The creepier the lore, the better! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the scariest or most dangerous locations across the globe.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 "It looks like a scene from a horror movie.
00:02 Hundreds of dolls strung up and hanging from trees."
00:06 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the scariest or most dangerous locations across the globe.
00:13 The creepier the lore, the better.
00:15 "I was looking down, I was looking around, and it looked like a doorway to hell."
00:26 It's hard to believe that such a beautiful location could have such a dark history.
00:30 Completed in the mid-1890s, the Overton Bridge in Weston, Bartonshire, Scotland operated smoothly for decades,
00:36 until a strange phenomenon started occurring.
00:39 Several dogs began leaping from the structure to their own demise,
00:43 which eventually earned it the nickname "The Bridge of Death."
00:46 "It was a normal Sunday afternoon, beautiful day, and it just leapt right over the bridge."
00:51 One occurrence is tragic enough, but theories started flying once the incidents became semi-regular.
00:57 Some locals speculate that the scents of nearby animals may be luring the canines to jump,
01:01 while others believe that something more supernatural is at play.
01:05 Regardless of the cause, we recommend keeping your pooch on a short leash if you choose to walk this path.
01:10 "According to some reports, over 50 dogs in 50 years have jumped from the side of the Overton Bridge."
01:20 "Hanging coffins is a traditional way of burial here in Sagada.
01:27 It's been practiced for about 400 to 500 years."
01:31 Burial practices vary widely across societies all over the globe.
01:34 While some choose to bury or cremate their dead, others embrace more unconventional methods.
01:39 The rituals in Sagada, Philippines have been taking place for thousands of years.
01:44 Elderly members carve out their coffins, and when they pass,
01:47 they're added to a rock wall filled with other suspended sarcophagi.
01:50 "Apart from protecting the living, it is also believed that the vertical burial
01:55 brings the dead closer to their ancestral spirits in heaven and makes them one with nature."
02:00 The result is visually unsettling yet breathtaking,
02:03 serving as a poignant reminder of the brevity of life and how one can be celebrated even after dying.
02:09 While this practice isn't carried out for everyone, it remains a staple in the culture.
02:13 It's undeniably unique, but it's still chilling to see an individual's final resting place in such a precarious position.
02:20 "The world's most dangerous path. The world's most treacherous. The world's most deadly."
02:28 This is perfect for the adrenaline junkies in your life.
02:31 Hiking is a physically strenuous activity, even on the most well-preserved trails.
02:36 Things get even harder when the walkway is crumbling to pieces.
02:40 El Caminito del Rey, a passage along the side of a gorge in Malaga, Spain,
02:44 was built in the 1900s and began to fall apart less than a century later.
02:49 But that did not deter adventurers from attempting to cross it.
02:52 Some sections had completely broken off, causing hikers to jump over large gaps.
02:57 The trail was so dangerous that several deaths occurred over time.
03:00 While it has since reopened with new safety measures, we still wouldn't recommend this trek,
03:05 especially if you're scared of heights.
03:07 "Just when you think it can't get any scarier, at the highest point of the trail,
03:12 there's a glass-bottomed viewing platform."
03:14 There are a few different versions of this sculpture around the globe,
03:21 but for this list, we're focusing on the Italian original.
03:24 The statue was sculpted by Guido Galletti and placed in the Mediterranean Sea in 1954,
03:29 where it has since become a popular attraction for both sightseers and divers.
03:34 The piece depicts Jesus Christ with his hands lifted up in a sign of peace.
03:38 While it's undeniably beautiful, there's also something haunting about it.
03:41 The effect is heightened by its unusual placement underwater,
03:45 as well as its proximity to the location where an Italian diver had unfortunately drowned.
03:50 The fact that it can be viewed in reverence or discomfort is proof of how effective the art is.
03:55 There are plenty of fables behind the older sites found on Earth, and this is no exception.
04:03 "So there are branches that shake, there are leaves that rustle,
04:06 and it definitely creates a very spooky kind of a voice."
