie, Japan

The catastrophe of our time, which occurred in September 2013, shocked. The Fukushima nuclear power plant exploded in Japan, transforming successful city with a huge population in an abandoned one.

A big disaster has struck all countries of the world, since Japan has always been considered the most responsible and strict in its approach to electronics and inventions. However, the worst thing happened - a nuclear explosion.

Thus, the city overnight turned into an exclusion zone. No one is allowed to be on its territory, as the dose of radiation reaches unprecedented heights.

Video about the most abandoned cities

What ghost towns do you know? Write to us about them in the comments.

Ghost towns in Russia: list and photos dead cities for independent visit

Dmitriy

Hello readers! Ghost towns in Russia are the topic of today's conversation. Have you ever thought about how big our country is? I think not each of us can really imagine its scale. And almost every city, be it Rostov or, is filled with people who often leave their home for various reasons. Every city in Russia has an abandoned corner, and empty villages are scattered throughout the country; many of us no longer remember their names.

Ghost towns of Russia: list of abandoned places

The list is compiled according to my research and likes, and information from various sources - all the places you can, they are real. If you know other ghost towns, it will be interesting to read about them in the comments, and if you have them, upload their photos and names.

Today we will talk about such abandoned and dead places, How:

• Nuclear lighthouse at Cape Aniva (Sakhalin)
• Abandoned castle in Zaklyuchye (Lykoshino village, Tver region)
• Hotel "Northern Crown" (St. Petersburg)
• Eighth workshop of the Dagdizel plant (Makhachkala)
• Diamond quarry "Mir" (Yakutia)
• Khovrinskaya Hospital (Moscow)
• Kadykchan village (Magadan region)
• Building of the sanatorium "Energy" (Moscow region)
• Maternity hospital (Vladimir region)
• Ghost town Halmer-Yu (Komi Republic)
• Ghost town Pripyat (Ukraine)

So, let's go. Some places will be illustrated with videos. Let's start with a place like

Nuclear lighthouse at Cape Aniva

it is located in Sakhalin.

The lighthouse was built back in 1939 and, due to its design, became the most difficult structure to construct on the entire coast of Sakhalin. Thanks to nuclear servicing, in the late 90s, the costs of its operation were minimal, but soon there was no money left for this either. Since then the lighthouse has been empty. And in 2006, special installations were removed from it, thanks to which it once shone 17 miles into the distance.
Now it is looted and empty.

You can see the abandoned lighthouse by going to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to the city of Korsakov, and then taking a boat to the cape. You look, and this photo resembles a horror film, and the lighthouse resembles the film “Shutter Island” from. But, to be honest, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.

Abandoned castle in Zaklyuchye

Do you think this is a cursed place or just a superstition that shouldn’t be believed? The castle itself is located in a picturesque forest, on the banks of a small river, just between two capitals, the current and the past. This estate was built according to the design of the owner of the house. The estate surprises with its asymmetry and the fact that it is made of different types materials that are not used at all together in modern construction.

What's so mystical about this place?

During the day, the estate looks very friendly, especially since it is being reconstructed. There used to be a sanatorium here, so the house cannot be called completely abandoned, but local residents tell legends that people who went into the forest and saw the castle returned from there completely different. I don’t really believe in this, but I myself didn’t dare to stay there overnight.

Although I asked my friend’s mother about this place, just before we wanted to go there on an excursion, she told me that she had never seen a more beautiful place in her entire life; she spent her childhood here. Her father's parents worked at the sanatorium until the day it closed.

Mom helped her grandmother because her parents left her with her for the summer. She felt like a queen, walking along the alleys and by the river. According to her, it was a real paradise with fountains, a large palace, roses, and squirrels. Mom said that at the front entrance there were large flowerpots with flowers, and these were best flowers throughout the entire district. Every year the sanatorium received about 200 people, and it closed simply because funding was stopped.

If you have not been there yet and have not seen the castle with your own eyes, I strongly advise you to do so, especially since it is not far from Moscow and St. Petersburg, and you can get there on your own.

By the way! Recently appeared interesting service Vivaster, which allows you to find and take excursions from local residents, rather than travel agencies. This, in my opinion, is much more interesting and authentic than contacting industry giants. In a word, pay attention.

