Kids always enjoy hearing stories about haunted places in their neighborhood. As people age, they forget about these ghost stories, but adults still enjoy a good spine-chilling tale! Explore the supernatural, with six of the most haunted places in the world. These spooky locations have inspired movies and books with their rich history and stories of paranormal events. Hold hands with your loved ones and join together on this world tour that will make the hair on your arms stands up. Warning: You may be sleeping with the lights on after this terrifying journey!
Table of Contents
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Canada
Canada is known for its beautiful lakes, poutine, maple syrup, and of course, its cold winters, with temperatures dropping to a whopping -63 degrees Celsius! Within this winter paradise, nestled between Banff National Park’s snow-capped mountains in Alberta, Canada, is the world-famous Fairmont Banff Springs resort hotel. This picturesque hotel is known for its year-round luxury accommodations that offer golf in the summer and skiing in the winter.
This gorgeous resort hotel opened in 1888, and since then, it has allegedly set the scene for horrific murders, suicides, and terrible accidents. Some rooms have such heavy paranormal activity reported that they had been boarded up! The bride of the Banff Springs is the most active apparition in the hotel, and she is the most famous ghost residing at the hotel.
The hotel sells souvenirs, such as collectors’ stamps and coins of this bride. The legend behind this mysterious bride is a story set in 1920 when a young bride fell down the hotel’s stairs on her wedding day and died. Now, this young bride is apparently seen walking the halls and dancing in the grand ballroom.
Another spooky tale is about room 873, which has reported so much heavy paranormal activity by guests over the years that the hotel permanently sealed the room. People say that room 873 is considered one of the haunted places because a man killed his wife and daughter there and then took his own life.
This gorgeous hotel doesn’t just have sinister stories. It also has a friendly ghost named Sam the Bellman. He is known as a helpful and cheerful spirit. Guests have seen him and have reported that the ghost thinks he still works there. So after you’re done skiing, try exploring this hotel. You may just find out why this is one of the most haunted places in the world!
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Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan India
India is a beautiful country that has been known for its variety of spices and mouth-watering cuisine. It’s the land of people of diverse traditions, religions, and world-class Bollywood entertainment. India is the second most populous democracy in the world. In addition, India is known to be one of the most ancient civilizations in the world.
Rajasthan is the largest state located in the north. Its population consists of various social backgrounds. The Rajputs (royalty) is the most recognizable part of Rajasthan history. The Bhangarh Fort is a 17th-century fort located in the beautiful Rajasthan State of India. Raja Bhagwant Singh built it for his younger son, Madho Singh. The fort and its architecture are well preserved.
This haunted fort is about 200 miles from Delhi, situated in the middle of a desert, certainly a scary location for haunted places! A sign issued by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is placed before entering the fort, which reads, “No vehicles are permitted to enter the fort beyond this point. Failure to comply with this instruction can have legal consequences.” If you decide to proceed further, then another sign will be awaiting you, which says, “It is forbidden to enter the borders of the haunted Bhangarh Fort in Rajasthan before sunrise and after sunset.”
The folklores surrounding this fort are utterly spooky, earning it a spot amongst the worlds’ top haunted places! It was built after receiving approval from a priest named Guru Balu Nath. King Madho Singh promised the Guru that his fort would never shadow his area of worship. The King decided not to keep his promise, and therefore Guru Balu Nath cursed the village to remain roofless. To this day, if a roof is built, it mysteriously collapses.
This isn’t the only legend that haunts these grounds. Another story is about Tantrik Singhia, a sorcerer who fell in love with Princess Ratnavati and tried to win her over by mixing a love potion in her food. The Princess was able to foil his plan and had him executed. Before Tantrik Singhia died, he cursed the fort’s residents to die and the village residents to remain roofless forever.