04:10 Bangar fort was constructed in 1573 and had a small town within it.
04:15 Even today, there are still remnants of temples and palaces within its walls.
04:19 There are several legends behind this fort and how it came to fall.
04:22 One tells the tale of a holy man who believed his home should be the tallest,
04:26 lest it lead to the village's destruction.
04:28 Another suggests a priest used black magic to curse the town
04:32 after a princess accidentally killed him while denying his advances.
04:35 "Things didn't work out, and then there was a curse that the tantric actually put
04:40 on the people there, and he ensured that that place gets into ruins."
04:44 While these stories obviously have not been corroborated,
04:48 they're still the closest thing to an explanation as to how this formidable citadel fell.
04:52 As if Transylvania wasn't frightening enough already.
04:59 Besides being the home of some iconic fictional monsters,
05:02 it's also home to the very real Hoia Baciu forest.
05:05 It's considered to be the world's most haunted woodland,
05:19 which has only added to its creepy allure over the years.
05:22 With the eerie, almost unnatural curved trees and general ominous vibe,
05:26 it's no wonder it's gotten such an intense reputation.
05:29 Some visitors have reported experiencing strange symptoms after visiting,
05:33 including nausea and paranoia.
05:35 While there isn't any concrete evidence of ghosts in the area,
05:38 that hasn't affected its standing among lovers of the paranormal.
05:41 The woods are so visually strange that you'll feel uncomfortable
05:56 even if you don't see any specter.
05:58 Number 24
05:59 The Catacombs of Paris, France
06:02 "Just below the surface of the city of light lurks a mysterious darkness."
06:06 Much like Sagada in the Philippines,
06:08 Paris also had an unorthodox way of honoring their dead.
06:11 The massive underground ossuary known as the Catacombs extends across the city
06:16 and houses the remains of over 6 million people.
06:19 It was created to store those who couldn't fit in cemeteries,
06:22 preserving them in a striking yet unnerving manner.
06:25 "In the Parisian catacombs, very often bones have been rearranged,
06:28 made into even sculptural sort of forms.
06:32 In many ways this conflicts with that Christian idea of keeping the body together."
06:36 Here, the remains of all, from commoners to aristocrats, were laid to rest.
06:41 Originally a place for novelty shows,
06:43 it eventually morphed into the macabre attraction it is today.
06:46 The renovator spared no effort in maximizing the creep factor
06:50 with menacing signs and a room full of deformed skulls.
06:54 Everything about this landmark makes for a stomach-turning tour that you'll never forget.
06:58 It's the Heartbreak Hotel, but not because relationships have ended here.
07:14 Now known as Stay on Main,
07:16 this once lavish location became the source of countless catastrophes
07:19 throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.
07:22 Within its walls, several lives have been ended,
07:25 which have overshadowed any potential positive aspects.
07:28 Even more, some notorious serial killers, including Richard Ramirez,
07:32 once made the establishment their temporary residence.
07:34 Among the most recent tragedies was the 2013 case of Elisa Lam,
07:39 a young woman who mysteriously died shortly after she was filmed in the hotel's elevator.
07:43 "She exits to the left of the elevator, and then all of a sudden she's gone."
07:48 It was later converted into low-income housing,
07:51 but it remained plagued by various issues.
07:54 As of 2024, the property is up for sale,
07:58 and it's unsure what its future will hold.
08:00 Not only is it one of the oldest buildings in England,
08:18 it's also supposedly one of the most haunted.
08:21 Erected in 1066,
08:22 the Tower of London initially started as a symbol of an oppressive government.
08:27 It underwent various transformations over the years,
08:29 with the most famous iteration being a prison and execution chamber.
08:33 "The Tower was witness to bloody deeds, terrible torment, and unbearable suffering."
08:39 One of the most ghastly incidents was the alleged murder of two young princes.
08:44 This, along with other unsavory happenings,
08:46 helped shape its reputation among locals and visitors.
