The most famous ghost towns and the world
Contents:
• Almost every country has abandoned settlements. Small villages, towns and even entire cities. They are very popular with travelers. Interest in them has increased recently and has received the name "spooky" tourism. People go there for thrills and unusual photographs.
• Even if you are not an adventurer, you will surely be interested in our selection of ghost towns.
Abandoned ghost towns of the world
10. Centralia, USA
Located in Pennsylvania. The city was founded in the middle of the 2th century between two anthracite coal mines. The population did not exceed XNUMX thousand people, but there was everything for a comfortable life. People had the opportunity to work in the mines, opened banks, shops, built a church.
• In 1962, an underground fire began in Centralia. It was not possible to extinguish the fire, it spread to other abandoned mines. Bad things began to happen in the city. People's health worsened, they lacked clean air, vegetables burned in their gardens, and even in winter it was very hot. The last straw was the story of Todd Dombosky. A 12-year-old boy fell into a well that opened right under his feet. Todd was rescued, but the authorities decided to evacuate the residents of the city. Most of them agreed to resettlement, only a few families remained here.
Many buildings have been demolished, but Centralia is very popular with tourists. They come here often. The authorities say that in 50 years there will be nothing to see here. All reminders that people once lived in the city will disappear.
An interesting fact. Centralia became the prototype of the city of Silent Hill in the Japanese computer game.
9. Hashima, Japan
It's not even a city, it's a whole island. At the beginning of the 1810th century, it was used as a temporary shelter for fishermen from neighboring islands. It is a piece of rock. In 120, coal was discovered here. After 60 years, it became an industrial center. In the 5s, the population of the island exceeded 15 thousand. After XNUMX years, the coal ran out, the mines were closed, the island was empty.
• The Japanese authorities have banned tourists from visiting it. There were many antiques that were of interest to the "black diggers".
• Now everyone can see Hasima, but only from a boat. It is allowed to enter a small area, the island itself is considered a dangerous zone. The buildings that are located there are in disrepair. In 2015, this mystical place was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
8. Rhyolite, USA
A small town located in southern Nevada. In 1904, gold was discovered here, and soon hundreds of men infected with the "gold rush" arrived here. They all dreamed of becoming rich. About Rhyolite was written in the newspaper, the first entrepreneurs appeared. They built a hotel, a restaurant, a casino, schools, an opera house. People worked in coal mines. Within three years, the population grew to 10 people.
• The financial crisis of 1907 caused investors to rush to withdraw their money. Businesses began to close. People had no choice but to leave Rhyolite. In 1915, the population was no more than 20 people, the last of them died in 1924. The ghost town is of great interest to tourists. In addition, it has a good location, it is located near the most mysterious national park in the USA, Death Valley.
7. Craco, Italy
Unique place, very old city. It was founded in the 1963th century. It is located on the top of the mountain, it is difficult to notice it from a distance, it seems to merge with nature. Many trials fell to the lot of Kracko: crop failures, landslides, war, earthquakes. The last one happened in 1800. At that time, XNUMX people lived in the city. The earthquake was quite strong. Destruction, casualties... It was dangerous to stay here, and almost the entire local population moved to the neighboring village.
• Only old people remained in Krako, who did not want to part with their native places. More than 50 years have passed, but the ghost town is still very much in demand. Of course, it is visited by tourists, but it is of much greater interest to filmmakers. Many films were filmed in Krako: The Passion of the Christ, Quantum of Solace, Nymph, the series Fatal Inheritance, etc.
6. Chaiten, Chile
Until 2008, few people heard about the port town of Chaitene. Severe weather conditions, icy water, impregnable mountains. It was of strategic importance and did not attract tourists. The number of inhabitants at the time of the tragedy was 10 thousand people. The town got its name in honor of the volcano, which was located nearby. He caused terrible things to happen. They learned about the volcanic eruption in advance, organized an urgent evacuation. Residents hoped that they would be able to return home, and everything would be as before.
