Buzz
The world is scattered with abandoned buildings, many of which have fallen into deep disrepair, exuding a haunting, desolate atmosphere. Most of us pass by such places in our towns or cities on a daily basis, rarely pausing to consider the tragic events that led to their ruin.
While many of these structures have been left behind for unremarkable reasons, some carry with them much darker and sorrowful tales. The following are ten derelict buildings with such unsettling histories that their future use seems unlikely.
10. Chateau Miranda
This neo-Gothic structure in Celles, Belgium, also known as Chateau de Noisy, was built between 1886 and 1907. Initially intended as a summer retreat for the affluent Liederkerke-De Beaufort family, the chateau was later seized by the Nazis during World War II and used as a base. At one point, it housed several German soldiers. While the presence of Nazis might seem unsettling on its own, the chateau became infamous when it played a role in the Battle of the Bulge, resulting in numerous deaths within its walls.
If the idea of spirits of fallen soldiers wandering a Gothic mansion in isolation isn’t eerie enough, the chateau was later repurposed as a refuge for ill children after the war. It was dubbed a “holiday camp,” although it hardly resembled a joyful retreat. Tragically, not all the children who stayed there survived their illnesses, further cementing the chateau's grim association with death. Chateau Miranda met its end in 2017, forcing its lingering spirits to find new places to haunt.
9. Sanzhi UFO Houses
These otherworldly, pod-shaped structures in New Taipei, Taiwan, epitomize how modernism can still evoke a sense of unease. Resembling something out of a 1950s sci-fi movie, the Sanzhi UFO Houses were conceived in 1978 with plans to transform them into a resort for US military officers stationed in the area. However, the project was abruptly abandoned two years later due to a string of unexplained deaths among the construction workers.
Reports have suggested that some of the construction workers perished in car accidents, while others took their own lives. The precise cause behind the apparent curse surrounding the development has sparked much debate over the years. Some claim that splitting a Chinese dragon sculpture near the entrance triggered the curse, while others believe the land was haunted by Dutch soldiers. Ultimately, the buildings were torn down in the late 2000s.
8. Willard Asylum
While any abandoned asylum can feel unsettling, the Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane in Willard, New York, takes that eerie atmosphere to another level. Built in the 1860s, the facility was meant to offer safety for the mentally ill at a time when harsh treatments like confinement in cells or chaining individuals in poorhouses were common. The vision came from Dr. Sylvester D. Willard, and though the asylum adhered to the typical structure of the time—segregating men and women—it also included a cinema, gym, and bowling alley, indicating an attempt to provide some comfort for its residents.
Even though Willard Asylum made some efforts to create a more humane environment for the mentally ill, the presence of a graveyard filled with thousands of unnamed headstones serves as a somber reminder that it remained essentially a prison. What truly added to its haunting legacy, however, were the more than 400 suitcases discovered in an attic after the asylum closed in 1995. These bags, left behind by new inmates, contained personal belongings—ranging from children's toys and books to family photographs—offering a poignant snapshot of lives spent within the asylum, many of which ended in anonymous graves.
7. The Murder House
Dundee, a Scottish city with its fair share of violent crime, is home to a house with a chilling place in local lore: the infamous 'Murder House.' Located in the affluent Roseangle area, this three-story home, which could be the ideal residence for many, was abandoned for decades. It once belonged to Alexander Wood, a retired doctor, and his wife Dorothy. In May 1980, the elderly couple, both in their seventies, met a brutal fate when an intruder savagely murdered them with a hammer. The crime scene was so horrific that Detective Chief Superintendent Jim Cameron, leading the investigation, remarked that the level of violence was “not normal.”
The murderer was identified as Henry John Gallagher, a local man who went on to commit two more brutal killings in Kent before being apprehended. Gallagher was deemed insane and was sent to Broadmoor Hospital instead of prison, a decision that seemed justifiable given the gruesome crime scene in the Roseangle house, which resembled an abattoir. Over time, the murder house became a grim landmark in Dundee, included on the Dark Dundee tour for visitors. In August 2018, plans were announced to transform the house into a bar and restaurant.
6. Fort Douaumont
Located near Verdun, France, this fort was originally constructed to protect the region from a German invasion following the Franco-Prussian War. However, it wasn’t until World War I that it saw action, by which time the French had moved away from relying on fixed fortifications. A small garrison stationed at the fort was swiftly overwhelmed when the Germans launched a surprise attack at the beginning of the Battle of Verdun.
The French army eventually reclaimed the fort in October 1916, with widespread public pressure urging the military to focus all efforts on regaining a structure viewed as a symbol of national pride. The battle to reclaim it was gruesome, involving heavy shellfire that hit ammunition and grenade supplies stored within the fort's core. Approximately 800 German soldiers perished from a mix of toxic fumes and explosions.