08:49 It's said that these victims, along with other famous historical figures,
08:53 haunt it to this day.
08:54 While there is no official evidence,
08:57 numerous first-hand accounts from both employees and tourists describe ghostly activity.
09:02 "As the ancient stage for dramas of cruelty, ambition, and revenge,
09:07 the Tower is said to be the most haunted castle in England."
09:11 While it's intended to be a place of remembrance,
09:18 its disturbing nature and the sheer amount of offerings
09:20 have made it into an unintentionally terrifying place.
09:24 "The tradition of leaving crosses began in 1831
09:27 to commemorate those who had fallen in a rebellion against Russia."
09:30 This field, located in Lithuania,
09:32 is filled with crosses and other Catholic memorabilia.
09:35 The exact amount of effigies isn't known,
09:38 but the number exceeded 100,000 in 2006,
09:41 so you can only imagine how many more there are now.
09:44 The site was nearly destroyed during Soviet occupation by the KGB,
09:48 who deemed it a contradiction to their beliefs.
09:50 Despite their efforts, the site endured,
09:52 serving not only as a religious and political piece,
09:55 but also as a reminder of the indomitable human spirit.
09:58 Inside the arches of South Bridge,
10:05 built across a valley in Scotland's capital city in the 1780s,
10:08 are dark, damp chambers once used as taverns,
10:11 workshops and storage spaces for the business above.
10:14 However, once the businesses left,
10:17 Edinburgh's poorest residents moved into the vaults,
10:20 and they became dens of illegal activity,
10:23 even being used by body snatchers.
10:25 Eventually, the vaults were closed down and forgotten about for over a century.
10:29 Today, organized tours take visitors through the chambers,
10:33 but they should still beware the malevolent spirits
10:35 that supposedly roam the halls.
10:37 Belize's Great Blue Hole isn't the only marine sinkhole in the world,
10:42 but it is the largest, at 1,000 feet wide and over 400 feet deep.
10:47 Several divers have become lost and died inside it.
10:51 In fact, a 2019 expedition to the bottom
10:54 discovered two bodies of long-lost divers.
10:56 Not only is the hole dangerous to inexperienced divers,
11:00 but also to the sea life around it.
11:02 The bottom is so full of life that it's hard to imagine
11:05 the life around it.
11:06 The bottom is so full of hydrogen sulfide
11:09 that life can't survive inside for long.
11:12 Unfortunately, many reef-dwelling crabs learned that lesson first-hand.
11:17 Number 18. Montpelier Hill
11:19 Also known as the Hellfire Club.
11:22 Ireland.
11:23 A sinister, derelict building stands at the top of Montpelier Hill
11:27 near Dublin, Ireland.
11:28 This foreboding location was once the hunting lodge home
11:31 to one branch of the infamous Hellfire Club.
11:34 Hellfire Clubs existed across the British Isles
11:37 as bases for societal elites in the 1700s
11:40 to engage in all kinds of debauched
11:42 and potentially even violent practices.
11:45 The organization remains somewhat mysterious to this day
11:48 thanks to the secrecy surrounding it.
11:50 So it's not clear exactly what happened during its meetings.
11:53 But while we don't know whether the darkest tales
11:56 of horrifying rituals are true or not,
11:58 it's been said that this Hellfire Club spot
12:01 supposedly hosts a number of spirits.
12:04 Number 17. Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary
12:07 USA
12:08 For 30 years, Alcatraz was an ominous presence
12:12 on a lonely island in the middle of the San Francisco Bay.
12:15 Since it was in a relatively isolated position,
12:17 it was frequently cited as totally inescapable.
12:20 And although three people notably did escape in 1962,
12:30 they were never seen again after leaving the island.
12:33 After squeezing through this cement wall,
12:35 they climbed up a network of pipes and plumbing
12:38 before they made it here to the roof.
12:41 Even while it was still in use,
12:42 Alcatraz was a dangerous, decaying place.