Hotel "Northern Crown"

If you have ever been to St. Petersburg, then you probably know how beautiful and pompous this city is. No, really, it’s not for nothing that it’s called the cultural capital of Russia. I think many residents and guests of the city know about one abandoned hotel, which is located at the embankment of the Karpovka River, 37

Residents of St. Petersburg, who believe in mysticism, claim that the hotel was abandoned for a reason. Just think about the fact that the wiring has already been done, all the plumbing has been purchased, and then one day the project was closed. Locals claim that everything happened after the death of a priest, who was invited to a large banquet in honor of the anniversary of the largest city bank, where, in addition to him, the mayor and his wife were present. After all the solemn events, the hotel owner asked the bishop to bless the guests and invite everyone to a meal, but then suddenly he felt ill and died, right in the middle of the hall. Since that time, this place has been called “cursed.”

Today they are trying to demolish the building, but for some reason no one dares to do it. Even shabby walls, peeling paint and crumbling plaster did not prevent the hotel from maintaining its luxury. Despite the closed doors, you can get into the hotel through the roof, but be careful, the hotel is carefully guarded by the authorities.
Another place of honor in my ranking is occupied by

Military facility - Eighth workshop of the Dagdizel plant (Makhachkala)

They say that many have seen ghosts there.

I haven’t been to this place yet, but I would really like to go there. Maybe some of my subscribers have already seen these places, if so, please share your impressions. Long ago, this was a station where naval weapons were researched and tested. The workshop is located 3 kilometers from the shore, but for reasons unknown to me it has not been used for a long time.

The construction of the workshop took more than one year, someone says that during construction a man died there, and has been within the walls of the building for many years; his body has never been found. The interesting thing is that the foundation was made on the shore, and only then delivered to the construction site. To all lovers of the Caspian Sea and those who want to tickle their nerves by looking at abandoned workshops - go there.

Diamond quarry "Mir" in Yakutia

This place fascinates with its grandeur and beauty. There is definitely some mysticism here, because the quarry can be considered not only the most mystical places, but also the most beautiful places in our country. Open pit diamond mining ended 12 years ago. This is the second largest and longest canyon mine in the world. The airspace here is closed due to possible accidents of helicopters, which were drawn here by a large air flow. The “world” looks so mysterious and unknown.

I was not lucky enough to visit these places, but a friend of mine was once there, he went down almost to the very bottom. He said that at the bottom there is a salt-sulfur lake and it is very bad smell like a rotting corpse. Open-pit diamond mining has not been carried out for a long time, but locals are building a mine that will allow them to go even deeper by several hundred meters. Construction is very expensive because the environment inside is unfavorable for human life.

Khovrinskaya Hospital in Moscow

These are the places in the capital that evoke horror. It is not surprising that people die very often in her area. According to unofficial ratings, this place was included in the ranking of the most mystical and dangerous places in the whole world. The hospital was built on a cemetery, but was never opened. This place already has its own folklore, and urban informals often gather there. But what is paradoxical is that for many years this building has not been saving lives, but on the contrary, it has been maiming and killing. Every day the police come here and tragic events occur.

Mysticism is enhanced by very sinister external characteristics hospital-deaths. If you look at it from a bird's eye view, the main buildings located resemble the international sign mortal danger Biohazard.

As I already said, the hospital was built on a cemetery, because of this the land turned out to be ruinous: all the basements were flooded, and the main buildings were slowly being destroyed. According to legend, the police wanted to catch sectarians and Satanists who performed their rituals in basements. When they found and brought everyone out into the street, they blew up the tunnel, but they did not take into account that there were still people there who were hiding from the people in uniform. Some of the Satanists were blown up, but all their remains were never found.

I can say that today the hospital is surrounded by a metal fence made of welded mesh, and on top it is covered with barbed wire. It’s better not to go there, there is plenty of security there, fighters with dogs are constantly on duty. Would you dare to climb into this mystical place?

Closed village Kadykchan

another place on my list.

Translated, it means “valley of death.” I don’t really know who names the cities, but I can’t understand one thing for sure: how can you live peacefully and hope for a bright future in a city with such a name? Apparently the local authorities are not at all interested in mysticism and do not believe in paranormal phenomena.

