This post will probably give you a major case of wanderlust. We’ve compiled a list of 15 of the most beautiful, yet completely abandoned, places in the world. In his poem ‘The Road Not Taken’, Robert Frost has skilfully summed up the ache we all feel to choose the path ‘less traveled by’ and to try new and unconventional things on the off chance that they might take our breath away. Each of these 15 places will make you feel like that. So, read on and start creating a brand new bucket list, filed under ‘Amazing Places To See Before I Die’.

1 Christ of the Abyss at San Fruttuoso, Italy

The Christ of the Abyss is a bronze statue of Christ, placed at the bottom of the bay of San Fruttuoso, Italy, in 1954. The statue, 2.5 metres in height, was the brainchild of Duilio Marcante who pushed for the installation of the statue following the death of one of the pioneers of scuba diving, Dario Gonzatti, in 1950. The statue was installed by the Italian Navy about 15 metres deep, with the help of many divers.  The hands of Christ are outstretched, towards the surface of the water(heaven), in a sign of peace. Luckily for those who want to witness Christ of the Abyss in Italy, the dive itself is relatively simple and very rewarding.

There are also three copies of this breathtaking statue – one in Key Largo, Florida, one in Lake Palü, Val Malenco and a third, smaller one that was donated to the people of Grenada, by the shipping company ‘Famiglia Costa’ of Genoa.(source)

2 The abandoned Wonderland amusement park outside Beijing, China

This picture of the half-finished and derelict amusement park, Wonderland, in China makes it look like a set from a horror movie. Torn down in 2013, Wonderland was supposed to have a different, happier future. It was slated to be the largest of its kind amusement park in Asia. The developers of the amusement park saw great potential in China and secured the financial backing of then Beijing Party Secretary, Chen Xitong. Things were going according to plan until Chen was jailed for corruption in 1998 and his successor refused to support the dream of ‘Wonderland’.(source)

Not the fairy tale ending Wonderland deserved.

3 Holland Island in the Chesapeake Bay

Dubbed ‘The Last House on Holland Island’, a victorian home build in 1888 had weathered the wrath of the elements and fought erosion for well over a century. However, this house on Holland Island lost its fight and eventually collapsed in October, 2010. What makes the history of Holland Island, and it’s infamous last house, interesting is one man’s desperation to save it. Who wouldn’t want to? The pictures are truly mesmerising. You can read all about Holland Island’s detailed, yet fascinating history by clicking on the source link.(source)

4 Pripyat, Ukraine

Pripyat, or Prypiat, is a town in Ukraine that was once bustling and lively but witnessed devastating loss and became derelict, abandoned and eerie. The Telegraph notes that images of Pripyat, still stuck in time, look like a scene from a post-apocalyptic horror movie. On 26 April, 1986, disaster struck this Ukrainian town when an explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant caused widespread death and destruction. The 50,000 residents of Pripyat were evacuated and no one has come back since. The ghost town of Pripyat has also featured in a few editions of Call of Duty.(source)

5 Nara Dreamland, Japan

Dreamland was built as Japan’s answer to Disneyland in 1961. Disneyland opened a decade before Japan’s version of the theme park, but Dreamland never quite achieved the same success as its American counterpart. With visitor numbers falling, the park was forced to close in 2006. However, the land was never reused and Dreamland was never dismantled. Today, the rides are all brown with rust, plants and stray weeds are entwined with all the structures, and food counters, that once served up all kinds of treats, are dusty and dirty, as Dreamland has become no man’s land.(source)