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7 Coolest Abandoned Places in the World To Visit Today

Abandoned Places in the World. The world is an amazing place. But not everywhere amazing remains that way. Natural disasters. Boom and bust. Mother nature. Events occur that mean some places never get restored tot their glory years. And what happens then? Good quesion.

Shattered glass windows, shabby wood paneling, rusting metals, peeling doors. All looked like something out of a dystopian movie. They often send shivers down your spine and seem threatening enough to keep visitors away.

Yet, there’s always something about the eerie silence. About the peculiar energy that wreathe abandoned places. They almost feel like they’re speaking something deep within us. Reminding us of how they got that way, and playing on our curious nature.

An aesthetically pleasing aging concrete left forgotten to time and frozen in history, waiting for a reason to remain standing.

Check out some Abandoned Places in the World:

From a historical ghost town to a mysterious doll island, here are the seven coolest and intriguing abandoned places for you to visit today. 

The Bodie State Historic Park (California, USA)

Bodie, California is named after William (aka Waterman) S. Bodey, the first man to discover gold in the hills surrounding Mono Lake. In the late 1800s, it became a genuine gold-mining town. Then it had its heyday during the California gold rush. Once home to 10,000 people, the town supported 65 saloons, 30 gold mines, gambling halls, numerous brothels, and some legitimate businesses. Like a step back in the time of the Old West. However, at the beginning of the 1870s, the town was reported to be at the height of money grab. Where violence, killings, stage holdups, robberies, and fires resulted afterward.

Thus, in 1942, it drew its last breath when its post office finally closed. Rendering the place a ghost town. In the early 1960s, the state of California turned the old ghost town into a National Historic Site and State Historic Park.

Located approximately 75 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe, Bodie State Historic Park has been preserved in a state of “arrested decay”. Think shops stocked with supplies and tables with place settings. Over 50 buildings are still standing, and interiors are preserved to keep the town as authentic as possible. A handful of the deserted buildings are open for the public to explore.

The park also offers nighttime ghost tours in the 106-year-old abandoned mill and church. Today, tourists can wander the historic park. However, due to the pandemic, the state implemented some restrictions to be observed in the area for the safety of their visitors.

The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (Pripyat, Ukraine)

26 April 1986 has been marked in global history as the ‘worst nuclear power disaster’. This is when Reactor No. 4’s core at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded. Large amounts of radioactive particles were released and scattered all over the area including the nearby town of Pripyat. And even other neighboring countries.

It was said to be 10 times bigger than the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima. Resulting in a forced evacuation of around 350,000 people. Today the city of Pripyat, which served as a base for many families and workers, looks like it’s frozen in time. After many years since the explosion, nature has taken back the inhabited area. Many scientists also claim that the former plant will not be habitable for up to 20,000 years. Wowzer.

However, despite this, the radiation has fallen enough for authorized tours such as the Chernobyl tour from kiev to be available for tourists to visit the exclusion zone. All thanks to the ‘Chernobyl’ hit show which proved to be the catalyst in an enticing renewed interest in thousands of people. In any case, radiation safety protocols such as dosimeter control and qualified tourist tours are to be observed.

The Battleship Island (Nagasaki, Japan)

Sitting nine miles from the city of Nagasaki,, Hashima Island was once a mecca for deep-sea coal mining. But the settlement soon became an abandoned island.

Battleship Island (‘Gunkanjima) is named as such because it appears as battleship from the side angle of approach. Measuring 16-acres long, Hashima Island had operated as a lucrative coal facility from 1887 until 1974. The island had been home to over 500 workers and their families. But once the coal ran out the whole island quickly left the peninsula. Along with this, it also gained notoriety as a callous camp during World War II. Now, it’s an overgrown ghost town. 

In 2015, Hashima Island was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Plus, it was featured in the 2012 James Bond film Skyfall as the headquarters of Raoul Silva. As a result, tours have now been available from Nagasaki harbor headed by local companies such as The Gunkanjima Concierge Company irrespective of the state of complete ruin. Walkways and metal railings were installed along a safe-to-walk area to ensure the security and protection of the tourists.

