6 Creepy Ghost Towns That Are Now a Tourist Hotspot
While ghost towns can be quite creepy, there is something about a place abandoned by humans and shrouded in history that is undeniably intriguing. From towns succumbing to sand or snow to old mining towns and even crumbling castles, these ghost towns have become popular hotspots to visit while on vacation. Check out these six ghost towns and the history behind them.
6. Hashima Island, Japan
Starting our list of ghost towns is Hashima Island in Japan. At its peak in 1959, Hashima Island was populated with more than 5,000 residents. The island was developed as a seabed coal mining facility in 1890, with workers living in concrete apartment blocks above the island while they mined below. The site was abandoned in 1974 and was granted UNESCO World Heritage Status, if authorities acknowledged the use of forced labor, but instead, the museum claims the opposite.
RELATED: 7 Creepy Abandoned Places That Were Once Important Landmarks
5. Bodie, California, U.S.
Fifth on our list of ghost towns is Bodie, California. The location is a Wild West lover’s dream, with wooden buildings, dusty streets, and the occasional tumbleweed passing through. Bodie was once home to nearly 8,500 people due to a nearby gold find. By 1879, the town had more than 2,000 buildings, but similar to many other boom-and-bust towns, it didn’t last long. In 1915, the gold was all gone, and so were most of the people.
4. Pyramiden, Svalbard, Norway
Next on our list of ghost towns is Pyramiden in Svalbard, Norway. The Soviet-era ghost town sits in the Arctic Circle, and used to be a bustling coal mining town. Pyramiden was originally claimed by Sweden, which discovered coal in 1910, but was later sold to the USSR in 1927. At its height, Pryamiden had more than 1,000 residents, but it has been abandoned since 1998.
CHECK OUT: 6 Creepiest Abandoned Amusement Parks in the U.S.
3. Pripyat, Ukraine
Rounding out our top three ghost towns is Pripyat, Ukraine. One of the most famous ghost towns in the world, it also holds the title of one of the creepiest. The town started in 1970 as an atomic city, built around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant for workers and their families. 16 years later, the town made headlines when the nuclear reactors melted down, forcing the entire city to leave quickly, leaving many of their possessions behind.
ALSO READ: 6 Unusual World Monuments With Surprising Backstories
2. Kolmanskop, Namibia
Second on our list of ghost towns is Kolmanskop in Namibia. Now partially buried in the sands of the Namib Desert, the town was first settled in 1908 as a German-style diamond-mining town. The abundance of diamonds in the area led to a prosperous mining town, but fortunes faded, and the entire town was abandoned by 1956. Today, the sands once held back by humans have crept into the buildings.
1. Craco, Italy
Last but not least on our list of ghost towns is Craco, Italy. Prone to natural disasters, Italy is full of ghost towns, from the ruins of Pompeii to the Roman ruins. This also includes Craco, a cliff-side town that was hit with a succession of landslides, a flood, and an earthquake. Craco has been abandoned since the early 1980s, but you can still see relics from the past, including old ovens and glass bottles that are still standing.
CHECK OUT: 6 Forgotten Landmarks That Were Once Tourist Hotspots
More About:History