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Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Weston, West Virginia
The city of Weston is known for its culture, hospitality, community spirit, and local cuisine. Every summer, the Wine and Heritage Festival and Almost Heaven BBQ Bash at Stonewall Resort attracts tourists worldwide. Teams gather from across the United States to compete for the championship with their unique BBQ recipes!
However, Weston’s city has a darker side as well, earning it a spot amongst the scariest haunted places. The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, otherwise known as the Weston State Hospital, was a Kirkbride government-operated psychiatric hospital that ran from 1864 to 1994.
The building was designed by the architect, Richard Andrews. Construction began in 1858, and the asylum was designed to service about 250 patients. By the 1950s, the asylum housed 2,400 patients, and the overcrowding led to poor living conditions and mistreatment of patients. Many murders and suicides, and lobotomies occurred in this building. This lunatic asylum has a violent history, and many believe the tortured souls haunt the asylum.
Spooky Fact: This asylum offers public tours during the day and at night if you enjoy exploring haunted places. You can even book an overnight ghost hunt if you dare!
The asylum has many famous and well-known ghosts, making it one of the most haunted places ever. One of them is Lily. It’s believed that Lily was born and died within the walls of the asylum. Staff and visitors have said that Lily likes to hold hands, tug at your clothes, giggle, and steal candy. She is always seen on the first floor near her room.
Another popular spirit is Ruth. Ruth was a violent patient who disliked men. Her presence is often felt on the first floor near her old holding cell.
There is another reported ghost named Dean. He is known to haunt the room where he was brutally murdered on the second floor. In another room on the second floor, voices have been heard, warning people to “get out.” A double suicide apparently happened in this room. A stabbing victim haunts the same floor and tugs on people’s pants.
More frightening facts include a dead nurse named Elizabeth, who often leaves doors open as if she is still making rounds in the afterlife. The hospital’s geriatric ward and civil war wing are said to have some of the evilest entities. One is called “The Creeper” and is believed to be demonic.
The Forbidden City, Beijing, China
China is a beautiful country known for its rich history, great culture, delicious cuisine, ancient temples, and the Great Wall of China. The Forbidden City is a palace that is located in central Beijing. This historic site has a museum and was the former Chinese Imperial Palace and residence of the Emperor of China.
China’s Forbidden City was known as the Imperial Palace of China from 1420 to 1912, starting with the Ming Dynasty and ending with the Qing Dynasty. There are about 980 buildings on the complex, and it took 14 years to complete its construction. The Palace Museum is named a World Heritage Site and is the most visited art museum globally, with over 14 million tourists stopping by annually.
This beautiful palace has a dark history with years of battle, bloodshed, rebellion, and murders, so it’s no surprise that the Forbidden City is believed to be one of the most haunted places with many spirits present.
In the 1990s, a guard named Fat Fu told a story about two of his co-workers who have claimed to see a ghost of a woman with black hair and a white gown roaming the compound. They tried to get her attention, thinking she was a thief. They pursued her and cornered her. Once she turned around, they saw that the woman had no face and just unruly long hair. Fat Fu went to investigate and never found her. Many guards reported seeing the same woman walking in one of the courtyards. They have also seen her weeping at night and floating on top of walls.
Others have seen shadows move along the walls and sounds of animals running back and forth through the rooms. Dark shapes leading to the palace drift along with the steps, and the figures of transparent people have been spotted lingering in the windows of various buildings.
Another legend is General Yuan, loyal to the palace and protected the Emperor but wrongfully accused of treason. The General was violently executed by having his body chopped into pieces and distributed across the land. Only his head was kept safe by guards who believed in his innocence. People believe his ghost still protects the land and wanders the night, searching for revenge against those who wronged him.
Near his tomb, a white mist sometimes swirls until the faint image of the betrayed General takes form. Many people have heard his cries at night, as well as seen his headless body stalking the grounds. One man claimed to see the General’s head hovering in a palace window with his eyes burning red, looking for revenge. If you enjoy exploring haunted places, then the Forbidden City should be on your list!
