Buzz
Not all buildings are created equal. Some are plain, serving only their basic function, while others are incredibly intricate and boast jaw-dropping features. The exterior of any structure, whether it’s a house, building, bridge, or monument, is often the first thing that captures attention. The architects and designers behind the structures on this list made sure their creations left an unforgettable—and unsettling—impression.
10. Luna Park Sydney Entrance
Amusement parks are supposed to be all about fun and excitement, with thrilling rides and games. People typically don’t give much thought to the exterior of the park since the main attraction lies inside. However, at Luna Park in Sydney, Australia, you might think twice about entering. A huge, grinning clown face invites—or challenges—you to step inside.
Over the years, Luna Park has had eight different clown faces, each more disturbing than the last. The current one, installed in 1995, is modeled after the 1950 “Old King Cole” design, and it’s certainly not the kind of face you want to see welcoming you into a fun-filled day.
In 2011, asbestos was found in one of the towers supporting the face and was promptly removed while the park was temporarily closed to the public.
9. Cabin in the Woods
A small, remote cabin with no running water and several locks—sounds like the stuff of nightmares, doesn’t it? This cabin is undeniably eerie, and once you learn that it belonged to the Unabomber, the terror factor skyrockets.
It was within this modest structure that Ted Kaczynski assembled sixteen bombs, which he used to kill three people and injure 23 others across the United States. Kaczynski built the cabin himself and spent 25 years living there, making it infamous for being one of the most sinister-looking buildings in the world.
Today, the cabin is part of the FBI Experience exhibit in Washington D.C., and it still maintains its chilling presence, looking as creepy as ever.
8. Wat Samphran Temple
Located in Khlong Mai, Thailand, the 17-story Wat Samphran Temple stands as a massive pink structure with a towering dragon spiraling around it. Situated about 25 miles from Bangkok, the temple’s origins remain shrouded in mystery.
Some visitors don’t find the temple’s exterior intimidating and have ventured inside, allegedly discovering a religious group residing on the upper floors. The complex includes smaller temples and monuments, with a massive bronze Buddha statue housed within.
The dragon, built from iron and glass fiber, wraps around the building. While it’s completely dark inside, some brave souls have navigated the hollow sections of the dragon on foot.
7. Wedding Palace—Turkmenistan
The ball perched atop the eight-pointed star and cube at the Wedding Palace in Turkmenistan is designed to symbolize Earth, with the building’s four entrances representing the four cardinal directions. Inside, you'll find a variety of stores offering wedding accessories, including dresses, allowing couples to shop to their heart’s content. It serves as a civil registry as well, and many couples choose it for their weddings, conveniently registering their union after exchanging vows in one of the three wedding halls. The building's peculiar appearance, especially when illuminated in red at night, often causes passersby to stop and stare. In such a state, it almost looks like the lair of a vengeful supervillain.
6. Villa de Vecchi
Villa de Vecchi, also known as the “House of Witches,” was initially constructed as a summer residence for Count Felix De Vecchi. Located near Lake Como, Italy, the villa has a foreboding appearance, as though it could serve as the hideout for killers from a horror movie, especially now that it stands abandoned against the mountains of Cortenova.
The villa's ominous history only adds to its eerie atmosphere: The architect passed away shortly after construction, and in 1862, Count De Vecchi came home to discover that his wife had been brutally murdered and his daughter was missing. Despite a thorough search, he could never find his daughter and tragically took his own life a year later. The count’s brother moved in afterward, and the villa was finally abandoned in the 1960s.
In 2002, a massive avalanche wiped out all the surrounding homes, leaving Villa de Vecchi as the only structure still standing.
5. Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral
Cathedrals are typically grand structures, known for their towering spires, marble statues, intricate facades, and stunning stained-glass windows. These magnificent buildings often provide the perfect backdrop for lavish wedding ceremonies, and countless cathedrals have been constructed worldwide over the centuries. However, some cathedrals have earned reputations as creepy or unsettling due to tragic events that have unfolded within their elaborately adorned walls.
The Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral, however, takes the concept of eerie to an entirely new level. Constructed entirely from black volcanic stone, this cathedral looms over the city from a hill in the heart of Clermont-Ferrand, France. The use of volcanic stone is understandable, as the town is surrounded by Europe's largest chain of dormant volcanoes, and many other historic buildings in the area are similarly constructed from volcanic rock.
Building a church from black stone, however, gives it an undeniably more ominous and unsettling appearance than a charming one.
4. Oakley’s Headquarters
Oakley, Inc. is famous for its sunglasses, watches, backpacks, and a wide range of other products. Its headquarters, located in Foothill Ranch, California, has earned a reputation for resembling a dystopian nightmare.
The building has been labeled on multiple forums with terms like 'evil,' 'scary,' and of course, 'Illuminati.' Some even compare the design to something straight out of *Stargate* or *Game of Thrones*. It has since been revealed that the architecture drew inspiration from *Blade Runner* and *Mad Max* films.
Inside, however, things operate smoothly with 35,000 pairs of sunglasses produced each day. The site also features a functioning military tank, a torpedo, and even a bike track.
3. Nakagin Capsule Tower
The Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo was completed in just a month in 1972. The building consists of two concrete towers that house 140 self-contained capsules, each measuring 2.5 meters by four meters. These capsules serve as either office or living spaces and are definitely not ideal for those who suffer from claustrophobia.
From the outside, the capsules create a distinctive 'irregular stacked' design, and their windows evoke the ones seen on submarines or ships.
The building was initially set for demolition in 2007, but this has not occurred due to the global architecture community considering it a masterpiece and fighting to preserve it.
2. Mask of Sorrow
The Mask of Sorrow monument honors the prisoners who perished in the Gulag prison camps over a span of thirty years. However, standing before it alone at night is not an experience for the faint of heart. The statue, made of concrete, features a face with tears streaming from the left eye in the form of small masks. The right eye is represented by a barred window, and the back of the monument depicts a weeping woman and a crucified man. Inside, the stark monument holds a replica of a prison cell.
The pathway leading to the monument, located on a hill above Magadan, Russia, is guarded by several large stones, many bearing carved religious symbols.
1. Gazprom Arena
Located in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Gazprom Arena is an impressive sight, mostly for the usual reasons. Its retractable roof and pitch, along with its overall design, draw inspiration from Japan’s Toyota Stadium.
Everything appears perfectly normal, that is, until the fog rolls in, or the early-morning mist envelops the arena, leaving only its top poking out towards the sky. At that point, the structure is transformed into a colossal UFO, seemingly ready to launch and whisk you away to its mysterious origin...
+ Salem Witch Museum
The Salem Witch Museum provides an intriguing glimpse into the dark history of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. The museum features thirteen life-sized stage sets, complete with lighting, figures, and narration, that vividly recount the story of the era when over two hundred people were accused of witchcraft. Thirty were convicted, and nineteen were executed.
A second exhibit highlights the European Witch trials and the practices of witch-hunting, also exploring the concept of modern witches.
The museum opened its doors in 1972, though the building itself has a much older history. Originally a church, it served various congregations from 1718 until 1956, when a fire severely damaged it. Following the fire, the building became a car museum, which also faced its own destruction from fire a decade later. Eventually, the property was sold and transformed into the witch museum. The site was originally owned by Reverend John Higginson in 1692. While it may appear as a quaint chapel from the outside, at night, the building takes on an eerie atmosphere, its windows glowing ominously in red.
