Buzz
All around the globe, in addition to breathtaking tourist spots, there are paths leading to unsettling places steeped in mystery and eerie energy. Abandoned structures and isolated locations often carry a chilling silence, evoking tales of terror. This collection showcases a selection of some of the eeriest places across the world and the spine-tingling stories that accompany them.
10. Yuma Territorial Prison
Does the gate in this photo look like it leads to anything pleasant? Historically, it’s been said to open the way not just to dark cells but to chaos and death. The Yuma Territorial Prison in Arizona, constructed in the 17th century, once held over 3,000 prisoners. Among them was a 14-year-old inmate, and the prisoners slept on iron-forged bunks. One infamous cell, known as The Dark Cell, earned its name from the prisoners who were left in solitary confinement, chained to the walls in total darkness, ultimately losing their sanity.
Today, those with a morbid curiosity can explore the abandoned prison as well as its prison museum, where they can purchase eerie souvenirs like handcuff sets. The prison itself is perched atop a hill, overlooking the originally named Prison Cemetery, a site said to be home not only to the remains of several inmates but also to their vengeful spirits.
And, of course, no eerie location would be complete without the infamous ‘little girl ghost’ who is said to target visitors dressed in red, pinching them as she goes.
9. Demolition World
Picture a strange little town where the only living beings are chickens and geese, and the only ‘people’ you’ll encounter are mannequins. This unsettling experience is not a mere fantasy—it’s Demolition World, located in Invercargill, New Zealand. The entire ghost town is constructed from recycled materials, with mannequins positioned in unsettling ways to give visitors the creeps.
Within this eerie town, you’ll discover an abandoned church, toy shops, and even a health clinic, each with its own set of resident mannequins. These unsettling figures include a mannequin dressed as Superman, a bridal mannequin, and another one lurking in the shadows on the porch of a small, weathered cabin.
8. No Man’s Land
Originally constructed to protect the coastline from invaders, the No Man’s Land fort near Portsmouth, England, was later sold as a ‘private island’ and transformed into a hotel during the 90s. However, a series of unfortunate events followed, including a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that left the owner at the time, Harmesh Pooni, facing heavy financial losses.
The fort took 20 years to build, with plans to house 80 troops and 49 cannons. Its sunken center was designed to shield it from harsh weather, while a well dug into the seabed provided fresh water. Over the years, the fort changed hands many times, and in a strange turn of events in 2008, Pooni barricaded himself inside, claiming ownership and refusing to leave. When administrators from KPMG finally evicted him, they found the place in disarray, with broken furniture, dead plants, and a pool filled with murky brown water. In 2020, the fort was once again put up for sale.
For now, it remains a desolate, eerie structure floating on the ocean.
7. Village of the Dolls
Nagoro, Japan, is a small village where the population seems to never truly decrease. While people do pass away, Tsukimi Ayano, a local resident, fills the void left behind by sewing a doll to represent the deceased. These dolls are said to outnumber the villagers by 10 to 1, and they are scattered throughout the area—found in classrooms, the town center, along the creek, in the town hall, and virtually everywhere else. Ayano began this eerie tradition after feeling an overwhelming sense of emptiness as the village’s population dwindled.
The idea was sparked sixteen years ago when Ayano created a scarecrow dressed in her late father’s clothes to protect her garden from birds. A passing worker greeted the scarecrow, mistaking it for a person, which led Ayano to a profound realization. Soon, the dolls began to populate the valley, each one seemingly coming to life.
Many people refuse to come anywhere near Nagoro, labeling it as ‘the creepiest place on Earth’. On the other hand, there are those who are intrigued by the sight and travel from all over the world just to witness the dolls firsthand.
6. The Notre Dame Convent
South Africa boasts vast open fields, rolling hills, mountains, beaches, and nature reserves. Nestled between these beautiful landscapes, however, are countless houses, office buildings, and shopping centers. So many shopping centers, in fact.
Over the years, some of these structures have been abandoned, leaving only decaying ceilings, shattered walls, and eerie urban legends behind. Among these forgotten places are hospitals, private residences, office buildings, farms, and convents.
In Kroonstad, Free State, there stands an old convent known as Notre Dame, which was transformed into a school in February 1907. In June 1908, the Sisters at the convent woke up to chaos and discovered the convent was ablaze. The cause of the fire was never determined, though rumors of arson following a dispute with workmen circulated. By the end of 1908, the building had been restored, and over time, several additions were made. The convent even served as a temporary hospital during the 1918 Spanish Flu outbreak. Two more fires in 1967 marked the beginning of the convent's decline, and it was ultimately closed in 1972. However, as 2020 drew to a close, the building found new life as a school once more, this time as a private Catholic institution.
