There is something about a good scare that allures people. No matter what culture you come from or what language you speak, horror stories stick with you from the moment you hear about them. Everyone may not enjoy it but almost everyone is affected by it. The world we live in has its share of creepy places. Here are some of the creepiest locations on Earth.
1) The Whale Bone Alley of Siberia
About 82 miles off the coast of Alaska is the creepy version of the Stonehenge. The place is littered with huge whale bones. You can see scattered pieces of whale jawbones and ribs just lying on the ground. The bones have been dated all the way back to the 15th century. The place was first discovered in 1976, when Soviet archaeologists came across 2 parallel rows of gigantic whale bones jutting out of the snow. Most of the bones found in this location are said to be about 5 meters tall and weighs nearly 300kg each. While no one knows exactly how this came to be or why, some believe that the area was used as a place of worship.
2) Varosha – The Coastal Ghost Town
Varosha is a place unlike any other. From a distance, it looks like any other coastal town. The creepy truth about this place is that it is completely uninhabited. The entire city was evacuated due to the Turkish invasion. Before Cyprus was divided, Varosha was a booming place where people from all over the world came in droves to enjoy its beautiful beaches.
But everything changed 40 years ago. Inter-ethnic violence had been happening for years and they culminated in a coup. Turkey invaded Cyprus with the intention to occupy the northern part of the island. During this time, many fled from Varosha frightened for their lives. While they may have expected to come back after the war was over, the Turkish military sadly closed off the entire resort. From that moment on, Varosha turned into a ghost town.
What is creepier about the place is that it is also a time capsule since almost everything left there belonged to an era of our past. The shops there still display mannequins wearing 40 year old dresses and car dealerships with broken down 1970 cars.
3) Akodessewa Fetish Market
The Akodessewa fetish market is not for the faint hearted. It is a place that will give most people nightmares for a month. It is one of the most controversial and commercial voodoo markets in the world. From dog heads and elephant feet to gorilla skulls and disturbing talismans, you will find some scary items for sale there. The various items available for purchase in this market is said to be infused with divine power for a number of different purposes.
The market is situated in the West African nation of Togo is also known as one of the birthplaces of voodoo. Most of the beliefs of the people in the nation haven’t changed much despite the European colonization and so remain animist in nature. Voodoo has over 40 gods or fetiches and each of them is said to select their priest so that ordinary people can communicate through them. When you walk through the market, you can smell the stench of decaying flesh and you certainly won’t be surprised as to why.
4) Island of Dolls
Mexico’s La Isla de lasMunecas, also known as the island of dolls is undoubtedly one of the creepiest places on Earth. What makes the island creepy is the fact that thousands of dolls are hung from various trees all across the land. Many have even stated that they have felt the doll’s eyes follow them as they journeyed through the island. Thousands of people from all over the world visit the island every year to witness the macabre landscape.
However, the story behind this island is a tragic one. More than 50 years ago, a man named Don Julian Santana moved to the island to live as a recluse. One day he came across the dead body of a young girl who appeared to have been drowned. While trying to bring the body to the shore, he saw her doll floating in the water nearby. The sight of the young girl and her doll moved him deeply and he decided to make a shrine for her spirit.
Over the next few decades he started collecting and hanging dolls from trees all over the island. There are over 1500 decaying dolls on that island today, serving as a shrine for the memory of the girl who tragically died. In 2001, Santana was found dead in a canal exactly in the same spot where he had found the girl. To this day, no one knows if the girl really existed or if it was all a figment of Santana’s rich imagination.