Quiet roads, dilapidated buildings, and toppled structures –– these depressing views
give us a glimpse of how life once was when these cities were still alive and thriving.
But these days, forgotten cities attract a new breed of tourists that find beauty in all the
haunted chaos. Here’s you exclusive access to the 10 Largest Abandoned Cities in the World!
What’s up, fact-natics! This is Discovery Amuse, serving up your daily dose of the most outrageous,
outlandish, and out-of-this-world fun facts! Wait ’til you see our number one pick, ‘coz you
just might wanna be stuck there forever! Let’s get this road trip started!
#10: Futuristic Ghost Town This abandoned city in China,
also called Kangbashi, is dubbed the world’s largest ghost town.
When it was first constructed in 2005, the new city of Ordos was envisioned to be a modern
hub of culture, economy and politics that could rival the Chinese megacity of Beijing.
With state-of-the-art architecture, large stadiums, and extravagant public spaces,
the city could have housed 300,000 people. But exorbitant property taxes and poor construction
discouraged people from moving to Ordos to start a new life. In 2016, only about 100,000 people
actually settled in the new city which is just 1/3 of its expected populace.
Instead of residents, Ordos is being flocked by photographers such as Raphael Olivier,
who want to capture the futuristic spookiness of the failed utopia.
Stick around because our top 1 entry is definitely a solo traveler’s paradise!
#9 Battleship Island From a bird’s eye view, the Hashima
island in Nagasaki, Japan looks just like a Japanese battleship, hence its nickname Gunkanjima
which literally translates to “Battleship Island.” From 1887 to 1974, Hashima functioned as a coal
facility, and was a shining jewel of Japan’s industrial revolution.
However, during the Second World War, Korean civilians and Chinese prisoners of war
were forced to work on the island under Japanese wartime mobilization policies.
In 1974, when the island’s coal reserves were almost depleted, Hashima closed down.
Soon, workers left the island, and it remained uninhabited for decades.
In 2015, Battleship Island became a UNESCO World Heritage Site
despite South Korea’s misgivings due to its history of slave labor.
Here’s a bit of brain teaser! How is this island connected to the late, great Sean Connery?
Well, Hashima Island became a filming location for the James Bond movie “Skyfall,”
and as we all know, Sean Connery was the best James Bond, bar none!
Rest in power, Mr. Connery. And speaking of James Bond movies…
#8: Diamond Town
“Diamonds are forever, they won’t leave in the night I’ve no fear that they might desert me…”
However, the city of Kolmanskop in Namibia proved that diamonds are anything BUT.
In 1908, Namibian railway worker Zacherias Lewala stumbled upon diamonds while on duty. Because of
the discovery, people came to the area to mine more of the highly-priced gems, and by 1912,
the town of Kolmanskop had sprung. At the time, 11.7 percent of the world’s
total diamonds were produced in the area; that’s equivalent to at least a million carats a year!
While this gave the city an economic boost, indigenous tribes were displaced from their
own lands, and workers were forced to live in cramped areas for months. When diamond
production depleted in 1928, people left in droves and by 1956, the place was completely abandoned.
In 2002, Kolmanskop was opened to tourists looking to explore its majestic sand-covered ruins.
#7: Greek Ruins in Italy Founded in the 11th century, the
town of Roghudi Vecchio in the Calabria region was once home to Italy’s Greek-speaking communities.
Over the years, villagers endured countless natural disasters in this hillside town.
But the final straw came in 1971 and 1973, when two violent floods killed residents and
ruined their homes, and 1,600 survivors were forced to move out, leaving behind a shell of
a community that thrived for thousands of years. A place frozen in time, the Greek ghost town now
attracts tourists for its rich history and the jaw-dropping views of the Aspromonte mountains.
#6 Gold Rush Town
In the late 19th century, the town of Bodie in California became a rowdy, bustling gold
mining town, thanks to William S. Bodey, a prospector who discovered gold in this location
in 1859. During its golden age, the town housed almost 10,000 residents and 60 saloons,
and became a true blue Wild West town, complete with lawlessness and men engaging in gunfights.
In 1882, when the gold production started depleting, people started seeking greener
pastures. And by 1942, the once crowded town completely became a ghost town.