This city was built by prisoners, and at the end of the work about 10 thousand people lived in it, and by 2007 there were not even five hundred left here. 4 years ago only one lived here old man who didn't want to go anywhere. Once upon a time, coal was mined here, which provided energy for half of the Magadan region.

But the explosion at the mine changed Kadykchan, and people began to leave. It's surprising that they didn't even take things with them; here you can find books, magazines, toys, clothes and much more. The city was cut off from heat and electricity, today it is an abandoned place, the streets and houses are gradually being destroyed.

Building of the Energy sanatorium in the Moscow region

occupies the next place of ghost towns in my ranking.

Don’t be surprised, but in our country, working and non-working buildings of the same sanatorium can function on the same territory. In the Moscow region, the Energia sanatorium is very popular, which has been welcoming everyone who wants to improve their health for many years.

There is one next to the working buildings that no one wants to reconstruct, and this is not due to lack of funds. Once the building burned down and took the lives of more than a dozen people; they say that even Energia workers do not enter the burnt building after nightfall. Now there are heaps of garbage, but the mysticism of these places attracts guests and tourists. After the fire, a beautiful staircase, made in a palace style, was preserved; many heard voices here at night. (I wonder what people do at night in such places?)

Maternity hospital in the Vladimir region

There is not enough money in the country to build a normal hospital, but in Vladimir region There is an existing medical institution that just needs to be renovated, but for some reason the locals are not in a particular hurry to go work there and repair something.

Mystic? It is quite possible, because what could be more mysterious and scarier than an abandoned medical institution? Even a hospital that is working causes unpleasant emotions in everyone, simply due to the specifics of its work, especially since every clinic, even a children's clinic, has a morgue, and such places are already scary.

The building, which was built at the beginning of the last century, houses a maternity hospital. Judging by the documentation, it functioned 5 years ago, but is guarded until today. Much of the hospital remained untouched and locals still do not understand why the maternity hospital stopped accepting pregnant women. You know, only horror films should be shot in such places. Maybe someone has information about this maternity hospital, write in the comments.

Ghost town of Halmer-U

In the past, it was an urban-type settlement in the Komi Republic. Translated, this city means “River of the Valley of Death” or “Dead River”. The village appeared when a deposit of valuable coal was discovered here in 1943. A mine was built here, which began operating in 1957; 250 thousand kilograms of coal were mined per day.

But the government of the country, for reasons unknown to me, decided to suspend the operation of the mine. People did not want to leave their homes, and even riot police were used to force them to do so. 11 years ago they began testing bombing technology over the city and the president himself destroyed the village’s former recreation center. Today Halmer-Yu is the “ghost” of our country.

Next on my top

Pripyat city

Yes, it does not belong to Russia, but it was once part of former USSR, and it became a ghost town while still part of the Union. I think everyone who played Stalker will understand why I added this city.

Pripyat is a ghost town located on the banks of the river of the same name, a few kilometers from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. According to the population census, which was conducted in the fall a year before the disaster, about 50 thousand people lived here. It was planned that by the end of the year the number of residents would increase by another 20 thousand. All residents were evacuated in April 1986 due to a tragic accident. Today the city is located in a special exclusion zone. More than one film was made about the nuclear power plant accident documentary, it also formed the basis for many performances and computer games.

Today, many residents of our planet dream of getting to Pripyat. Of course, a fraction of a percent of people’s interest was caused by the game “Stalker”, which was played by hundreds of thousands of people. The game completely copies the city, if you have completed it, you probably know where to go in Pripyat.

In conclusion, I want to say that I would be very interested in reading your opinion and finding out your rating of ghost towns in Russia and beyond. I'm also looking forward to your videos and photos. I’m also wondering if it’s worth including points on Google maps in the article so that you can find these places on the Internet yourself? Please write in the comments!

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The world is full of ghost towns, abandoned settlements that appeared as a result of either economic crises or natural or man-made disasters. Some are so far from civilization that they have turned into a real time machine, capable of transporting them to those distant times when life was seething in them. They are incredibly popular with tourists, although they can be dangerous or off-limits. We offer an overview of the most incredible ghost towns in the world.

