Spooky Sites

Photo of Kostel Svateho Jiri Ghost Church, by Juandev, commons.wikimedia.org
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lukov%C3%A1,_kostel,_M%C3%A1_mysl_(003).jpg

 
Spooky Sites

by Sweiskloss
October 30, 2025
An abandoned amusement park, a floating prison, a ghost church. These deserted sites leave behind architectural, historical and cultural mysteries. Just in time for Halloween, let’s visit these creepy locations.

Rummu Quarry and Murru Prison, Estonia
Built on the edge of a limestone quarry where the inmates were forced to work, Murru Prison in Rummu, Estonia is now “drowning” in the quarry’s lake. The Soviet era prison was built in the 1940s and abandoned when the country gained independence in the 1990’s. Natural groundwater quickly filled the unused quarry. Partially submerged, the underground ruins have become a hot spot for scuba divers while beachgoers can swim around the remnants of the former prison eerily sticking out from the water.

St George Church, Czech Republic
After a series of fires and a roof collapse during a funeral service, the congregation of St George’s Church “refused to set foot into the church believing it to be haunted” (atlasobscura.com). The 14th Century church fell into decay until 30 life-sized “ghosts” saved the building. Leaning into the occult rumors, Jakub Hadrava installed ghost statues in the church as part of his senior thesis. Covered in sheets or shawls, the ghosts sit solemnly in the pews, congregate near the altar and stand at the doorways. The eerie exhibit has resurrected this abandoned building with an influx of tourism and donations helping to make repairs.

The Great Train Graveyard, Bolivia
Known for its salt flats, the barren landscape around Uyuni, Bolivia, is also known for the cemetery of abandoned antique trains. When the area’s mining industry “lost momentum,” these trains were left out in the desert to be worn down by salt and strong winds. Cluttered with old, weathered locomotives, tourists visit the Cemeterio de Trenes to explore over 100 forgotten train cars, “each … [with] its own unique structure,” and colorful graffiti (forbes.com).

Yongma Land, South Korea
It wouldn’t be Halloween if there wasn’t an abandoned amusement park on the list. Originally opened in 1980, the amusement park closed in 2011 due to low attendance. Since then, it’s rundown rides and neglected attractions have become a popular spot for photo shoots, K-Pop music videos and tourists alike who relish in the creepy mascots, quiet carousel and rusted clown-motif roller coaster.

Court of Mysteries, Santa Cruz, California
Built at night by the light of the moon in the late 1930s by Kenneth Kitchen, the house at 515 Fair Avenue was “inspired by his interest in Hindu iconography and the Occult” (goodtimes.sc). Sprawling four residential lots, the structure was modeled after a Hindi temple and is dominated by the “Gate of Prophesy,” two towers and an archway, covered in five-pointed stars and a mysterious triangular relief. The rest of the house was described as crypt-like. Occult symbols, astrological signs, and cryptic totems adorn the buildings. “For decades, it has been a local curiosity: abandoned, dangerous, dirty, and more than a little creepy” (goodtimes.sc). Kenneth abandoned the architectural project and then disappeared from official record. The house was neglected for decades until it was purchased and renovated.

While the original purpose of these now desolate, derelict structures may be long forgotten, their spooky reincarnations are worth visiting.
 
Laura McMahon