12:46 Its prisoners were often mistreated
12:47 since it was designed to feel as hostile as possible.
12:50 Though it's been shuttered for far longer
12:52 than it was ever in operation,
12:54 that hostile atmosphere persists.
12:56 Today, you can tour the prison and experience its horrors
13:00 and many alleged ghosts for yourself.
13:03 "Dammit, Morris, I said get out!"
13:04 "Jesus Christ!"
13:08 Number 16. Loftus Hall, Ireland
13:13 It's been named the most haunted house in Ireland
13:16 for a scarily good reason.
13:18 Located in County Wexford,
13:20 its most famous ghost story involves a visit
13:22 from the devil himself.
13:24 He apparently arrived one evening to play cards
13:26 until his identity was revealed.
13:28 "The dark stranger had kicked off his shoes
13:30 and instead of regular feet there,
13:32 he had cloven hooves."
13:34 Satan supposedly flew up through the ceiling
13:37 and left a hole that remains today.
13:39 For about a decade,
13:40 Loftus Hall was open to brave souls
13:42 who wanted to go on a ghost tour.
13:44 There were even overnight stays offered
13:46 for anybody desperate enough to test their mettle.
13:49 In 2020, it was put on sale
13:52 for a hefty sum of around $3 million.
13:54 Now, it waits for a new owner
13:57 to purchase its hallowed halls.
13:59 Number 15. Houska Castle, the Czech Republic
14:02 This creepy castle has long been rumored
14:05 to be built over an actual entrance to hell.
14:08 Naturally, this has given the castle
14:09 a nearly unmatched reputation
14:11 for supernatural entities.
14:13 You'll find it just outside Prague,
14:15 open to all visitors brave enough to enter.
14:17 It was built around 800 years ago
14:19 and has been home to many royals
14:21 and nobles over the centuries.
14:23 The so-called "Gateway to Hell"
14:25 is an enormous, supposedly bottomless pit
14:28 that the castle was constructed over the top of.
14:30 The pit was deemed so horrific
14:32 that according to legends,
14:34 prisoners were sent to investigate it
14:36 and returned with stories of indescribable horrors.
14:39 Number 14. The Stanley Hotel, USA
14:43 Master of horror Stephen King
14:45 stayed in this hotel in 1974
14:47 when he and his wife were the only guests
14:50 in the entire place.
14:51 This spooky atmosphere served
14:53 as the inspiration for The Shining,
14:55 the novel that was later adapted to film
14:57 and became one of Stanley Kubrick's scariest movies.
15:00 Just knowing that the Stanley
15:13 was the inspiration behind the Overlook Hotel
15:15 will send a chill down your spine.
15:17 Located in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado,
15:19 the hotel is supposedly haunted by numerous ghosts.
15:22 "Danny! Danny!
15:24 There's someone else in the hotel with us.
15:26 There's a crazy woman in one of the rooms.
15:29 She tried to strangle Danny!"
15:32 It's become a prime destination for paranormal tourism
15:35 since the book was released.
15:36 Stay the night at the Stanley, if you dare.
15:39 Number 13. Poveglia Island, Italy
15:52 Known as one of the most haunted spots in Europe,
15:54 Poveglia Island has a long and gruesome history
15:57 that dates back centuries.
15:59 It first began to gain its reputation
16:01 in the late 18th century
16:02 when it was used to quarantine victims
16:04 of various diseases.
16:05 It's reported that over 100,000 people passed away
16:09 and were buried and/or cremated on the island.
16:12 To make matters creepier,
16:14 an asylum was constructed there in the 20th century.
16:17 While Poveglia is closed to visitors today,
16:19 the derelict asylum still stands.
16:22 The Venetian government has been looking for someone
16:24 to redevelop it,
16:25 but nobody has yet been bold enough to sign the lease.
16:28 Number 12. Bran Castle, Romania
16:31 Long before the Stanley Hotel inspired a horror legend,
16:36 Bran Castle may have inspired another scary icon.
