Abandoned places are truly fascinating. There is something about these empty landscapes that sparks a sense of mystery. Seeing a place that has been abandoned for many years causes our minds to wander.
We start to imagine what life was like in these places when they were still bustling with business. We picture what it might have been like to walk the streets with the other inhabitants, who by now are long gone. Finally, we wonder how these incredible places became abandoned.
These photos of forgotten destinations remind us how quickly times can change. Once humans leave a place for good, its character changes. These photos of abandoned places will capture your imagination and bring you back to times long gone.
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1. Hirta, Scotland
This place looks so majestic. It was a thriving town all the way until the 1930s, when political change in the area made the residents want to move somewhere else. Now it’s just a memory.
2. Abandoned Italian Mill
We can learn so much about the past by looking at old ruins. This old mill was abandoned in 1866. After Tasso Square was built the humidity rose and became unbearable for the people in the mill.
3. Dome Homes in Florida
These amazing buildings were originally built as vacation homes on the coast of Marco Island. Since their construction in 1980, they have endured hurricanes and shifting coast lines. Unfortunately it just isn’t cost-effective to repair them.
4. Sunken Yacht
There are so many hidden treasures in Antarctica. One is this old ship, which is frozen just below the surface of the water. This ship, originally built in Brazil, may have been home to a documentary crew before it went under.
5. Villa at Lake Como, Italy
This magnificent villa sits next to the beautiful Lake Como. According to the locals, this villa was built in the 1800s. It’s a mystery, however, because there are no records to prove it.
6. The New Bedford Orpheum Theatre
This old theater was built in Massachusetts in 1912. Tickets were selling until 1959, but now the place is totally abandoned. Some non-profits are trying to raise money to renovate the building.
7. Berlin, Nevada
This little town gained plenty of popularity in 1897. Miners came from all over to see what the soil had to offer. By 1911 the place was all but abandoned.
8. Train Station
This train station was abandoned by 1993 because of a war between Russia and Georgia. Each country wanted to claim the territory, but now – ironically – it has simply been abandoned. It sure is beautiful.
9. Kolmanskop, Namibia
Back in 1908 this was a booming town. After a man discovered a diamond people came from all over the world to search for treasure. Once the area was dried up, the town was slowly abandoned.
10. Wooden Homes
These Russian homes are full of splendor. They were beautiful in their prime, but they weren’t nearly as warm as brick-made homes. The residents abandoned their wooden houses for more heat.
11. Pripyat, Ukraine
Back in the 1970s this town was home to many workers who commuted to Chernobyl. In 1986 it was evacuated because of high levels of radiation. To this day visitors must have their radiation levels checked after their trip.
12. Underwater City
China has its own version of Atlantis, and it is stunning. Back in 1959 the Xin’an River Hydropower Station purposefully flooded the town, sending it deep under water. Because of the water the city has been preserved much better than you would expect.
13. The Kilchurn Castle
Scotland is home to so many majestic sites, and this castle is among them. It was built in the 1400s and thrived until the 1700s. Even now it looks like something straight out of a fairy tale.
14. New York Subway Station
Plenty of subway stations in New York are still in use, but none are quite as marvelous as this one. It was built under City Hall, and lots of money went into the project. Today the station is no longer in use because there are too many twists for modern trains to navigate safely.
15. Kayakoy, Turkey
This town has quite the history. The Ottoman Empire pushed every last indigenous person out to Greece. After 1914 the place became completely deserted.
16. Sanzhi
These were designed to be vacation homes for US military officers, but development didn’t quite go as planned. The site was closed down in 1980, leaving an abandoned dream behind.
17. The Floating Island
The SS Ayrfield was built by the UK in 1911 and later became a American Navy transport vessel in WWII. In 1972 it was retired in Sydney, where it now sits to be admired by onlookers.
18. Kiev Subway Tunnel
This Ukrainian subway tunnel is quite elaborate. Unfortunately some of the floors broke down. Now this site is thought of as too dangerous to use.