Kolmanskop is a ghost town in southern Namibia, located a few kilometers from the port of Lüderitz. In 1908, a diamond rush swept the area and people rushed to the Namib, hoping to get rich. But over time, after World War I, when diamond sales fell, the city, which has casinos, schools, hospitals, and residential buildings, turned into a barren sandy desert.

Metal structures collapsed, beautiful gardens and neat streets were completely covered with sand. Doors creak, broken windows overlooking the endless desert... another ghost town was born. Only a few buildings are in good condition. Their interiors and furniture have been preserved. However, most are just ruins inhabited by ghosts.

Pripyat is an abandoned city located in the north of Ukraine in the “exclusion zone”. It was once a home for workers of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. It was abandoned in 1986 after an accident on it. Before the disaster the population was about 50,000. Now it is a kind of museum dedicated to the end of the Soviet era.

Multi-storey buildings (four of which had just been built and were not yet inhabited at the time of the accident), swimming pools, hospitals and other buildings - everything remained as it was at the time of the disaster and mass evacuation. Records, documents, televisions, children's toys, furniture, jewelry, clothes - everything that every normal family had remained in the dead city. Residents of Pripyat were only allowed to pick up a suitcase with personal documents and clothes. However, at the beginning of the 21st century, many apartments and houses were almost completely looted, leaving nothing of value, even the toilets were taken away.

A futuristic village was built in northern Taiwan as an upscale luxury resort for the wealthy. However, after numerous accidents during construction, the project was stopped. Lack of money and desire to continue the work caused it to stop completely. Strange buildings in a futuristic style still stand there as a memory of those who died during construction. There are now rumors in the area about numerous ghosts now wandering around the city.

Craco is located in the region of Basilicata and the province of Matera, 25 miles from the Gulf of Taranto. The town, typical of the Middle Ages, is built among numerous hills. Its appearance dates back to 1060, when the land was owned by Archbishop Arnaldo, Bishop of Tricarico. Such a long-standing connection with the church had big influence on the city's inhabitants for centuries.

In 1891, Craco's population was over 2,000. Residents had many problems related to poor agricultural conditions. Between 1892 and 1922, more than 1,300 people moved from the city to North America. Earthquakes, landslides, wars - all this became the causes of mass migration. In 1959-1972, Craco was particularly affected by natural disasters, so in 1963 the remaining 1,800 residents left the city and moved to the nearby valleys of Craco Peschiera. Today it is a stunning ruin medieval city, which is very popular among tourists.

5. Oradour-sur-Glane (France): the horrors of World War II

The small village of Oradour-sur-Glane in France is the epitome of unspeakable horror. During World War II, 642 residents were killed by German soldiers as punishment for French resistance. The Germans initially planned to attack Oradour-sur-Vayres, but mistakenly invaded Oradour-sur-Glane on 10 June 1944. According to the order, some of the residents of the French town were driven by the Germans into barns, where they were shot in the legs so that they would die long and painfully. Women and children were kept in the church, where they were shot. Later, the Germans completely destroyed the village. Its ruins still stand as a monument to all those who died, although not far away after the war a new town was rebuilt.

Gankajima is one of Japan's 505 uninhabited islands. It is located approximately 15 kilometers from Nagasaki. It is also called “Gunkan-Jima” or “Armadillo Island”. In 1890, the Mitsubishi company bought it and began mining coal from the bottom of the sea. In 1916 the company was forced to build Japan's first large concrete building. It was a multi-storey building in which workers lived.

In 1959, the island's population increased rapidly. It was one of the most densely populated islands ever recorded in the world. In Japan, oil replaced coal in the 1960s. As a result, coal mines began to close across the country. The island was no exception. In 1974, Mitsubishi officially announced the cessation of work. Today the island is completely empty. Travel there is prohibited. In 2003, the film " Battle Royale II" and was also featured in the popular Asian video games "Killer7".

Kadykchan was one of many small Russian towns that, after the collapse Soviet Union turned into ruins. Residents were forced to move to gain access to running water, schools and health care. The state resettled the townspeople to other cities within two weeks and provided them with new housing.

It was once a mining town with a population of 12,000 people. Now it's a ghost town. During the eviction, residents were in a hurry to leave their belongings in the houses, so now old toys, books, clothes and other things can be found there.

