There are places in the world that are shrouded in creepy stories and an atmosphere of horror. The breath of death is clearly felt there, and even in thrill-seekers the blood grows cold. In our review of the 10 scariest places on our planet that attract and frighten at the same time, reminding us that life is fleeting.
1. Titanic Cemetery, Halifax, Canada
When the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912, search and rescue teams from Halifax, Nova Scotia, were sent to the crash site to provide assistance. Many of the bodies of the deceased (mostly crew members and third-class passengers) were brought to Halifax and buried there. Fern Lone Cemetery became the final resting place for 121 passengers of the Titanic. Also, many victims of the shipwreck are buried in the nearby Jewish cemetery of Baron de Hirsch. Halifax is home to the Atlantic Maritime Museum, which displays a number of items lifted from the Titanic.
2. Kehlsteinhaus (Hitler's Eagle's Nest), Berchtesgaten, Germany
Kehlsteinhaus was built on the top of the mountain as a 50th birthday present for Adolf Hitler on April 20, 1939. The dignitaries used to have recreation here and used this place for entertainment. The chalet's furnishings were incredibly rich, and it cost (in modern terms) 150 million euros ($ 115 million). And the chalet could be accessed by an elevator that passed through a 120-meter shaft drilled into the mountain. The construction of this one mine cost the lives of 12 workers. It is believed that Hitler visited Kehlsteinhaus only 14 times in 6 years, preferring the nearby Berghof residence.
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3. Chele-Kula (Tower of Skulls), Nis, Serbia
The Serbian city of Niš is known as the site of the first Serbian uprising against the Ottoman Empire. In 1809, 36,000 Turkish soldiers invaded the city and the rebels actually suffered. But rebel leader Steven Sindelic, unwilling to surrender, fired a gun into the powder barrels, which led to a powerful explosion, which killed both his soldiers and the Turkish invaders. In retaliation, the enraged Turkish command built the Cheli-Kula or "tower of skulls". The Turks decapitated the bodies of the Serbs and from 952 skulls they built a 15-meter tower at the entrance to the city, and Sindelic's skull was erected on its top. The scalps were removed and sent to Istanbul as proof of victory. Over the years, many of the skulls were removed from the tower by relatives and buried; currently, there are only 58 skulls in the tower.
4. Museum of the atomic bomb, Nagasaki, Japan
The Atomic Bomb Museum is located right in the former epicenter where the atomic bomb exploded on August 9, 1945, instantly killing 74,000 people and injuring hundreds of thousands. The museum displays photographs of victims and video interviews with survivors. Other exhibits include glasses with molten lenses, rice from a child's lunch box caked into a black lump, and a clock that stopped at 11:02 - the exact moment of the explosion. From the museum, you can go down the outer stairs to the epicenter of the explosion, on which a black stone column with a statue of an angel is installed.
5. Imperial Crypt, Vienna, Austria
Most of the members of the Habsburg royal family rest in the imperial crypt under the Capuchin church in Vienna. It opened in 1633, and almost all Habsburgs, including 12 emperors and 19 empresses, found their last refuge here. Many of the bronze coffins are incredibly richly decorated and covered with carved angels, skulls and crowns. Otto von Habsburg and his wife were the last to be buried in the crypt in 2011.
6. Library and Museum of Pathological Anatomy, Brooklyn, New York
Pathological Anatomy is a collection of eerie and strange rarities dedicated to the places where death and beauty intersect. Opened in 2008, the museum displays medical specimens, stuffed animals and other eerie exhibits. During the tour, visitors can make their own hat from chicken parts or a diorama with stuffed mice in tiny costumes.
7. Ruins of Pompeii, Naples, Italy
In Roman times, Pompeii was an elegant resort town where famous people loved to relax. But after the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, when it rained from ash on the city for six hours in a row, the city was buried under a thick layer of ash, and all people died. The ash preservation effect caused Pompeii to “freeze in time”. Almost 2,000 years later, you can wander the streets of this once vibrant city, enter its buildings and explore the preserved works of art. The most eerie sights are casts of approximately 2,000 inhabitants of Pompeii, which were made by pouring gypsum into ash solidified in the form of dead bodies. Many of these victims remained forever with their hands up, in a desperate and futile attempt to save themselves from the rain of fire.
8. Laguna Truk, Chuuk Islands, Micronesia
On August 17, 1944, Allied forces launched Operation Hailstorm, attacking Japanese forces based in Micronesian waters. More than 50 ships and 240 aircraft were sent to the bottom of the sea, killing 3,000 people. Today it is an exciting and eerie underwater cemetery. Much of the wreck remains intact, with some at a depth of just 4.5 meters, making the lagoon incredibly popular with divers and snorkelers.
9. Magic Market Akodesseva, Lome, Togo
In the Akodesseva magic market in West Africa, you can find anything you want for voodoo witchcraft. The tables are littered with various animal parts - from crocodile heads to monkey paws. Voodoo followers believe that with the help of these items you can solve any problem - from infertility to weakness syndrome. The medicine is a black powder made by crushing animal skulls mixed with herbs. Sorcerers recommend rubbing the drug into the incisions made in the patient's back or chest.
10. Tel Farm, University of Tennessee, USA
Despite the fact that the official name of this place is the Anthropological Research Institute at the University of Tennessee, it is much better known as "body farm". On an area of 1 hectare, you can always find up to 40 bodies of people. Carcasses decompose naturally, and the rate of decomposition and the effects of factors such as weather and insect activity are carefully controlled. Bodies can be left on the ground, buried, lowered under water, or even placed in the trunk of a car in order to simulate different circumstances. The body farm is also used as a training ground for learning about crime scene investigation techniques.
