10 Creepy Places Abandoned By God And Man

10 Creepy Places Abandoned By God And Man

There are places in this world that humans have abandoned, where nature has taken her land back. Through war, nuclear disaster, or because of human beings simply walking away, these places have gone from bustling buildings, parks, and towns to places where only the animals will tread. They have transformed from centers of activity to places that look like even God has forgotten them. Here are ten of the spookiest abandoned places on Earth.

1. Abandoned Mills, Sorrento, Italy

These often-photographed mills, built in the 10th century, operated for centuries milling flour and wood. The construction of Piazzo Tasso in 1866 caused the humidity in the area to rise, making life difficult for these types of milling that require dry environments. After the mills were abandoned, the local micro-climate promoted the growth of a rare fern that has covered the ruins, making for a picturesque valley that draws thousands of tourists yearly.

2. Nara Dreamland, Japan

It's hard to get much creepier than an amusement park where kids used to enjoy their days, now abandoned and rotting. Inspired by Disneyland and constructed in 1961, Nara Dreamland operated for 45 years before it closed its doors. Shuttered for only a few years, it increasingly shows signs of decay, and is a prime spot for photographers looking to get pictures of empty, hollow paths where children used to play, where parents used to bring their kids, and where now only weeds and rust remain.

This place looks like it might have been fun, once upon a time.

3. Hashima, Japan

Built around a small island off the coast of Japan, solely for the mining of undersea coal, Hashima was one of the most crowded spots in the world in the 1950s, with 5,259 people on only 16 acres of land. As petroleum caused coal to be phased out, the island became unprofitable, and was quickly abandoned.

Off of the main land and free of the interference of people, the place now called Ghost Island has remained the same for the 40 years since it was officially closed.

4. Wittenoom, Australia

Mining towns run a natural risk of abandonment due to the natural issues with pulling ore from the earth, be it collapses or the veins running dry. This mid-sized mining town in Australia was once the home to 20,000 people, with an active asbestos mine. Of course, once the hazards of asbestos became clear, the mine shut down, and as 1,000 residents died from asbestos-related illnesses, it became clear that Wittenoom was no longer a great place to live. Today, only 8 people remain, but the city is still littered with asbestos.

5. Michigan Central Station, Detroit

At one time a state-of-the art rail station in the thriving industrial town of Detroit, Michigan Central Station reflects the decline that the city as a whole has seen. It was the tallest station in the world when it was built, and hosted many famous passengers, averaging over 4,000 passengers per day through its doors. In operation for 75 years, it closed in 1988.

While it has been in limbo as far as use, it has received plenty of attention through being featured in films, television stations and music videos. It is considered a Historic Place, and recently there has been a push for renovation and repair.

6. Pripyat, Ukraine

Live by the atom, die by the atom. Pripyat was a town built to house the workers of nearby Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Founded in 1970, it was a major rail stop, a port city, and home to almost 50,000 residents. Only 16 years later, on April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl disaster occurred, releasing radioactive particles.

Pripyat, the closest city, fell within the Alienation Zone, and had to be evacuated in short order. Two days after the evacuation notice, Pripyat was abandoned. It is still abandoned, standing as a monument to the dangers of nuclear energy.

7. Centralia, Pennsylvania

Centralia was a mining town in Northern Pennsylvania, settled in 1841, with a major coal vein running underneath the ground. For over a century, coal was mined without incident, but in 1962, part of the coal veins caught fire. The fire swept through the veins, creating a fire underneath the city that continues to burn to this day. As a result, the town had to be evacuated, and much of it destroyed, although 3 die-hard families still live within the city limits.

8. Cape Romano Dome Houses, Florida

Situated on the tip of Marco Island in Cape Romano, these homes were built in 1982 by an oilman, Bob Lee. Ahead of their time, they were self-sustaining, solar-powered, and made to withstand hurricanes, which they did – they made it through Hurricane Andrew unscathed thanks to their shape and elevation.

After the Lee family sold the houses to John Tosto, Hurricane Wilma hit and washed away the shoreline, causing the Department of Environmental Protection to call for the houses to be removed. Tosto has not removed them, and the government has not moved forward on forced removal, so for now, they stand as an attraction for local tourists.

9. Oradour-sur-Glane, France

During World War II, the French Resistance kidnapped the commander of the 2nd SS Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion, Helmut Kampfe. The commander of the 1st Battalion aimed to take over the town of Oradour-sur-Vaynes, where Kampfe was rumored to be held, but mistakenly took Oradour-sur-Glanes. The battalion rounded up 648 inhabitants and visitors, putting the men in a barn and women and children in a church.

They then machine-gunned and burned the buildings, killing all but one of the women, all the children, and all but 5 of the men they rounded up. After the war, General de Gaulle decided the village should not be rebuilt, and it has been left as a memorial, unchanged over time.

10. Kolmanskop, Namibia

One of the most-photographed abandoned towns in the world, Kolmanskop was built as a town for German miners looking to exploit the local diamond fields. It grew up quickly, spurred by the wealth of the diamond miners, with ornate buildings in the German style constructed. 

Institutions such as a casino, school, hospital, and ballroom were built and brought into operation in a matter of years. But in 1954, less than 50 years after the town was founded, the diamond fields were exhausted and the town was abandoned. Preserved by the warm and dry climate, Kolmanskop has barely deteriorated since its abandonment.