These forgotten landscapes, to be alive with human activity, are now quiet and motionless, overtaken by decay and overgrowth. Nature creates its own masterpiece among decaying crumbling buildings and forgotten streets, weaving vines through broken windows and reclaiming once-manicured gardens with wild greenery and other elements. These abandoned places have a frighteningly fascinating appeal, with the juxtaposition of natural beauty and decay creating amazement.
Here are 5 most stunning abandoned places in the world
1. Bodie, California
Bodie, which had 10,000 people at one point, saw a boom in the 1870s and 1880s after gold was discovered in the hills around Mono Lake. Some of the town’s structures, such as tables with place settings and stores filled with supplies, have been kept in a condition of “arrested decay” and are now part of the state of the Historic Park.
2. Dhanushkodi, India
The ghost town of Dhanushkodi, situated at the southeast tip of India, is rich in tragedy and legend. It was once a bustling port town until a cyclone destroyed much of the town in 1964, leaving it uninhabitable. Dhanushkodi is now a hauntingly beautiful stretch of lonely streets and abandoned houses surrounding the azure beaches of the Bay of Bengal and the blue waters of the Indian Ocean.
3. Power Plant IM, Belgium
After it was first constructed in 1921, the Power Plant IM in Charleroi was one of Belgium’s biggest coal-burning power plants. In its days, its huge cooling tower could cool 480,000 gallons of water per minute. However, big power also means great pollution, and this one plant was accountable for 10% of the nation’s total carbon dioxide emissions. After protests by Greenpeace, the site was shut down in 2007. Even though the abandoned towers don’t generate any energy anymore, they still provide plenty of stunningly gorgeous views.
4. Kolmanskop, Namibia
Before the early 20th century, Kolmanskop was a famous diamond mining town, but when diamond prices crashed, the town was abandoned. The dilapidated buildings, which are now partially buried in sand dunes, show the surrounding desert landscape, producing a strange but intriguing scene.
5. Houtouwan Village, China
Houtouwan Village, on Shengshan Island off the coast of China, used to be a bustling fishing village. The village was abandoned in the early 2000s as people fled to larger cities in pursuit of greater opportunities and nature has since reclaimed it. Its rotting homes are surrounded by greenery, resulting in a bizarre and attractive landscape that has captivated photographers and travellers alike.