16:39 Located in Transylvania, Romania,
16:46 Bran Castle has built an entire business around the claim
16:49 that it was the basis of Bram Stoker's Dracula.
16:52 While there isn't actually much evidence for this,
16:54 or the claim that Vlad the Impaler stayed there,
16:56 it still can be a terrifying destination.
16:58 Many deaths occurred within the castle walls
17:05 due to its use as a hospital in the Second World War.
17:08 Whether you believe Bran Castle was the true home
17:10 of Count Dracula or not,
17:12 it's still an impressive and intimidating fortress
17:15 right in the heart of vampire country.
17:17 Number 11. Sedlec Ossuary, the Czech Republic
17:21 On the outside, the Czech Republic's Cemetery of All Saints
17:24 seems like any other quaint small-town cemetery.
17:26 But underneath, it looks like a serial killer's lair.
17:29 In a small town outside Prague,
17:31 there is a church adorned with the skeletons
17:33 of at least 40,000 people.
17:35 Assembled in the 1800s,
17:37 each bone was stacked by a single woodcarver.
17:40 The bones are of people who wanted to be buried on holy land,
17:43 and this peaceful chapel is their final resting place.
17:46 The Sedlec Ossuary is located below the Cemetery of All Saints,
17:50 in Sedlec's Czech Republic,
17:52 and it contains the skeletons of up to 70,000 people.
17:55 The bones are artistically arranged
17:57 to form various attractions and furnishings,
18:00 including a chandelier composed of every bone in the human body.
18:04 The area has been a desirable burial site since the 13th century,
18:07 and it contains many victims of the Black Death and Hussite Wars.
18:11 These bones had to go somewhere,
18:12 and so the people doing the work
18:15 started stacking them in the basements in this chapel.
18:18 And here they stayed for nearly half a millennium.
18:21 The ossuary itself was built around 1400
18:24 to house the bones of those buried on the property in mass graves.
18:27 This woodland in Japan has an extremely distressing reputation.
18:35 It's widely known as a place where people frequently take their own lives.
18:39 In an attempt to combat this disturbing trend,
18:48 the local authorities have put up messages
18:50 encouraging people to think again about what they intend to do.
18:54 Dozens of people each year sadly lose their lives
18:56 when they journey into these woods.
18:58 However, it's never been entirely clear why the forest has seen so much tragedy.
19:02 Many people believe that it may have roots in Japanese folklore.
19:16 While the forest itself is beautiful,
19:18 the history of what's happened there is decidedly dark.
19:21 The suitably named Chillingham Castle is certainly chilling, all right.
19:28 Located in northern Northumberland,
19:44 this medieval castle dates back to the 12th century,
19:47 when it served as a monastery.
19:49 It was even visited by King Edward I of England in the late 13th century,
19:53 when he was traveling to fight William Wallace.
19:56 It's said to be the most haunted castle in all of Britain,
19:59 known primarily for its resident blue boy.
20:01 Guests would supposedly hear a loud wailing noise
20:08 and witness a blue halo floating above their beds.
20:11 However, the hauntings have reportedly stopped
20:14 after renovation work uncovered the bones of a young boy buried within the walls.
20:18 You can probably guess what occupies Snake Island.
20:34 Ilha da Queimada Grande is a small 106-acre island
20:38 located off the southeastern corner of Brazil.
20:40 It's inhabited by untold number of snakes,
20:43 who became trapped on the island once rising sea levels cut it off from the mainland.
20:47 It remains the only place on Earth to host the endangered golden lancehead,
20:51 a highly venomous pit viper that devours birds.
20:54 It's estimated that up to 4,000 golden lanceheads reside on the island.
21:04 Snake Island cannot be visited by citizens,
21:06 both to protect the endangered snakes from prying eyes
21:09 and the humans from becoming snake victims.
21:12 The only people allowed there are select researchers and members of the Brazilian Navy.
