Hey YouTube, do you ever find yourself curious about the relics of history scattered across
the globe?
I’m not so much talking about ancient artifacts lost over time but entire towns that, for
any number of reasons, have become completely derelict.
These so-called “ghost towns” are often shrouded in a dark or dramatic past, one we
aim to uncover as we explore the top ten creepiest ghost towns around the world.
10.
Bodie, California The dark wooden frames of what buildings remain
of this mid-19th-century mining town are a stark contrast against the tan desert that
surrounds it.
Once a booming town established by William S. Bodey in 1861, Bodie was your typical wild
west town.
Watched over by the law but ruled by the lawless, the small town was known for its abundance
of opium dens, gambling halls, and weary miners – a mixture that resulted in a high murder
rate.
As the mines ran dry, Bodie’s population of 10,000 dwindled to just under 700 people.
By 1942, the last mine closed, sealing the small town’s fate.
9.
Santa Claus, Golden Valley, Arizona Two lone structures stand awkwardly in the
Mojave Desert, their exteriors tagged by any number of graffiti artists.
At first glance, these unremarkable structures simply look like they were foreclosed on and
forgotten, but these bland buildings were actually once a part of Santa Claus, Arizona,
a whimsical town that sought to transport its visitors to the North Pole.
Founded in 1937, Santa Claus was intended to attract prospective buyers to the region,
but the Christmas-themed town proved a flop and, in 1949, it was sold.
By the 70’s, any beauty started to fade under the desert sun.
In 1995, the last of the town closed down.
8.
Capel Celyn, Wales Once a Welsh-only community in the United
Kingdom, the town of Capel Celyn may be one of the most unique ghost towns to be found.
To view its decaying structures, one must use snorkel gear as, in 1965, the town was
flooded to create a new reservoir.
A population of just over 65 people was relocated as the structures that once made up Capel
Celyn were lost to the rushing waters.
While many of the buildings haven’t survived the years, curious travelers can glimpse the
submerged cemetery that lays at the bottom of the murky waters.
7.
Hashima Island, Japan You don’t hear much of “ghost islands,”
but the abandoned 16-acre (6.3-hectare)-long island fits the billing.
Built upon the island was a 19th-century coal mining facility and town that housed over
5,000 people until its closure in 1974 when coal reserves faced depletion.
But its dark history lies during the Second World War when the Japanese used Chinese and
Korean forced laborers to keep the island running.
The industrial buildings and scattered housing still remain standing today, viewable during
the sightseeing excursions accessible by the public.
6.
Kayakoy, Turkey Against the backdrop of the Taurus Mountains,
this Turkish town struggles to resist Mother Nature’s persistence.
Originally erected as the city of Lebessos and Lebessus, the Anatolian Greek population
was forced from their homes by 1922 as a response to persecution against Ottoman Greeks and
other Christian members.
What remains is a cluster of 350 homes, empty shells of the abodes they once were.
The harsh winters of the region have weathered the structures, turning them into ghostly
reflections of their sordid past.
5.
Belchite, Spain August 24th, 1937 marked the beginning of
a two-week long battle between the Spanish Republic and Nationalist Spain.
The bloody civil war skirmish resulted in over 6,000 deaths as the Republic attempted
to march on the capital of Aragon, Zaragoza.
Though the Nationalists fought hard, the Republic stormed through, leaving behind a shell of
Belchite’s former beauty.
The remaining buildings are as they were 80 years ago, destroyed, the blood of fallen
soldiers seeped into their cracks.
It’s an eerie and morbid look at history being frozen in time.
4.
Pompeii, Italy Compromised during the AD 79 eruption of Mount
Vesuvius, the ancient Roman town of Pompeii has laid uninhabited ever since.
Since its abandonment, the city has survived throughout the years and has become a popular
tourist attraction.
For over 250 years, it’s attracted travelers from all over and has become one of Italy’s
most popular tourist attractions, but that doesn’t make it any less haunting to walk
through.
Looming over the ruins of the town is Mount Vesuvius, threatening to once again coat the
remnants of the once-proud city in a thick cloud of ash.
3.
Plymouth, Montserrat If you thought the underwater Welsh ghost
town was creepy, we’d like to direct your attention to the capital of Montserrat, Plymouth.
Now, this isn’t really a ghost town you can walk through.
Rather, you’ll be walking over it.
After suffering through two volcanic eruptions in 1995 and 1996, a third in 1997 resulted
in the entire town being covered in lava and ash.
While many buildings were covered entirely, some were tall enough to jut out above the
layer of dried lava and loose ash.
Walking through the town is nothing short of surreal, tragic, and creepy.
2.
Tawergha, Lybia Like Belchite, there is no happy history to
recite as you look upon the ruins of Tawergha.
During the Libyan Civil War, the town was coated in the blood of Gaddafi supporters
as soldiers of the National Transitional Council and Qatar fought to capture it.
After the Libyan troops were pushed from Tawergha, ethnic cleansing ran rampant, eventually leaving
the ghost town that it is today.
Buildings stand damaged from the extensive fighting while the empty streets are littered
with stripped automobiles and debris.
1.
Oradour-sur-Glane, France The air is heavy over the abandoned town of
Oradour-sur-Glane and those that let themselves get absorbed into the village’s history
can still smell the stench of death that permeated the air over 75 years ago.
On June 10th, 1944, the village came under attack by a Nazi Waffen-SS company.
Six-hundred and forty-two residents were murdered in cold blood in response to the kidnapping
of Helmut Kampfe.
Few structures remain standing as the frames of homes have been battered by weather and
years of neglect.
The old town is left standing as a memorial, but inhabitants moved to a site northwest
after the war, giving it the same name as their former home.
Thanks for watching!
Don’t forget to comment with your own suggestion for a ghost town and, if you liked what you
watched, click the like button.