1. Christ of the Abyss (San Fruttuoso, Italy)
This is a bronze statue that was submerged in August 1954 at depth of 17 meters. It was originally sculpted by Guido Galletti, and was created as a tribute to a SCUBA diver who had died in the same area. The sculpture of Christ is intended to show Him appealing to God for assistance.
2. Czestochowa Train Depot (Poland)
Czestochowa is a city in Poland that is known for this abandoned depot and for Jasna Gora, a Pauline monastery that houses the legendary Black Madonna painting. Czestochowa was first established in the 11th century, and today has a population of about 200,000 people. This train depot has been abandoned for years, the overgrown weeds and graffiti-marked cars giving the depot a haunted quality.
3. An Abandoned Mall
Abandoned malls are always eerie, because ordinary things such as escalators and fountains take on a grim and forbidden quality when there are no people around. This mall reminds you that everything that is new will eventually become old, rusty and past its prime.
4. Wonderland Amusement Park (Beijing, China)
Located in 120 acres in the Changping District of Beijing, Wonderland Amusement Park was going to be the biggest theme park in Asia, but money issues derailed the plans in 1998, and ten years later construction began once again only to stop after financial support fell through. The top image is the framework of a medieval castle that was going to tower over the remainder of the park. All structures were destroyed in May 2013.
5. Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital (Marlboro Township, New Jersey, US)
The hospital opened in 1931, and sat on more than 500 acres. At its height, it held 800 patients, though it was intended for at least 2,000. Rahway Prison also had a work camp on the property. After the hospital closed in 1998, rumors abounded that a slaughterhouse on the grounds was haunted by a psychotic farmer, and that shadowy figures were often seen there at night.
6. Military Hospital (Beelitz, Germany)
The walls of this hospital could probably tell some chilling stories, especially since this is the place where Adolf Hitler convalesced after suffering injuries during World War I. The hospital was opened in 1902 and closed in the late 1990s. The abandoned hospital has also been the site of some gruesome events, including the murder of a model in 2008.
7. 100-Year-Old Floating Forest (Sydney, Australia)
This is the SS Ayrfield, a decommissioned ship in Homburg Bay that is overgrown with mangrove trees. The ship was christened as the SS Corimal in 1911, and was originally used as a steam vessel then became a transport ship during World War II. The ship was retired in 1972, and sits with four other vessels in the bay.
8. Abandoned Carnival (Pripyat, Ukraine)
Pripyat amusement park was supposed to open to the public in May 1986, but when the Chernobyl nuclear plant failed in April of that year, the park opened for one day to help residents take their mind off the disaster, after which, everyone was evacuated from the area. The park had four main attractions, including bumper cars, ferris wheel, paratrooper ride and swing boats. To this day, the park is still awash in radiation.
9. Mirny Diamond Mine (Siberia, Russia)
The Mirny mine was established in 1957 and closed in 2004. It was a massive open pit diamond mine that was 1,700 feet in depth, which at the time ranked fourth in the world. It was nearly 4,000 feet in width and was notable for being hard as a rock in the winter, and muddy during the summer. At its height, the mine employed more than 4,000 workers.
10. Abandoned Farmhouse (Seneca Lake, New York)
This farmhouse looks like something out of a backwoods horror movie, with all the trappings of scare-films such as the stark trees, the boarded up windows and the vibe that something sinister and evil lurks within the structure. Making the farmhouse even more eerie are the skeletons of dozens of vintage cars left to rot in nature.
11. Abandoned Hotel (Pyongyang, North Korea)
Not much is known about this hotel other than it was never completed or inhabited. North Korea is such an isolated country that about all that is verifiable is that the hotel was intended to be the country’s finest to attract tourists and income. It sort of looks like something that wouldn’t be out of place on the Vegas Strip.
12. Abandoned Insane Asylum (Willard, New York)
This insane asylum was opened in 1869. The first patient was Mary Rote who was brought in chains and spent the next ten years sleeping on the cold floors and wearing only a blanket as clothing. One glance at this grim place, and your skin begins to crawl. There are horrors to be told here, but the twist is that Willard was one of the most humane and progressive of the asylums of that era, and even surprise inspections revealed quiet and behaved patients who were treated with compassion. It just goes to show that a picture doesn’t always tell the entire story.
13. Abandoned Circular Homes (San Zhi, Taiwan)
These were known as UFO houses because of their distinct circular design. Construction started in 1978, and the completed houses were meant to attract vacationers who wanted a resort-like getaway. But two years into building, money ran out and in 2010 the houses were all demolished for another attempt at a resort.
14. Abandoned Town of Craco, Italy
This is an ideal place to film a movie about a haunted place with nooks and crannies that are difficult to unearth. Which is why it’s no surprise that big films such as “The Passion of The Christ,” “Quantum of Solace” and “King David” were filmed here. The town was built sometime in the 8th century and sits 1,200 feet above sea level and is nearly 30 square miles. It was originally built to repel invaders, and was abandoned after a 1980 earthquake.
15. Abandoned Ski Resort (Iron Mountain, California, US)
From 1970 to 1995 this was a popular ski resort that catered to visitors from all across the U.S. Now it sits empty, buildings covered in snow, nothing moving across its white vista, a victim of bankruptcy. One can only imagine what it would be like to be trapped in one of the lodges during a winter storm, with no facilities, no communication and perhaps no hope. The abandoned ski boots in the last picture are eerie.
16. Six Flags Jazzland (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Another victim of the devastating 2005 Katrina Hurricane, Six Flags Jazzland opened in 2000 and was only open five years when the storm destroyed many of its attractions. The irony is that the theme park was planning a water park right before the hurricane floodwaters hit. It remains a stark and spooky reminder of what was lost after Katrina.
