25 Abandoned But Beautiful Places
Nothing to see here, except a TU-144 supersonic jet in the courtyard on the outskirts of Kazan City.
Many interesting places around the world have been abandoned or destroyed for various reasons. Some of these places were picturesque or entertaining, like the amusement parks where large crowds once came to spend their vacations. Aside from abandoned vacation destinations, we also find some that are beautifully derelict homes and wrecked vehicles (cars, planes, boats, etc.) that leave us intrigued by the details and stories behind these remnants of the past. Why would anyone park a TU-144 supersonic jet in the yard? And better still, why abandon it?
It seems that someone tried to hide it for some reason. It was discovered by people just passing by. Then word spread, and photographers began taking videos and photos using drones. Some even filmed the jet starting up and activated certain moving parts, meaning the vehicle is still running. At least partially. It’s amazing what some people keep in their garden.
An incredible view in autumn in Germany
How incredible! Here’s a 19th-century bridge in Germany that forms a complete circle when light hits it, causing a reflection on the water. It’s particularly beautiful in autumn, but remains very picturesque in all seasons.
Imagine yourself in a small boat or canoe with your partner in this beautiful place. What a splendid painting that would make! Or even a jigsaw puzzle, more specifically a Thomas Kinkade jigsaw that you’d have to turn 90° to finish.
A devastated store in Fukushima
A supermarket (one of many stores and other homes) that was abandoned after one of the biggest disasters in Japan’s history. In March 2011, an earthquake followed by a tsunami struck the region, prompting the evacuation of over 300,000 people. The disaster damaged a nuclear power plant and caused a radioactive leak, forcing the evacuation of the entire city of Fukushima.
Today, Fukushima is nothing more than a ghost town. Residents were forced to flee so suddenly and leave their entire lives behind, seeking (what they thought was) temporary shelter. But, of course, it was more a case of starting a whole new life.
The Christ of the Abyss at San Fruttuoso in Italy
It’s amazing what you can find at the bottom of the ocean. This bronze statue is part of a set of three statues that have been sculpted and placed in the water, depicting Jesus offering his blessing of peace on Paradise.
This first statue was made in Italy in 1954, and placed near the spot where Dario Gonzatti, the first Italian to use diving equipment, died in 1947. Due to a significant amount of corrosion and shellfish, it was removed and restored in 2003. After restoration, the statue was returned to the sea in July 2004.
An eerily beautiful cottage set in a splendid yellowing forest in Stradbally, Ireland
Near Stradbally in Ireland lies a magnificent cottage in the middle of a yellowing forest, probably built in the 1800s or 1900s. The superb blue roof is definitely unique. It’s a nice place to visit to get away from the hustle and bustle of life. But unless you’re a hermit, it’s not a realistic place to settle down for good.
After a while, the echoes through the forest would become a little frightening. But for a weekend getaway, it could prove fascinating. A little mystery to spice up your life.
A big wheel abandoned in an amusement park in Japan
This gigantic Ferris wheel is just one of the attractions to be found in the abandoned Kejonuma Leisure Land amusement park, which opened in 1979. At that time, there were over 200,000 visitors every year. The park offered various forms of accommodation: camping sites and small cabins.
If that wasn’t your cup of tea, there was also a hotel for those who didn’t love the great outdoors. Although the park closed in 2000, the owner didn’t completely abandon the place. He began drilling for hot water on his property.
Cars left by American soldiers in the Châtillon car cemetery in Belgium
Châtillon is a small village in southern Belgium. The cars in this cemetery once belonged to American soldiers who were allocated vehicles in the country during the Second World War. But once the war was over and the soldiers had returned home, it was too expensive to send them back to the USA.
So the officers decided to leave them in Belgium, and parked them on a hilltop out of sight. It was up to each soldier to decide whether he wanted his car shipped home to his homeland, but only out of their own pockets. No one agreed to take their car home.
Ash and smoke from Mount Sinabung volcano fill the sky above an abandoned church during an eruption in Karo, Indonesia.