Kennecott Mines (Kennecott, Alaska)

Kennecott is (was?) a self-contained mining town. From 1911 to 1938, nearly $200 million worth of copper ore was processed here. The town boasted its own post office, school, hospital, general store, tennis court, skating rink, and dairy. Soon after the copper ran out, so did the people inhabiting the area. Most of the buildings have been deserted for about 60 years, some of which have crumbled past the point of salvation. Then again, of the historic properties that compose the 2-800-acre ‘ghost town’, a defunct power plant as well as a 14-story concentration mill still gained attraction and is quite lovely to view. 

In 1998, the National Park Service acquired many of Kennecott’s lands. This led to some tours bein established. 

Getting here though, can be quick tricky. Visitors can drive down the 60-mile dirt road in the middle of the biggest national park in the United States. the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve. Alaska gets too chilly in the winter for the place to open tough. So the Kennecott’s visitor center only opens from Memorial Day to Labor Day. This 20th-century Copper Mill Village was also recorded on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. federal government.

Anping Tree House (Tainan, Taiwan)

A little bit outside the normal things to do in Taiwan. The Anping Tree House isn’t your typical childhood treehouse. Formerly a British-owned merchant warehouse, this deteriorating complex in Tainan’s Anping District of Taiwan has completely succumbed to the encroachment of a Banyan tree–a plant that grows on another plant.

The warehouse was built in the late 19th century. But after the house was vacated, a neighboring banyan tree coerced its way through the complex’s brick walls and concrete floors. Thus, it now served as the stomping ground of the tree, creating a “treehouse” look-alike. 

Today, tourists can see the sights of the fanciful site for a few dollars. An elevated walkway has also been added so visitors can safely navigate the area without getting entangled themselves.

The Crumbling Village of Craco (Craco, Italy)

One of Italy’s most famous Abandoned Places in the World. Craco finds itself sa on a cliff 1,312 feet off the ground. The 8th century hilltop town of Craco, southern Italy has fallen victim to several disasters . For centuries earthquakes, floods, devastating plagues, and wars struck the town.

The first calamity was in 1963 with an earhquake. In 1972, a deadly flood struck the town. Then the final catastrophe was a 1980 earthquake. This forced all of Craco’s remaining residents to vacate the village in its entirety. Leaving the place in a state of a slow demise. Grim.

While the medieval hillside town is now wholly uninhabited. It remains a ticking time bomb.  It has become a bit of a tourist attraction.

Thanks to a miraculously unscarred statue of the Virgin Mary, the village hosts a few annual religious festivals. The festivals are held in Craco each year from May to October. Due to the history, Craco is often used in films. 2010’s  “Passion of the Christ” included! Off-season visitors can marvel at the Basilicata region and the city ruins. As well as the epic cliffside views on daily tours. 

The Island of the Dolls (Xochimilco, Mexico)

The islands of dolls is found on outskirts of Mexico City. It’s a well-preserved example of Aztec life. Xochilmilco did not only gain status as a World Heritage site but also reached a particular amount of internet fame for its Isla de las Munecas (aka the Island of the Dolls). Despite this, a disturbing omen legend accompanies this island.

The site is known for hundreds of decapitated, deformed, and sinister-looking dolls. Straight out of a horror movie. All the dolls can be seen hanging from the trees. Or they’re spread out among the grass. The story speaks of the island’s previous caretaker, Julian Santa Barrera. Legend says he moved to the island to become a recluse and to escape society. Upon his arrival, he discovered a dead girl in the nearby canal. In the hope to appease the dead girl’s spirit, he started to collect dolls from the trash and hang them up and scatter them throughout the island. Strangely, Barrera’s dead body was found in 2001 in the same location and position where the dead girl had been spotted.

Daring souls who want to visit the island can take a ferry from Embarcadero Fernando Celada. Or they can hop on a boat from Embarcadero Cuemanco. The duration and prices of the trip will vary depending on the boat you hire. 

Final thoughts on abandoned places in the world to visit

So, there you have it. The 7 most interesting abandoned places in the world for you to visit. Remember, whether you’re an explorer of creepy spots. Or simply a brave outdoor rover who wants to seek adventures, it’s still important to be respectful. And always be mindful of our behavior when visiting any tourist locales. These places hold importance in the local communities. Tradgedy after tradgedy. It’s understandable to be interested in historical places. But keep it classy folks.