21:16 Yungas Road is located in Bolivia,
21:23 linking the city of La Paz to the greater Yungas region.
21:26 Chillingly nicknamed "The Road of Death,"
21:34 Yungas Road was famous for its complete lack of safety precautions.
21:38 The road itself is very thin,
21:40 which doesn't allow for many mistakes.
21:42 There are no guardrails,
21:44 the slopes are steep,
21:45 and the area is regularly hit by heavy rain and fog cover,
21:49 making travel an extremely dangerous expedition.
21:51 A new road has been built for driving,
21:56 but Yungas remains a popular tourist destination
21:59 owing to its stellar mountain biking,
22:01 even though 18 cyclists have died on the route since 1998.
22:05 [Spanish]
22:16 Number 6.
22:17 Catacombe de Cappuccini, Italy
22:19 Forget the Paris catacombs,
22:21 these catacombs located in Palermo, Sicily,
22:23 originated in the 16th century
22:25 when monks excavated crypts below the overpopulated Capuchin Monastery.
22:29 [Spanish]
22:34 That same is Giovanni Scalenza,
22:38 quite rich person, very important.
22:40 It soon became a status symbol to be buried within the Capuchin catacombs,
22:43 and it was maintained through donations paid by the rich relatives of the entombed.
22:47 It's estimated that the catacombs contain 8,000 corpses and 1,252 mummies,
22:53 all of which are visible to the public and even set in various poses.
22:57 [Spanish]
23:14 Each of the bodies are categorized into different sections of the catacombs,
23:18 including men, women, and children.
23:20 The catacombs are also famous for hosting Rosalia Lombardo,
23:23 a one-year-old child whose preserved body remains in exceptional condition.
23:28 The catacombs received their most cherished saint in 1920,
23:32 when the body of a little girl was brought in by her family.
23:36 She had been mummified by a secret process which to this day
23:40 remains a mystery even to the Capuchin monks.
23:43 Turns out the door to hell exists,
23:49 and it's located in Turkmenistan.
23:52 "I was looking down, I was looking around, and it looked like a doorway to hell."
23:58 The village of Dervaza is home to the Dervaza gas crater,
24:01 which was unintentionally created in 1971 while Soviet engineers were drilling for oil.
24:06 Fearing the release of dangerous methane gas,
24:09 the engineers decided to light the crater on fire in the hopes of burning off the methane.
24:13 The crater has continued to burn throughout the decades,
24:15 and shows no signs of slowing down.
24:18 So now in the middle of the Catacomb Desert,
24:20 there is a 100-foot-deep crater that is persistently on fire.
24:24 Naturally, the site is off-limits to both tourists and almost all documentarians.
24:29 You wouldn't want to get pulled into hell, would you?
24:31 Abandoned and deteriorating hospitals are inherently creepy places,
24:44 never mind one with such a rich and disturbing history.
24:47 "What is it exactly that you are looking for?"
24:49 "I, uh... I had a problem with my tooth."
24:54 "Your tooth?"
24:56 "Actually, it's feeling much better if you could just point me in the direction of my room."
25:02 Located in Bielitz, Germany,
25:04 this large hospital complex encompasses around 60 different buildings.
25:07 The hospital was originally used as a tuberculosis sanatorium
25:11 before it was converted to a war hospital.
25:13 During World War I, it housed injured soldiers of the Imperial German Army,
25:17 including Adolf Hitler after he was wounded at the Battle of the Somme.
25:21 It was later occupied by the Red Army throughout World War II
25:24 and remained a Soviet military hospital well into the '90s.
25:27 Most of the complex is now a derelict ghost town,
25:30 having been completely abandoned in 1994.
25:33 "Do you know what the cure for the human condition is?"
25:36 "Disease."
25:41 Number 3. Centralia, USA.
25:44 "Fifty years ago, when coal was king, Centralia, Pennsylvania was a boom town.
25:49 People were optimistic, jobs were plentiful, and the future seemed bright."
