6 Agdam, Azerbaijan population growth declined in 1993 during the Nagorno Karabakh war. When the Armenian forces tried to seize Agdam, it resulted in heavy fighting and forced the entire population to flee the city. Later, the locals looted the town for materials, which left the town with nothing and completely ruined.
Ruined soviet-era buildings in Agdam, a ghost town in Nagorno-Karabakh. Image credit: Shutterstock
Agdam is a town in Azerbaijan which had the highest population growth during the Soviet period. The population was up to 28,000 inhabitants by the end of 1989. Today, it is a ghost town and abandoned after the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Its fate changed on July 4, 1993, when it was attacked by Armenian forces. They shelled the town and destroyed much of it.
The Azerbaijan forces tried their best to hold the Armenian forces and evacuated the civilian population of the town. Over time after the war, Agdam remained vacant with some locals looting the town for materials from time to time, which left the town with nothing but completely ruined.
Today, the area is known as the Republic of Artsakh. It is not recognized by any UN member. It is only recognized by the three disputed countries which are Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria. (Source)
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7 Back in 1587, women were killed for being accused of witchcraft in Italy’s Liguria region, Triora. Italian women all over the country were captured and tortured for being worshippers of Satan. This place where women were burnt alive still stands today.
Statue of a witch, the symbol of Triora. Image credit: Karl Allen Lugmayer via Shutterstock
Back in 1587, in Italy’s Liguria region, Triora was hit by famine and they blamed witches for the bad weather and pitiful crops. They believed that the only work of witches can bring such bad misfortune. When the Inquisitor of Genoa and Albenga and the priest Girolamo del Pozzo arrived, the first 20 women were gathered up. Soon 20 became 30, as the witches were tortured to name more of their Satanic sisters.
The capture and torture of these women triggered witch hunts in other parts of Italy. For the next two years, witches were gathered and tortured mercilessly. Many women were burned alive at the stake and the rest were killed or released. Either way, the modern town of Triora remains to carry its gruesome history, and the place where women were burnt alive still stands today. (Source)
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8 Transylvania is famous because of the legend of Count Dracula. This medieval town conjures the image of diurnal vampires and vindictive ancient undead rising from the coffin. The most iconic sight of Transylvania is the image of Bran Castle, the home of Vlad III Dracula.
The medieval Castle of Bran, is known for the myth of Dracula. Image credit: Shutterstock
Transylvania has all the beauty in the world, but it’s not known for its stunning beauty and wilderness, but for being the home of Dracula. The region is famous for its myths about diurnal vampires and blood-thirsty Count Dracula. It was once home to the inspiration of Bran Stoker’s Dracula, the real Dracula, Vlad III Dracul.
He was the most gruesome warrior born in 1431 in Transylvania, which is a mountainous region in modern-day Romania. Transylvania has always witnessed bloody battles because it was located between the Christian and the Muslim lands.
Several places in Transylvania are connected to Dracula, and the most famous of them all is Bran Castle, the home of Vlad III Dracul. It is perched high atop a cliff castle located near Brasov. Today it is a privately run museum dedicated to the descendants of the Romanian royal family. Nevertheless, Dracula sparked a legend that continues to be associated with Transylvania even today. (Source)
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9 Around 900 people died during the construction of Bokor Hill Station in Cambodia by French colonists in 1925. After Cambodia gained Independence, the French abandoned Bokor. Later it was taken as an operation center by the Khmer Rouge. Ultimately, the town was abandoned again in 1972and was left to rot.
Old Temple Bokor Hill Station, Kampot Province, Cambodia. Image credit: Shutterstock
The sinister ghost town in Cambodia, Bokor Hill Station, was once a thriving retreat for its inhabitants. It was created in 1925 by the French colonists in just nine months. It had a casino and Palace hotel which was often booked by Europe’s rich and famous.
The surroundings were jammed with parties, dances, and laughter. However, the happiness of colonists’ high life was short-lived, as the Bokor was abandoned after Cambodia gained Independence in 1953.
A new role emerged for Bokor Hill Station when the Khmer Rouge took grip over the town in 1972. Unfortunately, Bokor was left to wither again when the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia. If a town is abandoned and has a dark past, then it attracts more and more visitors. That is why tourists trickle back up the mountain to discover the dilapidated buildings and the bygone past of Bokor. (Source)
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10 Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong had a whopping population of over 33,000 people. It was the center for crimes, drugs, and a city of lawlessness when it was lively. In 1987, the city was descended upon by the Chinese government and dismantled. It still stands today with its ruins and dark past.
The Walled City in Kowloon, Hong Kong was one of the most densely populated places on earth. It was once a home for 33,000 residents but is now completely abandoned and destroyed. The Kowloon Walled City was built by the Chinese government in 1843 for the Chinese military.
In 1860, after the second Opium War, the whole of the Kowloon Peninsula went to Britain. For the next 30 years, Britain tried to seize control over the Walled City, but the Chinese remained firm.
In 1899, eventually, when Britain took control of the city, there was no administration control, and the city turned into a slum. The city was bustling with crime, drugs, and there was no law to speak of. It was an anarchist society that was self-regulating and self-determining. The locals called the city by the name of Hak Nam, the city of darkness.
After several disputes, in 1993, the Kowloon Walled City was eventually destroyed by the Chinese government after the government of China and Great Britain signed the joint declaration to transfer the sovereignty of Hong Kong back to China in 1984.
The residents were transferred and were given compensation packages with false hopes that the city will be reconstructed as a public park. However, the Walled City in Kowloon still stands today with its ruins carrying a load of political agendas. (Source)
