16 abandoned places that have become ‘must-see’ tourist attractions

Abandoned places can be creepy, but fascinating. These spaces, whether an old high school, a rundown house, or a shipwreck, can deliver a thrill, but also a peek into the past. And there are some unique sites around the world that give visitors an unforgettable experience.

From Italy to Australia to Curaçao, some of the destinations on this list sat empty for decades— even centuries — before becoming popular tourist attractions.

Located in the Thames Estuary, these metal towers were installed in 1942 to help protect London from sea raids and air raids during World War II. They were decommissioned in the 1950s and were used as radio operators for years. Initially, the forts consisted of seven towers connected by steel walkways; now there are fewer of them, and the walkways are no longer safe. The only way to visit the forts, although you can’t go inside, is via a boat ride off the coast of the UK.

The SS Ayrfield shipwreck is one of several vessels that sit in Sydney Harbour. The ship was originally in service for 60 years before it was used to transport supplies to U.S. troops in the Pacific during World War II. After it was retired, it was used to move coal in Australia. In 1972, the SS Ayrfield was decommissioned and sent to the wrecking yard, which shortly after went out of business, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The ship was left floating in the bay, then it partially sank and started to rest. Eventually, mangroves began growing out of the middle of it, and now it serves as a tourist attraction and is accessible via private boats.

Poveglia is a small island located between Venice and Lido, Italy. For over 100 years, the island was used as a quarantine station for those suffering from the plague and other diseases. It was eventually turned into a mental hospital, which closed in 1968. The island has been vacant ever since and is known for its paranormal activity.

The Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse is located on the coast of the North Sea in Denmark. It was first lit in 1900 and was operating until 1968. Over the years, the lighthouse was used as a museum and a coffee shop, but erosion from the sea forced that to come to a halt. The lighthouse was expected to fall into the water by 2023, but in 2019, it was relocated 230 feet inland, allowing it to be safe until at least 2060. It is a popular tourist destination that attracts around 250,000 people annually, according to the BBC.

Located on the eastern coast of China, over 5,000 miles away from Paris, is Tianducheng, known as the “Paris of the East.” The luxury real estate development was designed to emulate the City of Lights, featuring its own Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, and a 354-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower. Many of the homes remain vacant but the city still attracts many Chinese and international tourists, according to National Geographic.

In southern Africa’s Namib Desert is the ghost town of Kolmanskop. The town was originally known for its discovery of diamonds. In the 1930s, intensive mining depleted the area, and by 1956, it was abandoned entirely, according to National Geographic. The sand dunes eventually took over and now fill the houses where people once lived. In 2002, a local private company was granted access to Kolmanskop as a tourist destination. It now welcomes as many as 35,000 tourist visits a year.

The Beelitz-Heilstätten Hospital complex was an over 100-year-old hospital that served the military during both World War I and World War II. It was once the largest treatment center in the world for lung diseases, but has been abandoned for 25 years since the former Soviet Union military left the site in 1995.

Outside the small town of Rummu are the ruins of an abandoned prison camp that now serve as a beach attraction. The former Soviet Union originally built the prison near a limestone quarry where inmates were forced to work. When Estonia regained its independence in 1991, the prison and the quarry were abandoned. The natural groundwater eventually seeped into the former quarry, creating a new lake that swallowed some of the buildings. Part of the former prison can still be seen from the land. It is known as a hot spot for divers looking for the sunken ruins underwater.