Kowloon City was located outside of Hong Kong during British rule. The former guard post was created to protect the territory from pirates. During the Second World War it was occupied by Japan, and after its surrender it passed into the hands of squatters. Neither England nor China wanted to be responsible for it, so it became an independent city without any laws.

The city's population flourished for decades. Residents built real labyrinths of corridors above the streets, which were filled with rubbish. The buildings have become so tall that sunlight could not reach the lower levels and the entire city was illuminated by fluorescent lamps. It was a veritable center of lawlessness - brothels, casinos, opium dens, cocaine parlors, food courts serving dog meat - all operated unhindered by the authorities. In 1993, the British and Chinese authorities made a joint decision to close the city as its anarchic mood began to get out of control.

Varosha is a settlement in the unrecognized republic of Northern Cyprus. Until 1974, when the Turks invaded Cyprus, it was a modern tourist area of ​​the city of Famagusta. Over the past three decades, he has become a real ghost.

In the 1970s the city was very popular among tourists. Every year their number grew, so new high-rise buildings and hotels were built. But when the Turkish army gained control of the region, it blocked access to it. Since then, entry into the city has been prohibited to all but Turkish military and United Nations personnel. Annan's plan envisaged the return of Varosha to the Greek Cypriots, but this did not happen, since they rejected it. Since no repairs have been made over the years, the buildings are gradually falling apart. Metal structures are rusting, plants are growing on the roofs of houses and destroying sidewalks and roads, and sea turtle nests have been spotted on deserted beaches.

The creepy city of Aghdam was once a thriving city of 150,000 people. In 1993, he “died” during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. There were never any terrible battles in the city; it simply became a victim of vandalism during the occupation by the Armenians. All the buildings are empty and dilapidated, only the mosque, covered with graffiti, remains untouched. Residents of Aghdam moved to other regions of Azerbaijan, as well as to Iran.
If you don’t have any strength to look at dead cities, then it’s better to go on a trip

During a visit, your skin gets goosebumps from what you see here. We will get acquainted with the most terrible places on earth below.

Old Jewish cemetery in Prague, Czech Republic

Processions in this cemetery took place for almost four centuries (from 1439 to 1787). More than 100 thousand dead are buried on a relatively small plot of land, and the number of gravestones reaches 12,000. More ancient
Cemetery workers covered the burials with earth, and new tombstones were erected in the same place. On the territory of the cemetery there are places where 12 burial tiers are located under the earth's crust. As time passed, the subsided earth revealed old gravestones to the eyes of the living, who began to move later slabs. The view was not only unusual, but also creepy.

Island of Abandoned Dolls, Mexico

There is a very strange abandoned island in Mexico, most which is inhabited by scary dolls. They say that in 1950, a certain hermit, Julian Santana Barrera, began collecting and hanging dolls from trash cans, who in this way tried to calm the soul of a girl who had drowned nearby. Julian himself drowned on the island on April 17, 2001. Now there are about 1000 exhibits on the island.

Hashima Island, Japan

Hashima is a former coal mining settlement founded in 1887. It was considered one of the most densely populated places on earth - with a coastline of about a kilometer, its population in 1959 was 5,259 people. When coal mining here became unprofitable, the mine was closed and the island city joined the list of ghost towns. This happened in 1974.

Chapel of Bones, Portugal

The Copella was built in the 16th century by a Franciscan monk. The chapel itself is small - only 18.6 meters long and 11 meters wide, but the bones and skulls of five thousand monks are kept here. On the roof of the chapel is written the phrase “Melior est die mortis die nativitatis” (“Better the day of death than the day of birth”).

Suicide Forest, Japan

Suicide Forest is the unofficial name of the Aokigahara Jukai forest, located in Japan on the island of Honshu and famous for the frequent suicides committed there. The forest was originally associated with Japanese mythology and was traditionally thought to be the abode of demons and ghosts. Now it is considered the second most popular place in the world (first at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco) to commit suicide. At the entrance to the forest there is a poster: “Your life is a priceless gift from your parents. Think about them and your family. You don't have to suffer alone. Call us 22-0110."

Abandoned psychiatric hospital in Parma, Italy

Brazilian artist Herbert Baglione created an art piece from a building that once housed a psychiatric hospital. He depicted the spirit of this place. Now ghostly figures of exhausted patients wander around the former hospital.