19. Allerheiligen Monastery
This German monastery is almost 900 years old, and it is simply gorgeous. It was built way back in 1192, and it has since been struck by lightning three times. When it burned down, the people felt it should be left in its present condition.
20. Canadian Church
This church had a following for over 100 years, but most of the people are gone now because of climate change. While there is no further use for the building, no one wants to be the one to knock down a church. So there is stands.
21. Ta Prohm Temple
This Cambodian temple was built in the 17th century. It has stood the test of time, but nature is slowly reclaiming it. Nature always wins in the end.
22. Ross Island
This stunning sight was once the British administrative center for the Indian Penal Settlement. Since the settlement gained its independence the center has been abandoned. Nature is slowly taking back the space.
23. Maunsell Sea Forts
These sea forts, designed by Guy Maunsell in 1942, were meant to protect the UK during WWII. Within 10 years every last fort was shut down. Now they sit as a monument to the past.
24. Miranda Castle
Construction for this castle began in 1866. Before the castle was completed the designer died. Construction workers weren’t sure what to do next, so the castle was never finished.
25. Bodiam Castle
This magnificent castle was built during the Hundred Years War to protect East Sussex from the French. Even in medieval times it was a strategic location for soldiers. Now it is an abandoned relic of a distant age.
26. Hashima Island
This island was once popular because it provided access to underwater coal mines. Now Japan uses petroleum instead, so the mines have all closed down. The island is just a piece of the past.
27. Methodist Church
We don’t often think of America as having grand architecture, but this church in Indiana is quite ornate. The property is now worth $13 million, but it is empty as of the 1980s.
28. Gougi Island
This was once a modest fishing village located along the Yangtze River. Since its abandonment nature has crept up on it. The moss and ivy that cover the buildings have turned the town green.
29. The Kiev River Boat
This boat, built in the Soviet era, could travel up to 60km/hour when it was in use. Even now it is the only single-deck high-speed passenger ship, although it is no longer in use. Its only visitors are curious explorers.
30. Saint Nicholas Church
This Macedonian church is slowly being taken over by the Mavrovo Lake. It was once a destination of prayer, but a nearby power plant has caused the place to flood. It’s a wonder the church is still standing.
31. Hotel Del Salto
This Columbian hotel was built right alongside a waterfall. It overlooked the Bogota River, meaning that its guests had exquisite views. Now locals believe the hotel is haunted.
32. Temple of Santiago
Built in Mexico in 1564, this Roman Catholic church was once thriving. The smallpox epidemic of 1773 killed nearly everyone. Now the church is a testament to the good old days.
33. Michigan Central Train Station
America has some fabulous train stations. This one was built in 1913, and for a while business was booming. When the economy took a turn for the worse, so did the fate of this train station.
34. Bodie, California
If you’ve never walked through a ghost town, you totally should. It’s like taking a trip to the past. This little town was abandoned after the gold rush ended.
35. Last House on Holland Island
This house was built as part of an island colony in Chesapeake Bay. Eventually the island started to erode. The place collapsed in 2010, leaving behind a legacy.
36. Aniva Rock Lighthouse
The Japanese built this lighthouse in Russia in 1939. After the war, the Russians took control of it. Now it is a tribute to the lives that were lost.
37. House of the Bulgarian Communist Party
This building looks out-of-this-world. It was once the headquarters for Bulgaria’s Communist Party. After the party collapsed no one stepped up to preserve the place.
38. Sant Romà de Sau
This Spanish town stood proudly for 1,000 years. In the 1960s the government intentionally flooded the entire town. Now only the high steeple of the church peeks out from beneath the surface.
39. Nara Dreamland Park
This amusement park was built in Japan in 1961. The place was in full force until 2006. Even though the park is closed now security guards still patrol the area.
40. Craco, Italy
This town was built on top of a mountain in 540. The city was full of life for 1400 years, but it all ended in 1972. A rock slide in 1963 frightened the citizens enough to abandon the ancient town.
These places may have been abandoned for YEARS, but they are still gorgeous. Add a few destinations to your bucket lists; they are definitely worth it.
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