If you have the streak of being adventurous and curious, you would most likely wish to visit any of these places. Which among the following ghost towns intrigues you the most?
Kolmanskop, Namibia
By early 1900, this town was superbly rich, with its diamond-mining industry giving enormous wealth to the first inhabitants. The residents built the village in impressive architectural styles that include hospitals, power stations, theaters and casinos. But the town started to decline after World War I when the diamond field slowly started to run out of its pricey resources. By the early 30s, the area was on a complete downturn, which gradually led the residents fleeing into other towns.
Tyneham, England
The village and its 7,500 acres of surrounding heathland and chalk downland were taken over by military forces just before Christmas of 1943. This was just supposed to be only temporary for the duration of World War II but in 1948, the Army placed a compulsory purchase order on the land and it has remained in use for military training ever since. Tyneham is a ghost village due to the fierceness of wars and is now one of a handful of parishes in England with a population of zero.
Varosha, Cyprus
When the Turkish Army gained control of the area during their invasion of Cyprus in 1970, they fenced it off and have since prevented admittance to anyone except the Turkish military and some selected United Nations personnel. This escalated into even greater conflicts which eventually forced its inhabitants to abandon the place. In the absence of human habitation and maintenance, buildings continue to decay. On the upside, nature is reclaiming the area. As metal corrodes and windows break, plants work their roots into the walls and pavement. This gives Varosha a distinct appeal for tourists.
Humberstone and Santa Laura Works, Chile
These are two former saltpeter refineries — establishments that produce Potassium Nitrate, a natural solid source of nitrogen. The tandem became one of the most successful saltpeter works in 1940, producing great wealth for Chile. But both establishments were deserted in 1960 after a rapid decline in 1958. In 1970, they were officially called towns and were regarded as national monuments open for tourism. In 2005 they were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Kowloon Walled City, Hong Kong
Most ghost towns are either abandoned by their residents due to natural disasters or to economical collapse. This one is triggered by something else – It has a crime rate that is just too tough to handle which eventually led to its own implosion. From the 1950s to the 1970s, it was controlled by local triads and had high rates of prostitution, gambling, and drug abuse. Kowloon has been featured heavily in a lot of movies, video games, and documentaries… where it is depicted as a place where human decadence could be far worse than natural destruction.
The following locations can be easily declared as nature’s artwork at its finest. Which among these places is the most surreal artwork on the planet?
Waitomo Caves
Geological and volcanic activity has created around 300 known limestone caves in the Waitomo region over the last 30 million years. Upon entering, no visitor would ever leave unimpressed by the twinkling glow coming from the ceiling. Such spectacle is due to Arachnocampaluminosa, a glowworm species found exclusively in New Zealand. The Waitomo Caves remain the most fascinating tourist spot in the country today.
McMurdo Dry Valley
Contrary to popular belief, Antarctica is not all snowy and white. Some areas of it are actually surreal, super-dry lands, and the valley of McMurdo is one such example. It was chosen by NASA as a testing site for the Viking Mission because its environment closely resembles the landscape of Mars. It looks parched and lifeless but blended with some of Antarctica's lighting and atmosphere, it is nonetheless aesthetic.
Rio Tinto
Believed to be the cradle of the Bronze and Copper Ages, this river is literally dyed red due to 5,000 years of mining activity. Like the Valley of McMurdo, Rio Tinto is also one of NASA’s hotspots for Mars research. It is supposed to be drainage for wastes, but it turned out to be a natural painting that now brings in countless tourists and spectators from various parts of the world.
Vale Da Lua
Because of the strangely-shaped rocks formed by the river and ancient lava flows, they would make the common man think that they were in fact objects from the moon. In truth, however, such bizarre-looking rocks were a result of millions of years of water sculpting. Ask anyone living near Chapada Brazil for a great tourist spot, and Vale Da Lua would be their answer.
Tunnel of Love Railway
Most tunnels are made of rock or soil. But here is something strange and unique near Klevan, Ukraine – a tunnel made of leaves and branches. Nature didn’t exactly create it, as it is shaped by traveling trains for years. However, it can’t be denied that it is truly an unintentional, amazing work of art. It is now a favorite spot for romantic couples not only by Ukrainians but for other lovers all over the world as well.
Why such places are limited to these only..!?