Despite this revitalization, the convent is not free from its share of chilling legends. The most disturbing one claims that candles were discovered in the nearby cemetery, placed on the graves of nuns and priests. Upon investigation, it was revealed that the candles were made from human fat.
5. The Ruins of Belchite
Legend has it that if you stand in the abandoned village of Belchite, Spain, at dusk, you can hear the mournful cry of a child desperately searching for his mother. While local farmers are familiar with the sound, it still unsettles them. Given the tragic history of Belchite, it seems inevitable that the spirits of the past wander through its ruins, searching for answers about their fate.
In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the town of Belchite became a horrific battleground where thousands of civilians lost their lives in just two weeks. With no space for proper graves, bodies were stacked in the town square and set ablaze. Others were tossed into an underground olive oil press, and its entrance was sealed forever. Dictator Franco ordered the remaining survivors to leave, and a new town of Belchite was built by prisoners of war right next to the ruins.
The remnants of this tragic town still bear the scars of war, with shrapnel and bullet holes embedded in the ruins as a haunting reminder of the horrors that unfolded there.
4. Shackleton’s Hut
Antarctica is not just a cold, icy expanse inhabited by penguins—it also harbors eerie tales and frightening sites. One of the most unsettling stories is the legend of Jenny the Ghost Ship. According to this urban myth, the Jenny became trapped in the ice of the Drake Passage in 1823 and was only rediscovered in 1840 by a whaling ship. The crew found the ship frozen solid, with the bodies of its doomed sailors perfectly preserved inside.
Shackleton’s Hut on Ross Island is another chilling site in Antarctica. The hut, constructed by explorer Ernest Shackleton and his team during their British Antarctic Expedition from 1907 to 1909, has gained a reputation for its eerie atmosphere. Years after Shackleton's death, Sir Edmund Hillary visited the hut and claimed to have seen Shackleton’s ghost moving toward him as he entered.
The hut is considered one of the most endangered historical sites in the world, and it stands as one of the few structures from the past century still remaining in Antarctica. Inside, you can find artifacts such as tins of food, scientific equipment, and a stove—all of which have remained untouched for over a hundred years.
3. Sculpture Garden
Veijo Rönkkönen was a dedicated worker at a paper mill for 41 years. He was also a recluse, rarely leaving his home, which was surrounded by thick forest. It wasn’t until after his death in 2010 that his hidden talent as an artist was discovered. Hundreds of his sculptures were found in the woods behind his house, revealing the secret artistic world of the Finnish factory worker.
The Veijo Rönkkönen Sculpture Garden quickly became a popular tourist destination, attracting over 25,000 visitors annually. Among the many sculptures, all human figures, some depict children suspended in mid-air while others showcase elderly adults dressed in traditional attire.
At first glance, these sculptures might not seem too intriguing. However, a closer inspection reveals unsettling details—some sculptures feature real human teeth, and others have speakers embedded within them, releasing eerie warbling sounds that seem to come from deep within.
2. Crathes Castle
When most people think of Scotland, images of unicorns and the Loch Ness Monster often come to mind. But it’s also home to a number of castles, some more sinister than others. In 2016, Bill Andrew took a family photo in front of Crathes Castle, near Aberdeen. Upon reviewing the pictures, his daughter noticed something strange—a figure appeared to be standing behind them, inside a doorway of the castle.
Andrew was deeply unnerved by the photograph and promptly contacted the castle staff to report it. To his surprise, property manager James Henderson revealed that he wasn’t the only one to have had eerie experiences. Ghost sightings had surged in recent months, with many visitors sharing similar stories.
The Green Lady is among the most well-known spirits said to haunt the castle. Some visitors have reported seeing her swoop down, lift a ghostly child, and disappear into the fireplace of one of the castle’s rooms. During renovations in the 18th century, workmen uncovered the remains of a woman and child hidden behind that same fireplace. Theories suggest these could be the bones of a servant who had an affair with a member of the royal family and became pregnant. To cover up the scandal, both mother and child were allegedly murdered.
1. Chaonei No. 81
Located in Chaoyangmen, Beijing, Chaonei No. 81, also known as Chaonei Church, is an abandoned house with a notorious reputation for being haunted. This reputation was amplified in 2014 after it was featured in the 3D horror film *The House That Never Dies*. The house is said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman who hanged herself, and by a British priest who attempted to convert the house into a church but mysteriously disappeared before completing the work, his fate still unknown.
There are no official records revealing who constructed Chaonei No. 81 or its intended purpose. Briefly, it was used by the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution and later became the site for government offices when the People’s Republic of China was being established.
In 2017, it was reported that the house was owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Beijing, with plans to transform it into the Vatican’s embassy. It is believed that the property is still available for rent.