Church of St. George, Czech Republic

The church in the Czech village of Lukova has been abandoned since 1968, when part of its roof collapsed during a funeral ceremony. Artist Jakub Hadrava populated the church with ghost sculptures, giving it a particularly sinister look.

Catacombs in Paris, France

The Catacombs are a network of winding underground tunnels and caves beneath Paris. The total length, according to various sources, is from 187 to 300 kilometers. Since the end of the 18th century, the remains of almost 6 million people have been buried in the catacombs.

Centralia, Pennsylvania, USA

Due to an underground fire that broke out 50 years ago and continues to burn to this day, the number of residents has decreased from 1,000 people (1981) to 7 people (2012). Centralia now has the smallest population in the state of Pennsylvania. Centralia served as the prototype for the creation of the city in the Silent Hill series of games and in the film based on this game.

Magic Market Akodessewa, Togo

Market magic items and witchcraft herbs Akodesseva is located right in the center of the city of Lome, the capital of the state of Togo in Africa. Africans in Togo, Ghana and Nigeria still practice voodoo and believe in wonderful properties dolls Akodesseva's fetish assortment is extremely exotic: here you can buy large skulls cattle, dried heads of monkeys, buffalos and leopards and many other equally “wonderful” things.

Plague Island, Italy

Poveglia is one of the most famous islands of the Venetian lagoon, in northern Italy. It is said that since Roman times the island was used as a place of exile for plague patients, and therefore up to 160,000 people were buried on it. The souls of many of the dead allegedly turned into ghosts, with which the island is now filled. The island's dark reputation is compounded by stories of horrific experiments allegedly carried out on psychiatric patients. In this regard, paranormal researchers call the island one of the most terrible places on earth.

Hill of Crosses, Lithuania

The Mountain of Crosses is a hill on which many Lithuanian crosses are installed, their total number is approximately 50 thousand. Despite the external resemblance, it is not a cemetery. By popular belief, the one who leaves the cross on the Mountain will have good luck. Neither the time of the appearance of the Mountain of Crosses nor the reasons for its appearance can be said with certainty. To this day, this place is shrouded in secrets and legends.

Burials of Kabayan, Philippines

The famous fire mummies of Kabayan, dating back to 1200-1500 AD, are buried here, as well as, as local residents believe, their spirits. In their manufacture it was used difficult process mummification, and now they are carefully guarded, as cases of their theft are frequent. Why? As one of the robbers said, “he had the right to do this,” since the mummy was his great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather.

Overtoun Bridge, Scotland

The old arch bridge is located near the Scottish village of Milton. In the middle of the 20th century, strange things began to happen on it: dozens of dogs suddenly threw themselves from a 15-meter height, fell onto rocks and were killed. Those that survived came back and tried again. The bridge has turned into a real “killer” of four-legged animals.

Actun-Tunichil-Muknal Cave, Belize

Actun Tunichil Muknal is a cave near the town of San Ignacio, Belize. It is an archaeological site of the Mayan civilization. Located on the territory of the Mount Tapira Natural Park. One of the halls of the cave is the so-called cathedral, where the Mayans made sacrifices, as they considered this place to be Xibalba - the entrance to the underworld.

Leap Castle, Ireland

Leap Castle in Offaly, Ireland is considered one of the cursed castles in the world. Its gloomy attraction is a large underground dungeon, the bottom of which is studded with sharp stakes. The dungeon was discovered during the restoration of the castle. In order to remove all the bones from it, the workers needed 4 carts. Local residents say that the castle is haunted by many ghosts of people who died in the dungeon.

Chauchilla Cemetery, Peru

The Chauchilla Cemetery is located about 30 minutes from the Nazca desert plateau, on the southern coast of Peru. The necropolis was discovered in the 20s of the twentieth century. According to researchers, bodies found in the cemetery are about 700 years old, and the last burials here took place in the 9th century. Chowchilla is different from other burial sites in a special way, which people were buried with. All the bodies are “squatting”, and their “faces” seem to be frozen in a wide smile. The bodies were perfectly preserved thanks to the Peruvian dry desert climate.