With the fort under siege, the dead couldn’t be properly buried outside and were instead placed in one of the fort's galleries, sealed inside. While some of the skeletal remains are now interred in the fort’s cemetery and ossuary, others remain entombed within the structure itself, forever sealed off from the world.
5. St. Gerard’s Hospital
Abandoned hospitals often carry an eerie energy similar to that of asylums, and St. Gerard’s in Birmingham, UK, was no exception. Founded in the 1890s by the Father Hudson Society, this hospital was originally meant to care for impoverished children suffering from tuberculosis and other diseases linked to poverty. It remained operational for almost a century before closing its doors in 1988. The structure stood derelict for roughly 30 years before being finally demolished.
What made St. Gerard’s particularly unsettling was the fact that it was left almost untouched after it ceased operating. Inside, visitors could still find the remains of beds, wheelchairs, medical supplies, syringes stained with blood, X-rays, medical records of the children who once stayed there, as well as toys and coloring books from their childhood. Though much of it had decayed due to the weather over the years, the items left behind created an atmosphere that made it feel as though the ghosts of its past residents and workers still haunted the building.
4. Church Of The Nine Ghosts
The actual name of this 14th-century church is St. George’s Church, located in Lukova, Czech Republic, and consecrated in 1352. Right from the start, it gained a reputation for darkness after suffering multiple devastating fires. Despite these unfortunate events, the church was continuously repaired and restored. However, in 1968, a tragic incident during a funeral service—when the roof caved in—led many of the villagers to believe the church was haunted, prompting its abandonment shortly afterward.
The eerie story doesn’t end there. After the church ceased its religious function, it fell into disrepair. In an effort to save it from demolition, local artist Jacob Hadrava transformed the interior into an art installation. He sculpted nine ghostly figures draped in white, seated in the pews, earning it the nickname “Church of the Nine Ghosts.” Hadrava titled the work My Mind, and the church has since become a popular tourist attraction for those with a taste for the macabre. Additional ghostly figures have since been added to the original nine.
3. Red Dress Manor
The real name of this abandoned farmhouse, located in Powys, Wales, is Calcott Hall. Built in 1725, the house was last inhabited by Ellen Jones, who passed away in the 1970s. Since her death, the house has remained frozen in time, exactly as she left it, creating the illusion that she simply stepped out. The fridge still contains food she left behind, alongside personal documents and photographs that offer a glimpse into different stages of her life.
The peculiar nickname that locals have given to this building comes from a red dress that once belonged to Jones. She left it hanging over a door, where it has stayed for over 40 years. To make it clear that the dress indeed belonged to her, a framed photograph of Jones wearing it can be seen on one of the walls. Very little is known about Jones, her life, or her cause of death, but it's hard to walk through her home without feeling the presence of her ghost lingering around.
2. Hirta
This entry refers to a group of buildings that make up a settlement on the Scottish island of Hirta. Hirta is part of the St Kilda archipelago and is one of the UK's most remote locations. It has remained deserted since its residents left in 1930. At its peak, Hirta was home to the majority of St Kilda's population, with the island's inhabitants growing potatoes and barley, catching fish, and eating eggs and seabird meat.
Life in such an isolated place was never easy, but the final abandonment of the settlement carries a particularly grim tale. Having weathered hardships like a smallpox epidemic in 1727, the winter of 1929 proved especially harsh, resulting in multiple deaths and reducing the population to just 36. Overcome by grief and desperation, the survivors appealed to the government to move them from the island to the mainland. Although the evacuation happened almost 90 years ago, buildings such as homes and the school hall still stand and are occasionally visited by tourists.
1. Hulme Hippodrome
Located in Manchester, England, the Hulme Hippodrome opened its doors in 1901, originally hosting music hall performances. It later became known as the Second Manchester Repertory Theater in the 1940s. Over the years, it welcomed legendary performers such as Nina Simone. However, after a period of serving as a bingo hall in the 1970s, it was closed down, becoming an intriguing site that continues to captivate many in the area.
While all abandoned theaters possess an eerie aura from their once lively atmosphere, what truly adds to the mystique of the Hulme Hippodrome is its connection to the Gilbert Deya Ministries. This organization purchased the venue and used it for church services, where Deya allegedly promised infertile couples 'miracle babies.' In 2004, the BBC investigated the church over suspicions that these babies were being stolen from families in Nairobi, Kenya. The investigation revealed that the children Deya claimed as 'miracle babies' did not share DNA with the supposed parents, leading to his deportation to Kenya in 2017 to face charges of child trafficking.
