From the ghost town near Chernobyl to, a remote location featured in Star Wars; These are 21 mysterious abandoned places!

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ESP
The Eastern State Penitentiary was opened in 1829 and was known as ESP … but it’s doubtful anyone foresaw the prison becoming the abandoned ruin it is today. In its time it was the most expensive and largest public structure ever built … and counted notorious criminals like Al Capone among it inmates. The prison was closed in 1971 … but since 1994, the location has been open for tours … and is a US National Historic Landmark.

Heavenly Sight
This picture by Anna Mika shows the ethereal image of sunlight streaming through the stained glass of an abandoned Orthodox church. While our sources indicate the church is located in Poland, we couldn’t obtain the exact location.

UFO City (san-zee)
Known as Sanzhi Pod City, these strange looking structures were built in 1978 … and were intended to comprise part of a futuristic holiday resort. But in 1980, the buildings were abandoned after a series of unfortunate events. Several strange deaths, including a number of car accidents and suicides occurred during construction. Some believe those untimely occurrences were a result of the park’s location … locals claimed that a burial site for Dutch soldiers was underneath the structures, and the area was haunted. We may never know … the odd pod resort was demolished by 2010.

American Star
This ocean liner was also known as the SS America, among many other appellations. Its career started in 1939 … but it wrecked during a thunderstorm in the Canary Islands. The rusted remnants have been breaking off into the sea since then … today, the ship’s remains can only be seen during low tide.

Buzludzha Monument (buz-lud-zuh)
This edifice was constructed by the Bulgarian Communist regime, and became the party’s headquarters. Found in the Central Balkan Mountains, the unique design is said to represent the ‘brutalist architectural style’ found in many communist buildings constructed by the state. There are additional monuments near the dome-shaped structure, which have all become popular destinations for urban explorers.

Gunkanjima (gunk-an-jeem-ah) (thumb)
The location is also called Hashima (ha-SHEEM-uh) … it’s an abandoned island about 9 miles from Nagasaki. It had been established in 1887, and was known for its undersea coal mines. Those mines became depleted in 1974, and the population of more than 5,000 departed soon after. The island was abandoned until the 2000s, when it became a type of tourist attraction. Hashima was opened to tourists in 2009, and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.

Varosha (vur-ROSH-ah)
It’s the abandoned southern quarter of the city of Famagusta (fa-ma-gust-ah) in Cyprus. At one time, it was considered one of the world’s premier tourist destinations, and was a favorite destination for stars like Elizabeth Taylor. But Turkish troops invaded the glamorous spot in 1974 … and the inhabitants fled. It’s remained abandoned ever since and is often described as a ghost town. The area is fenced off and is forbidden for the public to enter.

Skellig Michael
This island is located in County Kerry in Ireland … It was occupied continuously from the 6th to 8th centuries during which a Christian monastery was established. The location was abandoned in the late 12th century. Most of the island, including the monastery, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 … but today, the distinctive ruins might be best known for appearing with Luke Skywalker in the final scenes of ‘Star Wars:The Force Awakens’.

Pripyat (preep-yet), Ukraine
This town was named after the river … and built to serve the nearby Chernobyl (CHUR-noh-buhl) Nuclear Plant. The closed city was founded in 1970. Within 10 years it had a population of nearly 50,000. On April 27, 1986, the city was evacuated … a day after the Chernobyl Disaster. Some three decades later, images indicate how quickly the town was evacuated … as if the population simply disappeared in the midst of everyday activities. Although decrepit, items like furniture remain in place … rooms still appear to be decorated with placards or posters …children’s dolls and playthings can still be found at a kindergarten … and while various facilities have fallen victim to time, many buildings still seem to have their foundations intact. It truly does appear like a ghost town … and thanks to concerns over radiation levels, it will likely stay that way.