The world is filled with fascinating places that have a unique history. However, some places have a darker past than others. What if I told you that six million people were buried underneath the streets of Paris? Or that a forest in Japan has to have an annual body hunt each year because so many people commit suicide there? Or that there was a town in Ohio so dangerous that even the bravest of ghost hunters won’t go there? It’s all true. This Halloween, scare yourself silly with some of the world’s most terrifying trips…
Philadelphia
Eastern State Penitentiary
Philadelphia has a reputation as one of the USA’s most haunted cities. It’s previously been the location of popular horror films such as The Sixth Sense and it’s no surprise because the city has plenty of inspiration. Each year, the Eastern State Penitentiary hosts a ‘Terror Behind The Walls’ experience. The prison was known to be the most overcrowded and dangerous in the country and it’s now an ideal setting for a Halloween horror-fest thanks to its dark halls. The tour will take you through 13 rooms with performers aplenty. Plus, since the prison was abandoned back in 1971, reportings of ghostly goings-on have only increased…
Paris
paris catacombs
Often billed as the best-kept secret in Paris, The Catacombs are an underground experience that you’ll never forget. It’s advised that you book in advance as only 200 people are allowed down there at a time and the queue can get very long. Underneath the South of Paris, there are over 200km of tunnels where it is estimated the remains of six million people lie. An official tour is the only way to get down to the Catacombs, although in 2004, police found a fully equipped cinema and bar/restaurant in one of the caverns- it’s still unknown who was responsible or how the electricity was generated.
Pluckley, Kent
pluckley kent
Often billed as the ‘most haunted village in Britain’, Pluckley has long been the subject of TV documentaries. In fact, rumour has it that “TV psychic” and star of Most Haunted, Derek Acorah, mans the gates…that’s not true, however, the village is said to be home to 15 ghosts. Each year on Halloween, visitors descend to visit the Screaming Woods, where the screams of men and women lost amongst the trees are said to be heard. Even the local pub, the Blacksmith’s Arms, has several dead residents propping up the bar.
Helltown, Ohio
helltown ohio
Originally known as Boston Village, this small town in Ohio thrived until 1974, when the National Park Service was allowed to create a park in the county. Later that year, the service bought several homes with the intention of demolishing them, which led to rumours spreading that the Government was trying to cover up a chemical spill. The Government soon fell behind on the development plans, the properties were left untouched and many stories grew from the area. The village church became the home of Satanists, the abandoned bus became a hotspot for paranormal activity and the aforementioned ‘chemical spill’ resulted in a mutilated snake, the Peninsula Python. Is it true? probably not, but it’s a hell of a story.
Island of the Dolls, Mexico
island of the dolls
Just south of Mexico City, this unlikely tourist attraction is reachable by boat. Thousands of creepy, decayed dolls hang from the trees. It’s all down to one man, Don Julian Santana Barrera who fled to the island to live his days as a recluse before discovering the body of a young girl clutching a doll in the water. He began to hear screams so hung dolls from the trees to deter wayward spirits. Following his death, his family took over the island and now tourists can visit to hang their own dolls. However, there’s no evidence to say that Don Julian ever found a body…but he definitely found the dolls…
London
tower of london
The Tower of London may be one of London’s top tourist attractions today, but it is steeped in a rich and dark history. Most notably, during the 16th and 17th century, the Tower was used as a prison. Seven executions took place in the tower, but 112 occurred on the nearby Tower Hill. The most famous beheading was that of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s wife- she is said to walk around the White Tower, holding her head under her arm. Since then, many night-time staff are reported to have witnessed Anne Boleyn and many others in the Tower’s extensive grounds.
Hashima Island
hashima island
Hashima Island is known as a forgotten world. Until 1974, it was a thriving mining facility, but the mine closed down and many of its residents left the island behind. It was closed off to the public until 2009, but tours are still limited. When you ask someone in Japan about the island, you may be met with a look of embarrassment, and this is because it was allegedly used as a location for Korean slave labour. One historian said that there ‘is something not quite right about the place’ as there is ‘death and decay’ everywhere.
Edinburgh
edinburgh castle
At the head of Edinburgh’s old town stands a majestic castle, built in the 12th century. Visitors flock to encase themselves in the castle’s rich military and royal history, but there are far more spooky stories lurking beneath the surface. The castle was the location for several bloodthirsty battles and tales of torture. Since then, hundreds of visitors and staff have reported sights of shadowed figures, apparitions and drops in temperature. Amongst the most commonly spotted are a headless drummer and a phantom piper.
Japan
forest japan
Aokigahara Forest in Japan is the second most popular place for people to commit suicide- behind the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge- and each year, a group of volunteers embark on a body hunt. The forest is nestled at the bottom of Mt. Fuji and its claimed that as many as 100 people per year have made the tragic decision to end their lives there. The most eerie thing about the forest is that the trees are packed so closely together that the wind can’t break through, so the only sound you’ll hear is your footsteps.
Parma, Italy
parma baglione
An abandoned psychiatric hospital is already relatively creepy, but when you add to it some shadows painted by a street artist, the location becomes even creepier. That’s the case for the abandoned hospital in Parma, where the Brazilian artist Baglione chose to continue his project-1000 shadows- painting black figures amongst wheelchairs and decaying walls.
Lancashire
pendle hill
Just east of Lancashire lies Pendle Hill. It stands tall in the sky for visitors to the area but it has a story shrouded in the witchcraft of the 17th century. The Pendle Witch Trials were the most famous of the era, with all but one witch was found guilty and hung on the hill. Each year at Halloween, many visitors climb it in search of the story.
Sedlec Ossuary, Czech Republic
Sedlec Ossuary
This small Roman church is known locally as the Skull Church. It’s one of the Czech Republic’s 12 World Heritage Sites. It contains the skeletons of around 40,000-70,000 people and all of the bones have been arranged in an artistic fashion to make for some unusual decor. Over 200,000 visitors visit the church each year and it is truly fascinating, yet gruesome and creepy at the same time.
Moundsville, West Virginia
west virginia state penitentiary
West Virginia State Penitentiary: This Gothic-style prison operated from 1876-1995 and is open as a tourist attraction today. Over 100 executions have taken place there and the tiny cells were once home to three prisoners at a time. However, the owners take the macabre interest in the prison a step further and you can actually spend the night there- if you dare. After a short tour and documentary, you’re free to roam the prison as you wish, all under the light of darkness. What could be more terrifying than that? If you’re still not convinced, consider the rumours that the prison is built on a Native American Burial Ground…
Happy Halloween!
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