Sanctuary of Tophet, Tunisia

The most notorious feature of Carthage's religion was the sacrifice of children, mainly infants. During the sacrifice it was forbidden to cry, since it was believed that any tear, any plaintive sigh would detract from the value of the sacrifice. In 1921, archaeologists discovered a site where several rows of urns were found containing the charred remains of both animals (they were sacrificed instead of people) and small children. The place was called Tophet.

Snake Island, Brazil

Queimada Grande is one of the most dangerous and famous islands on our planet. There is only a forest, a rocky, inhospitable coast up to 200 meters high, and snakes. There are up to six snakes per square meter of the island. The poison of these reptiles acts instantly. The Brazilian authorities have decided to complete ban Anyone can visit this island, and locals tell chilling stories about it.

Buzludzha, Bulgaria

The largest monument in Bulgaria, located on Mount Buzludzha with a height of 1441 meters, was built in the 1980s in honor of the Bulgarian communist party. Its construction took almost 7 years and involved more than 6 thousand workers and experts. The interior was partly decorated with marble, and the staircases were decorated with red cathedral glass. Now the monument house has been completely looted, only a concrete frame with reinforcement remains, looking like a destroyed alien ship.

City of the Dead, Russia

Dargavs in North Ossetia looks like a cute village with small stone houses, but in fact it is an ancient necropolis. In the crypts various types they buried people along with all their clothes and personal belongings.

Abandoned military hospital Beelitz-Heilstetten, Germany

During the First and Second World Wars, the hospital was used by the military, and in 1916 Adolf Hitler was treated there. After World War II, the hospital found itself in the zone of Soviet occupation and became the largest Soviet hospital outside the USSR. The complex consists of 60 buildings, some of which have now been restored. Almost all abandoned buildings are closed to access. The doors and windows are securely boarded up with high boards and sheets of plywood.

Unfinished subway in Cincinnati, USA

Abandoned subway depot in Cincinnati - project built in 1884. But after the First World War and as a result of changing demographics, the need for the metro disappeared. Construction slowed in 1925, with half of the 16 km line completed. The abandoned subway now hosts tours twice a year, but many people are known to wander its tunnels alone.

Hanging Coffins of Sagada, Philippines

On the island of Luzon, in the village of Sagada, there is one of the most frightening places in the Philippines. Here you can see unusual funeral structures made of coffins placed high above the ground on the rocks. There is a belief among the indigenous population that the higher the body of the deceased is buried, the closer his soul will be to heaven.

Nuclear lighthouse at Cape Aniva (Sakhalin)

The lighthouse was built with great difficulty in 1939 according to the design of the architect Miura Shinobu - it was a unique and most complex technical structure in all of Sakhalin. It operated on a diesel generator and battery backup until the early 1990s, when it was refurbished. Thanks to the nuclear energy source, maintenance costs were minimal, but soon there was no money left for this either - the building was empty, and in 2006 the military removed two isotope installations that powered the lighthouse from here. It once shone for 17.5 miles, but is now plundered and abandoned.

Eighth workshop of the Dagdizel plant, Makhachkala

Naval weapons testing station, commissioned in 1939. It is located 2.7 km from the coast and has not been used for a long time. Construction took a long time and was complicated by difficult conditions. Unfortunately, the workshop did not serve the plant for long. The requirements for the work carried out in the workshop changed, and in April 1966 this grandiose structure was written off from the factory balance sheet. Now this “Array” is abandoned and stands in the Caspian Sea, resembling an ancient monster from the shore.

Psychiatric Clinic Lier Sikehus, Norway

The Norwegian psychiatric hospital, located in the small town of Lier, half an hour's drive from Oslo, has a dark past. Once upon a time, experiments were carried out on patients here, and unknown reasons four buildings of the hospital were abandoned in 1985. Equipment, beds, even magazines and personal belongings of patients remained in the abandoned buildings. At the same time, the remaining eight buildings of the hospital are still operating to this day.

Gunkanjima Island, Japan

In fact, the island is called Hashima, nicknamed Gunkanjima, which means “cruiser island.” The island was settled in 1810 when coal was discovered there. Within fifty years, it has become the most populated island in the world in terms of the ratio of land and the number of inhabitants on it: 5,300 people with a radius of the island itself of one kilometer. By 1974, the reserves of coal and other minerals on Gankajima were completely exhausted, and people left the island. Today, visiting the island is prohibited. There are many legends about this place among the people.