Now a state historic park, Bodie has become more famous in recent years due to an alleged
curse that befalls any visitor who dares steal trinkets while touring the abandoned area.
It is said that these light-fingered, hard-headed tourists have experienced
bad luck after taking home more than pictures for souvenirs.
#5 Fallen Medieval Town The village of Craco in Southern Italy,
founded in the 8th century, features striking castles and medieval architecture
that overlooks a cliff 1,300 feet off the ground. This also provides a 360-degree
panoramic view that proved to be an advantage for fending off barbarian enemies during that time.
But enemy attacks were not the cause of Craco’s downfall. What eventually
brought the town down to its knees were the earthquakes and floods that forced
residents to evacuate the disaster-prone village. Today, the city’s dramatic landscape is mostly
well- preserved, and has even served as backdrops for Hollywood films like Quantum of Solace,
Saving Grace, and The Passion of the Christ. Festival goers also flock the area to pay
homage to the statues of Virgin Mary and San Vincenzo, the patron saint of Craco.
#4 UFO Village In the coastal city of Wanli in
northeast Taiwan lies a forsaken resort town that may or may not resemble an actual alien village.
Just look at these retro-futuristic pods that look like classic UFOs!
Designed by Finish architect Matti Suuronen, the Futuro houses are prefabricated houses
that resemble flying saucers with ‘70s-era pebble-concrete staircases. On the other hand,
the Venturo-style buildings are more angular and almost look like The Jetsons residence.
In the 1970s, a Taiwanese businessman created this holiday village, which hoped to attract
retired American soldiers. However, the harsh weather conditions, investors losing interest,
and the high cost of building materials ultimately halted the construction in the 80s.
Today, there are around 13 Futuro houses and Venturo houses in the complex,
rotting away and succumbing to nature’s harsh elements.
#3 A Town on Fire What would you do if you found
out that your home literally sits on fire? In 1962, like a disaster waiting to happen,
people living in Centralia, Pennsylvania found out that their small town has been sitting on
mine fire that’s been burning for 50 years, which may continue to burn for another 250 years!
How the flames started is still a mystery, but the theory is that the
burning trash from a landfill ignited the coal, which spread through the coal mines.
There were many attempts to put out the fire, but it just wouldn’t stop burning!
The residents thought it was a massive inconvenience at first. Still, when sulfurous
fumes and carbon monoxide started suffocating them. Sinkholes began popping up all over town;
one by one, families started leaving this literal hell on earth.
#2 Radioactive City Pripyat is a nuclear city
built in 1970 that was meant to house the workers of the Chernobyl power plant and their families.
But in April 1986, when the reactor 4 of the nuclear plant blew up a radioactive cloud 10 times
bigger than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima engulfed the entire city. It killed 31 people directly from
the accident and forced 350,000 residents to evacuate their homes. To this day, radioactive
water, ground soil, and air still affect people living around the nuclear exclusion zone.
These days, the city is being promoted as a venue for extreme tourists who want to roam ground
zero of one of the greatest disasters in history. But visitors are not allowed to
touch anything from the zone, sit anywhere, or place camera equipment on the ground to
prevent any radiation-safety concerns. Before we go to our number 1 pick, do us
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#1: Forsaken Fishing Village Located on the east of Shanghai, China,
the town of Houtouwan is an abandoned village that looks straight out of a classic fairytale.
Houtouwan was once a thriving fishing village in the 1980s and home to around 3,000 residents.
However, because it’s so difficult to access, and with education and food delivery posing a major
problem, residents started to move out in the 90s. By 2002, it was depopulated and was merged
with a nearby village. The scenery is a feast for the eyes, and soon,
a surge of tourists flocked the island. It became an unusual tourist spot and an Internet sensation
after a series of breathtaking photos went viral on the internet. The empty houses are
now blanketed by ivy and lush vegetation, like a village swallowed and reclaimed by Mother Nature.
So, which of these places made you want to pack your bags and just go?
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We got more unconventional travel ideas just for you!
Don’t miss our ranking of the 11 Things You Will See For the First Time in Your Life!
‘Til then, stay adventurous, fact-natics! And see you in the next video!