25:54 There's an area of Pennsylvania that has essentially been on fire since 1962.
25:59 In the early '60s, Centralia hosted roughly 1,500 residents,
26:03 but the area suffered a horrific coal mine fire
26:05 that is estimated to keep burning for another 250 years.
26:10 Regardless of how it happened, this fire quickly grew out of control.
26:14 Remember, this wasn't just a small shaft, too.
26:16 The coal mines in the area were all interconnected,
26:19 and it was an enormous labyrinth under the town of Centralia.
26:22 The major detrimental effects weren't really known until 1981,
26:26 when a sinkhole randomly opened and nearly killed a 12-year-old boy.
26:30 The government bought out most of the residents and had them relocated,
26:33 leaving just 63 people by 1990.
26:36 Today, the town hosts under a dozen citizens,
26:39 and various signs are littered throughout the area warning of sudden ground collapse
26:43 and fatal levels of carbon monoxide.
26:46 A "graffiti highway" that became a destination spot in the area
26:49 has been paved over as of 2020.
26:51 The former ruins of Highway 61 remain, now known as the Graffiti Highway,
26:57 literally covered with spray paint dating back to the '70s and '80s.
27:00 Number 2. The Island of the Dolls, Mexico
27:04 Turns out there are many areas throughout the world populated by dolls.
27:08 There's a village in Japan called Nagoro,
27:10 which has become a famous tourist attraction due to its countless life-sized dolls.
27:14 "It takes two days to prepare and make each scarecrow,
27:17 and now there are 350 of these mannequins,
27:20 way outnumbering the 10 villages left here."
27:23 But perhaps the freakiest of all is Mexico City's La Isla de las Muñecas,
27:28 which is located in the canals of Xochimilco.
27:31 The island contains hundreds of dolls, most of which are hung from the trees.
27:35 "It looks like a scene from a horror movie."
27:38 "Hundreds of dolls strung up and hanging from trees."
27:41 Legend states that the spirit of a young girl haunted the island,
27:44 forcing its owner to hang dolls from the trees to appease her ghost.
27:47 "He found the dolls in the canals and in the trash.
27:49 He started hanging them up to protect him
27:52 and to try to scare away the spirit of the girl."
27:54 The owner passed away in 2001,
27:56 and the island became a popular tourist destination,
27:59 even though some locals refused to go there owing to superstition.
28:02 Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
28:06 and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
28:09 You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
28:13 If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
28:17 Number 1. Pripyat, Ukraine
28:21 "Dear comrades, the City Council of People's Deputies
28:27 reports that due to the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Pripyat,
28:36 an unpleasant radiation situation is taking place."
28:42 Now here's a ghost town.
28:43 Pripyat is what was called a nuclear city,
28:46 housing the employees of the nearby Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
28:49 It was the home of thousands of citizens,
28:52 until the power plant famously exploded on the morning of April 26, 1986,
28:57 spreading an unbelievable amount of radiation into the area, including Pripyat.
29:01 "In the instant the lid is thrown off the reactor, oxygen rushes in.
29:06 It combines with hydrogen and superheated graphite.
29:10 The chain of disaster is now complete."
29:18 The town was not immediately evacuated,
29:21 despite dozens of people falling ill and showing signs of acute radiation sickness.
29:25 The evacuation was finally ordered 36 hours after the blast,
29:29 and the city remains abandoned for long-term residents.
29:31 Although, governmental authorities still did work in the area,
29:35 and there is now limited tourism.
29:37 It's now part of the wider Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
29:47 Which one of these places would you be the most worried about visiting alone?
29:51 Let us know in the comments below.
29:52 The Island of the Dolls is definitely not an ancient attraction,
29:56 but it's probably one of the most bizarre.
29:58 And it's proof that the mystery which has always surrounded these canals
30:02 is still very much alive today.
30:04 Did you enjoy this video?
30:05 Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
30:07 and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
30:12 [Music]