After several eruptions of the Mount Sinabung volcano in recent years, the surrounding area now has several abandoned houses and buildings, including this church. Thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes in June 2015 when another eruption broke out. Living on the slopes surrounding Mount Sinabung has proved to be very dangerous.
The villagers were forced to abandon everything, not only their homes but also their livelihoods, in order to be relocated to refugee camps. Despite the eruptions and dangerous living conditions, many are ready to return to their villages with the determination to reclaim their old lives.
Selma, the abandoned plantation in Virginia
Selma Plantation was once a very socially active place. The original owners died prematurely, and the plantation has since passed from hand to hand. At one time, a fire destroyed the original house, but the new owner restored it and breathed new life into it. Eventually, the house was completely abandoned and fell into disrepair as nature reclaimed the broken floors and mold grew on the walls.
Even birds flew through the residence. Not only has the house been abandoned, but a grand piano can also be found there. However, new information reveals that a new owner began renovation work in 2016. It would be interesting to see the progress of these.
A fishing hut on a lake in Germany
This abandoned fishing hut in Germany is located in a beautiful mountainous region in the Berchtesgaden National Park. It was built on the waters of Lake Obersee. Unfortunately, when it was discovered, it was completely empty. No information was found to determine its owners.
It was most likely an active place for fishermen to indulge in their activity against the breathtaking backdrop of the German Alps. A place to get away from it all and enjoy the solitude, with only the echo of the mountains and the sounds of nature as your companions, while waiting for THE big one to be caught on your hook.
A yellow house abandoned in the middle of Nova Scotia
The photo of this old, abandoned yellow house looks like something you might see in a suspense film such as Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. With all the dandelions and the yellow color of the building (which could use a facelift), you’d have to be a real lover of color to live there. But it was surely abandoned, not because of the yellow, but rather because of the region’s economy.
Many Nova Scotia communities don’t have the opportunity to evolve. So, as adults, the youngest leave in search of greener pastures, and there’s no one left to leave the houses to. As a result, everything ends up being abandoned once the parents have passed away.
This Beetle is part of an aquatic museum in Cancún, Mexico.
This little Beetle is part of an aquatic museum in Cancún. If you like snorkeling or diving, this is a great place to add to your list. For those who don’t have the courage or ability to snorkel, you can also get there by glass-bottomed boat. What an incredible view – all those sculptures underwater.
In all, there are over 500 works of art to view. This particular sculpture is a life-size copy of the Classic Volkswagen Beetle, housing underwater life while being fun for divers.
A derelict space shuttle at the Baikonur Cosmodrome
This cosmodrome was a secret site built by Russia in the Kazakhstan region, unbeknownst to the West. It was from the Baikonur Cosmodrome that the first cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, was sent into space in April 1961. The “Buron” flew just once, in November 1988. The aim was to send 30 tonnes into space, then return 20 tonnes to Earth.
Preparations for the test flight into space included 24 tests on Earth, 15 of which were fully automatic. The cabin was designed to accommodate six passengers, with room for a few more in the cargo area. The program was “frozen” in 1991 when the Communist government collapsed and the nation was divided into several countries.
A storm approaches an old abandoned farmhouse with a strangely well-kept lawn in Ontario.
This photo of an old abandoned farmhouse is a real mystery. How is it possible to grow such perfectly green grass with clearly dead trees all around? Especially in the middle of Canada! And, for the sake of argument: who would take such good care of the lawn while neglecting the house, letting it fall into ruin?
More questions than answers, but the scene makes a fascinating photo to frame and hang in your home or art gallery. Especially with the element of storm lurking on the horizon.
A Russian shipwreck in the Red Sea
There have been many shipwrecks in the Red Sea. But one in particular could be dubbed the “Russian shipwreck”. It was discovered in 1988 and is thought to have been a fishing trawler named Khanka.
It is thought that the Russians used fishing trawlers for surveillance and communication. A lot of communications equipment such as electronics and batteries were found inside. This boat was probably used as a spy boat.
The last house on Holland Island, U.S.A.
