15 Abandoned Places That Will Give You Chills
1. Eastern State Penitentiary – Philadelphia, PA
Built in 1829, this prison was designed to instill fear and make prisoners repent for their wrongdoing. Abandoned since the 1970s, the eerie ruins of Eastern State Penitentiary offer a glimpse into the harsh realities of life behind bars.
2. Packard Automotive Plant – Detroit, MI
Once one of Detroit’s most iconic automotive factories, the Packard plant now lies in ruin. The abandoned factory has become an attraction for urban explorers due to its massive size and unique architecture.
3. Salton Sea – California
What was once a thriving resort town is now a desolate wasteland filled with abandoned buildings and rusted-out cars. The Salton Sea serves as a reminder of what can happen when humans try to tame nature.
4. Centralia Mine Fire – Pennsylvania
A coal mine fire that started in 1962 continues to burn underground in Centralia, Pennsylvania today. The ghost town that remains is eerily quiet except for the occasional sound of steam rising from fissures in the ground.
5. Michigan Central Station – Detroit, MI
One of Detroit’s most grandiose structures sits empty and decaying downtown: Michigan Central Station was built during a time when train travel was king but fell into disrepair after years of neglect following its closure.
6. Chernobyl Exclusion Zone – Ukraine
The site of one of history’s most catastrophic nuclear accidents remains mostly uninhabitable and unvisited by tourists despite being open for tours for several years now.
7. Battleship Island – Japan
Battleship Island (Hashima) used to be home to over 5000 people but after decades as an active coal mining island it became deserted overnight once oil replaced coal as Japan’s primary fuel source leaving behind an eerie collection of dilapidated buildings
8. Pripyat Amusement Park – Ukraine
The abandoned amusement park in Pripyat, Ukraine, is one of the most famous sites within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Its rusted-out Ferris wheel and bumper cars serve as a haunting reminder of what was once a bustling town.
9. Bannerman Castle – New York
Bannerman Island Arsenal was built to store ammunition and other military supplies but now lies in ruins after being left abandoned for many years on an island about 60 miles north of Manhattan.
10. Kolmanskop – Namibia
Kolmanskop is an abandoned diamond mining town located about 10 km inland from the port of Lüderitz which was abandoned by its residents due to declining diamond prices making it unprofitable.
11. Hashima Island – Japan
The island served as a coal mine until 1974 when it closed down leading to its abandonment ever since, known for its dense concentration of derelict buildings that can be seen from the ocean.
12. Hellingly Hospital – Sussex, UK
Hellingly Hospital opened in 1903 as an asylum for people with psychiatric disorders before closing down in 1994 leaving behind decaying wards and remnants of treatments used during those times
13. The Ruins of Detroit’s Packard Plant (again)
Detroit’s Packard plant appears twice on this list thanks to both its massive size and unique architecture that attracts urban explorers looking for something different than just old factories or warehouses.
14. North Brother Island – New York City
Once home to Riverside Hospital, North Brother Island has been uninhabited since the hospital closed down around half a century ago following decades serving as quarantine zone for contagious diseases like tuberculosis
15. Beelitz-Heilstätten Sanatorium – Germany
Beelitz-Heilstatten was originally built as sanatoriums catering mainly towards tuberculosis patients but later became notorious as Adolf Hitler was treated here during World War II. It’s now an abandoned ruin that attracts urban explorers looking for something different to explore in Germany.