Top Lists
Beautiful Abandoned Places Around The World
Abandoned places have a special charm, revealing the fascinating allure that time and disregard can bring to human creations. Whether it’s crumbling castles or forsaken villages, these deserted locations provide a window into history, leaving us with a mix of curiosity and sadness.
Come along with us as we discover a handpicked selection of incredibly breathtaking abandoned places scattered across the globe.
1. Power Plant IM, Belgium
THEN
NOW
This power plant company is one of the most truly beautiful abandoned places around the world. Belgium has two nuclear power plants that generate 5,761 MWe of electricity. These power plants contributed to 51.3% of the country’s electricity consumption in 2016, which is equivalent to 41 TWh per year. The first commercial nuclear power plant in Belgium started operating in 1974. However, the country has decided to phase out nuclear power completely by 2025. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, Belgium has postponed the closure of two reactors for an additional 10 years.
There is a coal-operated plant in Charleroi, Belgium, which operated from the 1920s until 2007. The plant was responsible for emitting excessive CO2 emissions in Belgium. Although it is currently scheduled for demolition, it has become a popular target for metal thieves in the meantime.
2. Muromtsevo Mansion, Muromtsevo, Russia
THEN
NOW
Step into this mansion and you’ll feel like you’ve entered a fairytale castle. However, upon closer inspection, the toll of time becomes evident. Constructed over a span of five years, this extravagant mansion boasts an impressive 80 rooms and was finally finished in 1889. In a bid to safeguard it from looting during the Russian Revolution, the owner selflessly handed it over to the state.
From there, it transformed into a college and later served as a hospital before falling into complete abandonment. Just like countless other forsaken structures, nature has seized the opportunity to reclaim its territory, as greenery slowly engulfs the stones and ancient paths once frequented by visitors.
3. Cape Romano dome homes, Florida
THEN
NOW
The Cape Romano Dome House, located off the coast of Cape Romano Island in Florida, is an abandoned house made up of six domes on stilts. These domes were built in 1982 by retired oil producer Bob Lee and have changed ownership multiple times. Currently owned by the state of Florida since 2018, the house became submerged underwater during Hurricane Ian on September 28, 2022.
If you’ve watched the movie Waterworld, you might find these domes off the coast of Florida quite similar. The Cape Romano Dome House consists of six separate domes on stilts, situated 300 feet away from Cape Romano Island.
4. Hashima Island (Battleship Island), Nagasaki, Japan
Hashima Island, also known as Battleship Island, is a small deserted island located about 15 kilometers away from the center of Nagasaki, Japan. It is one of many uninhabited islands in Nagasaki Prefecture. The island is characterized by its abandoned concrete buildings and intact seawall, which have been untouched by humans but shaped by nature. While it represents Japan’s rapid industrialization, it also serves as a reminder of the forced labor and war crimes committed during World War II.
The island covers an area of 6.3 hectares and was once renowned for its coal mines, established in 1887, which played a significant role in Japan’s industrial development. In its prime, the island was home to 5,259 residents in 1959. However, as the coal reserves dwindled, the mine closed in 1974, prompting all residents to leave the island. For the next three decades, it remained abandoned.
5. The Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse, Denmark
THEN
NOW
This is one of the most truly beautiful abandoned places around the World. The Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse is located on the coast of the North Sea in Rubjerg, Denmark. It was built in 1899 and first lit on December 27, 1900. The lighthouse stands on a tall sand dune, about 200 feet above the North Sea.
Over time, wind and erosion caused the area around the lighthouse to become sand dunes, leading to its closure in 1968. From 1980 to 2002, it operated as a museum and coffee shop but was eventually abandoned due to the encroaching sands. In October 2019, the lighthouse was moved over 200 feet away from the coastline to prevent it from falling into the ocean. Visitors can still walk along the beach and see the lighthouse for free.
6. El Hotel del Salto, Colombia
THEN
NOW
Tequendama Falls is an upcoming museum in San Antonio del Tequendama, Colombia. The building was constructed as a mansion in 1923, as a symbol of the joy and elegance of the elite citizens of the 20s. Later in July 1950, the building was reconstructed into an eighteen-story hotel. The hotel was then abandoned in the 90s for more than two decades due to river contamination. Now, it is a major tourist attraction. The thousands of tourists who visit the area to admire the 157 meters (515 feet) tall waterfall and the surrounding nature, make a stop at another nearby landmark as well, the abandoned Hotel del Salto. Situated just opposite the waterfall and on the edge of the cliff. It provided a breathtaking view to its guests.
7. Talisay Mansion, Talisay City, Philippines
THEN
NOW
Tailay is one of the most truly beautiful abandoned places in the World. The Ruins in Talisay, Negros Occidental, Philippines, remains of a mansion that belonged to the family of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson and Maria Braga Lacson. It was constructed in the early 1900s, taking inspiration from Italian architecture.
The mansion was situated on a 440-hectare sugar plantation in Talisay City and was built as a tribute to Maria Braga Lacson, who passed away while giving birth to their eighth child. During World War II, Filipino guerillas, working with the US Army, burned the mansion for three days to prevent its use as a military headquarters by the Japanese. Since then, the mansion has been left in its ruined state and has become a popular tourist attraction in the area.
8. Tillamook Rock Light
THEN
NOW
Tillamook Rock Light, also known as Terrible Tilly or just Tilly, is a lighthouse in northern Oregon, USA. It sits on a small basalt rock in the Pacific Ocean, about 1.2 miles offshore from Tillamook Head and 20 miles south of the Columbia River near Astoria. The construction of the lighthouse was authorized by the US Congress in 1878 and took over 500 days to finish. Before its completion in January 1881, a ship called Lupatia sank near the rock during foggy weather, resulting in the loss of all 16 crew members.
Over the years, storms and the ocean have damaged the structure, destroyed the lens, and eroded the rock. The light was decommissioned in 1957 and has changed hands several times as a privately owned property. Its license was revoked in 1999, and since the 1980s, it has been used as a columbarium. Today, Tillamook Rock Light is privately owned and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The lighthouse can be seen from the coastal cities of Seaside and Cannon Beach, as well as from Ecola State Park.
9. Six Flags New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana
THEN
NOW
Six Flags New Orleans is an abandoned theme park in New Orleans, located near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Interstate 510. It opened as Jazzland in 2000 and was taken over by Six Flags in 2002. Six Flags invested $20 million to upgrade the park, which reopened as Six Flags New Orleans in 2003. After Hurricane Katrina caused significant damage in 2005, the park closed for repairs. However, in 2009, the lease between Six Flags and the city ended, and the park had to permanently close due to irreparable damage.
10. Sarajevo Olympic Luge Track, Bosnia and Herzegovina
THEN
NOW
Sarajevo Olympic Bobsleigh and Luge Track, a stunning abandoned site, has made it to the top 10 list of beautiful abandoned places worldwide. It was originally constructed for the 1984 Winter Olympics, this track, situated on Mount Trebević, faced unfortunate destruction during the Bosnian War in the 1990s. However, efforts are currently underway to restore and revive the track, aiming to bring back its former glory as a thrilling symbol of adventure and exhilaration.