By 1910, Holland Island was thriving with its 360 inhabitants and was considered the most inhabited island in Chesapeake Bay. Apart from homes like this Victorian, there were other houses, stores, a school and a church. But the island had a problem: erosion. Erosion was gradually nibbling away at the island, causing great concern among the residents. In 1914, they had stones delivered to try and build walls. They even tried sinking ships to slow the process, but nothing worked.
Most residents destroyed their homes and moved inland. Then, in 1918, a tropical storm hit and damaged the church. In 1922, the few remaining residents left after the church closed. In 1995, one man tried for 15 years to restore the church.
The abandoned home of Bulgarian industrialist Pencho Semov
Nicknamed “the Bulgarian Rockefeller”, he was Bulgaria’s first billionaire. Mr. Semov was born in a village near Gabrovo and went from a boy living in poverty to a billionaire thanks to commerce, the banking system and more. Two years before his death, he wrote his will, stating that he wanted his house turned into a retirement home and two other buildings in his possession turned into schools for girls.
One of these, free of charge, was for penniless girls, while the other school was for wealthy girls who would have to pay small fees. Sadly, when he died in 1945, his wishes were not respected. All the resources he had saved for his charities were blocked by the government, and the mansion was used as a hospital for tuberculosis patients.
Oldest British warship found in Ontario’s Great Lakes
The H.M.S. Ontario, a British warship that sank in 1780, is the oldest British ship ever found in the Great Lakes. It was discovered between Niagara and Rochester in 2008 and was virtually intact. It sank during a storm in which 130 people lost their lives.
Jim Kennard had begun searching for the boat 35 years earlier, but had met with no success. That is, until he teamed up with Dan Scoville to search for submerged ships. Together, it took them just three years to find this relic.
Police motorcycle cemetery (Harley-Davidson)
These Harleys were previously owned by the Puente Piedra National Police, located in Lima, Peru. Due to budgetary concerns for operation and/or maintenance, the motorcycles were taken off the road. Some of these vehicles were sold wholesale by enthusiasts of the brand, due to the impossibility of finding spare parts as there were no dealers in the region.
So, in order to have a good motorcycle, they needed to use several other bikes. Their auction price was $1,300, but those who bought them in bulk to recreate a drinkable one were able to resell them for $12,000.
An abandoned railroad bridge in Pittsburgh
This is one of the many abandoned railroad bridges in Pennsylvania. Many were abandoned because they were no longer needed once automobiles became the most popular means of transportation. Rail travel became the exception, not the rule.
Because of this new system of travel, many of these rail bridges were left to decay, with no funding to maintain them. Some were probably damaged and would have cost a fortune to repair.
Lightning over an abandoned house in Nebraska, USA
This photo was taken by a photographer in 2015 during a thunderstorm. He managed to capture the moment at the perfect time. Sitting in his car, the photographer had no idea of the intensity of the lightning that would follow.
Another interesting thing to note is that there are no trees in sight: what was the target of the lightning? It’s a wonderful photo and, with the addition of that intimidating sky, you tend to forget that there’s an abandoned house right in the middle of it. What a contrast!
A hotel abandoned in Colombia when the Bogotá River was contaminated by industrial waste
It was once a splendid hotel surrounded by Colombia’s majestic mountains. Situated atop a cliff, overlooking an invigorating waterfall, it was the perfect place to spend a vacation.
But, sadly, it all came to an end when the Bogotá River became contaminated with industrial waste. As a result, the flow of visitors came to a standstill, to the point where the hotel declared bankruptcy and was forced to close forever.
A beautiful image of the old Helensburgh railway tunnel in Australia
This tunnel was one of seven built in the 1880s to provide passage through the hilly region between Waterfall and Otford. It was abandoned in 1920 when a double track became more necessary than a single track for steam locomotives. They then built a new double track at a different location and closed the tunnel.
Legends surround this and the other tunnels, giving them a certain mystery and beauty of their own. Until it was vandalized, visitors were allowed to tour the tunnel. They were advised to bring torches and boots, as the place was very muddy. After dark, glow worms can be seen illuminating the square.