• Lava flowed into a mountain river, a stream of hot gray mass poured onto the city. Heavy destruction, houses and cars half hidden by the congealed mixture. Chaiten was seriously injured. There was nowhere to return, but the authorities promised the residents to rebuild the city, away from the volcano. The earthquake lasted 5 months. Now the city is abandoned, you won’t even see tourists here. You can’t get into Chaiten, and there’s nothing to look at – the city is sealed with a thick layer of lava. The Rio Blanca river has changed its course and now flows right through the city.
5. Pripyat, Ukraine
One of the most famous dead cities. In 1986, a tragedy occurred here – an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Before the accident, 49,4 thousand people lived in Pripyat. All of them were evacuated due to the unfavorable radiation situation. There were also victims, but their number is small – 50 people suffered from causes directly related to the accident, 4 thousand had long-term effects of exposure.
• The Chernobyl exclusion zone (3o km) was created. All settlements located here were deprived of the status of settlements, but not Pripyat. According to documents, it still has the status of a city of regional significance.
Recently, interest in Pripyat has greatly increased. The domestic cinema, the series “Chernobyl. Exclusion Zone "had high ratings. After watching, many decided to go on an excursion to those places. The Chernobyl exclusion zone is even in the top ten the most popular places for radioactive tourism.
• Ukrainian tour operators provide such a service, but some consider the sightseeing tour boring and turn to illegal guides. In this case, thrills are guaranteed. Stalker trails, spending the night in abandoned houses – that's not all, you will have to hide from the workers of the zone and the patrol. Such a trip is suitable only for the brave ones who are ready for trouble.
Ghost towns of Russia
4. Mologa
The city is located in Yaroslavl Oblast. It is not known when it was founded, approximately in the XII century. For some time Mologa was a major trading center of Rus', then a county town, in 1929 it became an administrative center. Life here went on as usual. In 1930, 7 thousand people lived in the city. In 1935, the authorities decided to build the Rybinsk reservoir. Mologa did not fall into the flood zone.
• Soon the authorities came to the conclusion that the capacity of the Rybinsk hydroelectric power station would not be enough, and the area of flooding was increased. Not all local residents refused to leave their homeland, 294 people died. Also, forest animals became victims of the Rybinsk reservoir. The city is completely flooded with water, but when its level drops, you can see the roofs of buildings. For more than half a century, a church towered over the former Mologa, but even it was powerless against the pressure of water. In 1997, it collapsed.
3. Neftegorsk
This is an urban-type settlement in the Sakhalin Region, built in 1964. He was considered one of the most comfortable on Sakhalin. 17 five-story buildings, comfortable apartments – a dream. Only 30 years later, it was these houses that caused the death of a large number of people. In 1995, 3197 people lived here, of which 2000 died.
• On May 28 at night there was a strong earthquake. The club, the school where the guys celebrated graduation were destroyed. Five-story buildings collapsed like houses of cards. Later it turned out that during their construction they saved on materials. This caused their rapid destruction to the very foundation. There was nothing left on the site of the village, a memorial plate with the names of the dead was installed. Instead of houses – plates with the address.
2. Kursha-2
A working village with a tragic history. Location – the north of the Ryazan region. People from all over the country came here. The area is rich in forests and it was assumed that life here would be comfortable. Most importantly, there is work. All this happened in the 30s. In 1936, a fire started in the neighboring village, the wind was blowing towards Kursha-2. Out of 1000 people managed to save a few dozen. All the rest burned down.
• In 2011, a memorial complex was created here. Sometimes tourists drop in here, despite the fact that the fire destroyed everything. It is not possible to find this place on your own, so it is better to use the services of experienced guides and go to the former village as part of an expedition.
1. Halmer-Yu
A mining settlement located in the Komi Republic in 1957. They say that a beautiful name called trouble to him. Halmer-Yu translates as "River in the Valley of Death." Nothing terrible happened here, people lived, worked, made plans. In 1993 they were informed that the settlement should be liquidated. Local residents were not even told who and why made such a decision. They were forcibly put on trains and taken away, attracted by riot police. Now on the site of Halmer-Yu there is a military training ground "Pemboi".