17. Gulliver’s Travels Park (Kawaguchi, Japan)
This may be the most frightening of the abandoned theme parks, because of the giant Gulliver that lies in the middle of the property, eyes open, hands spread as if begging someone to come and revive the park. The colorful park was built to model the novel Gulliver’s Travels, and opened in 1997, but in 2001 it was shuttered because not enough people visited. The park is built right next to a forest that is known worldwide as a suicide forest, where more than 500 people have died since 1950.
18. Haunted Miranda Castle (Celles, Belgium)
The irony of this castle is that one of this castle’s other names is ‘Noisy Castle,’ and you can see by this photo that the castle is anything but filled with sound. Built in the 1886, the castle has a neo-Gothic appearance that goes well with the whole dark and grim vibe. The castle was privately owned by the Liedekerke-Beaufort family, but was abandoned in 1991, though the family still owns it.
19. Canfranc Rail Station (Spain)
Canfranc station was opened in 1928 and was an international transportation station that featured more than 150 doors and 300 windows. The station operated until a bridge that connected Spain and France was destroyed, and soon after the station was closed due to lack of business. It has since become a favorite haunt of urban adventurers, but with so many doors and windows, you wonder what animals and worse things lurk in this massive structure.
20. Abandoned Island (Hashima Island, Japan)
Just 9 miles from Nagasaki, Hashima Island was a below-sea coal mine that was established in 1887. At its height, more than 5,000 people lived and worked on the island, but after the mine shut down in 1974, everyone left. The island is filled with huge apartment complexes and a 360 degree sea wall. It is now a popular tourist attraction, and became an official UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2015.
21. City Hall Station (New York City, New York, US)
City Hall Station was known for its ornate architectural design scheme, and opened in 1904. In 1945 the subway was closed due to the fact that the curved platform wasn’t designed to accommodate newer types of subway cars. Tours are available to members of the MTA Transit Museum, and from the looks of things, this station would be an outstanding setting for a horror movie.
22. Sunken Yacht (Antarctica)
This is a picture of the Mar Sem Fim, a Brazilian yacht that sank in April 2012. The words Mar Sem Fim in Portuguese translate as ‘Sea Never Ends’ or Endless Sea. The yacht was out on the coast of Antarctica filming a documentary when strong winds capsized the vessel. The four people on board were rescued, but the boat sank and became frozen under the water. It was eventually lifted out of the ice and towed to shore.
23. Underwater City (Shicheng, China)
The ancient city of Shicheng was burned under water for 56 years. Prior to that time, the city had existed for 1,300 years and was known as the Lion City. It is now under 130 feet of water, but its majesty and splendor are evident in this image, which doesn’t even tell the entire story. The underwater city is the size of more than 60 football fields, and has nearly 300 arches, which means there are nearly 300 possibilities of sharks and other sea creatures to greet intrepid divers.
24. Abandoned Neighborhood (Ireland)
This is one of many abandoned neighborhoods in Ireland that were built to bring in new homeowners until the housing boom went bust and created dozens of beautiful but eerie neighborhoods with colorful new houses that stand empty. There’s a frightening quality to this neighborhood, probably because the houses all look the same, kind of like a place where the Stepford Wives would live.
25. Abandoned Home of Former Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovych
This is the former home of the now-deceased President of the Ukraine, commonly known as Mezhyhirya. Yanukovych lived here from 2002 to 2014 when he had to flee due to the advancement of anti-government rebels. The home is now a museum that sits on 350 acres. It was originally built in 1935, and has a library of classic Ukrainian literature.
Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
26. Dadipark (Dadizele, Belgium)
This doesn’t look much like an amusement park, does it? The theme park was shut down in 2002 after a child lost his arm on one of the rides. No, that wasn’t a misprint. A child’s arm was severed in Dadipark, which pretty much brought the entire thing to a grinding halt. Pretty sure the vibes at this place aren’t very good.
27. Abandoned Rum Distillery (Barbados)
Not much is known about this distillery, but it’s located near Mount Tabor in Barbados and is somewhat off the beaten track. Because it’s out in the middle of nowhere, the sense of isolation and spookiness are magnified despite the beauty of the locale.
28. 1984 Winter Olympics Bobsleigh Track (Sarajevo)
Sarajevo is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and in 1984 the city was the site of the Winter Olympics. This used to be one of the premiere bobsleigh tracks used for competition, and has fallen into disrepair. Note how different this track looks in the summer, compared to what it must have been like covered in snow.
29. Abandoned Russian Rocket Factory
Someone once described this eerie place as resembling the Death Star in “Star Wars,” and that’s probably as accurate a description as you can find. This abandoned factory once produced rockets for military purposes, and in 2012 a girl managed to sneak inside and discovered that there are still modern rockets being constructed on-site.
30. Abandoned Lawndale Theatre (Chicago, US)
Massive abandoned theaters like this one always seem scary because they are so vast and empty, which makes you think they have to be haunted by something. The theater was built in 1927 and seated about 2,000 people. It closed in 1963, and was transformed into a church before it was demolished in 2014.
31. Creepy Abandoned House (Belgium)
This house could easily pass for the iconic one in “Psycho.” With the moss-stained exterior and crumbling facade, this is the kind of structure that haunts your dreams. Urban explorers who have gone inside have found a tricycle, stacks of books and newspapers, beds, furniture and children’s toys. The family that owned the house left in the 1990s and no one has lived inside since.
32. The Last Home on Holland Island (Maryland, US)
This house was built in 1888, and was literally the last home standing on Hollis Island in Chesapeake Bay. Hollis Island was first settled in the 17th century and was a thriving community by the mid 1800s. But bad weather forced most residents to leave, and by 1922 the island was uninhabited. This house was the last bastion of defiance against the elements, but in October 2010 it finally succumbed and collapsed.
