Top abandoned cities around the world

Just the mention of an abandoned city brings the imagery of a ghost town. People have a common perception that all these towns were abandoned due to the presence of paranormal beings. In reality, while some of these towns have scary stories associated with their past, others were simply abandoned due to a lack of resources. These abandoned cities around the world are insanely quiet and thereby project a scary picture.

As there is no human population, no animals either, the cities look kind of scary but that is precisely why they have turned into places of interest for curious youth from nearby towns as well as the tourists. Here’s a list of the top 5 abandoned cities that will remain abandoned for years to come.

#1  Bodie, California, USA

One of the most famous ghost towns is Bodie in California. The town of Bodie is located very close to Nevada and is surrounded by mountain ranges. During the late 1800s, in the Gold Rush era, the town had a good population but then the bad times started. In 1942, the only running post office of the town also closed and since then no one has lived in the town to date. Although no one stays here, the town is maintained by the Bodie Foundation and is a very famous California Historic Landmark.

#2 Oradour-sur-Glane, France

The town used to be a glorious region once but after a dark incident, it has remained untouched. It was when the German troops entered the region. On June 10, 1944, the village of Oradour-Sur-Glane was attacked by them and many were killed. Around 642 men, women, and children died in the incident and the entire town was destroyed. The army officials killed everyone in the village, destroyed all the churches and their houses. Thus, the town is left untouched as a tribute to the dead of the village.

#3 Bhangarh, Rajasthan, India

The historical city is one of the scariest yet most historical sites that was abandoned decades back. The fort located here was constructed back in the 16th century. As per the legend, a saint named Baba Balak Nath who lived here cursed the town. He was angry because the fort’s shadow fell on his house.

Another story that goes around is that of a black magician who fell in love with Bhangarh’s princess Ratnavati. He offered a love potion to her but she refused to have it and threw the potion on him which turned him into ashes. It is said that the curse still haunts the town. The fort is considered to be so cursed that the government officials do not allow the public to visit the town after the sunset.

#4 Hashima Island, Japan

The Hashima Island was one of the coal mining islands in Japan where around 5,000 coal miners lived. As time changed and petrol became the fuel of choice, demand for coal decreased drastically. This led to the closure of coal mines and eventually, the island was abandoned in the mid-1970s. The island is not open to people to visit on their own. There are only a few parts of the island open to visit for the tourists.

#5 Villa Epecuen, Argentina

Epecuen used to be a bustling village, in the Buenos Aires Province of Argentina, with a population of over 5000. This village, established in the 1920s, used to be prosperous till it started to rain heavily in the 1970s. The heavy rains continued for more than a decade. Years of rain resulted in the overflowing of the nearby Lake Epecuen. In 1985 the flood broke the dam causing the entire city to submerge. For more than 2 decades the city remained underwater. During the prolonged drought in 2009, the water receded and exposed the town. The ghost town is now reminiscent of the lost city of Atlantis with no hope of rehabilitation in near future.

Even though these cities have been abandoned for decades they have their own charm for visitors. Each one of them has a unique story and many of them serve as a great tourist spot too. Let us know that among these 5, which place would you want to visit?