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Leap Castle, Coolderry, Ireland
Ireland is a beautiful country with a breathtaking landscape that is great for trail enthusiasts. This picturesque island has beautiful terrains and rich history. The town of Coolderry is a roadside village in the southern county of Offaly. This quiet village is close to the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Coolderry has many monuments and castles.
The Leap Castle is the largest structure in Coolderry, but it is partly in ruins. This castle has a dark history and is, perhaps, one of the most haunted places in the world. Leap Castle was believed to be constructed in 1250 by the O’Bannon clan. In this infamous castle, there is a room known as Blood Chapel, in which a small dungeon was uncovered. This spooky dungeon consists of a small opening that was used to drop victims down into awaiting spikes! This type of dungeon is known as Oubliette, which in french means “to forget.” When this dungeon was uncovered, 150 skeletal remains were found.
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During the 1500s, there was a power struggle among the O’Carroll family, which led to a priest’s gruesome murder. The brother of the priest drove a sword through his back during a mass. The poor priest died in front of family and friends. Since then, there have been many ghostly sightings of this priest. This priest has been in the chapel and stairway. Even though it’s abandoned, tourists and locals have also seen lights illuminating the castle’s top window.
Legends indicate the O’Carrolls had hired another clan to assist them in battle. They invited this clan of about 40 men to the castle for a feast and to provide payment. Instead, these poor souls were given poisoned food. All of them died within the castle walls. Now it’s believed these men haunt the halls of the Leap Castle.
Even more gruesome history haunts this castle, making it one of the most haunted places in the world. Visitors have described a primitive spirit, known as Elemental, to the castle for hundreds of years. Many speculations surround Elemental’s origins, and some say black magic was practiced in the dark ages that brought her to the castle walls. Others say it’s an O’Carroll family member who died of leprosy, which gives Elemental its grotesque appearance. All of these paranormal sightings have led many people to believe that Leap Castle is one of the most haunted places in the world!
Insider Tip: The current owner allows people to take self-guided tours for a few Euros while renovating and restoring this haunted castle.
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Castle of Good Hope, CapeTown, South Africa
Africa is known for its adventurous animal safaris. Some of the largest animals in the world graze throughout the continent. This beautiful continent consists of desert regions, highlands, green plains, and rainforests. Africa is also home to the second-highest mountain peak in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro. Visitors worldwide travel to the Sahara Desert, which is one of the world’s largest hot deserts. It’s also popular for the ancient Egyptian Pyramids and their cultural heritage. The continent is known to be the origin of civilization and written language, dating back more than 4000 years.
Cape Town is the second populated city in South Africa. It is known as Africa’s gateway because there are so many travel options to get into Cape Town. Many large airlines offer direct flights. From the flat-topped Table Mountain down to the blue waters of Table Bay, Cape Town is simply stunning. It is proudly multicultural, with flourishing arts, dining, and nightlife scenes, proving this modern metropolis’s creativity and innovative spirit. Cape Town offers flexibility and simplicity when traveling.
The oldest colonial building in South Africa is the Castle of Good Hope, which the locals also know as the Castle or Cape Town Castle. It’s a pentagonal fortress built by Dutch colonialists in the 17th century. The Castle was used by government and military operations for two centuries. Soldiers guarding the Castle would rather walk around the outside of the building than pass through the haunted places within the Castle in the early hours of the morning. The Castle was the center of civilian, administrative and military activity at the Cape for 150 years and gruesome punishments, torture, and executions.
Spooky Fact: Many soldiers hear footsteps pacing along the grounds of Cape Town Castle, and some refuse to work at night.
One of the most poplular ghost stories is about the former Governor, Pieter Gysbert van Noodt. He died on April 23, 1728, the very same day he had seven soldiers sentenced to death because they were caught attempting to desert the military. It’s believed one of the soldiers placed a curse on him and demanded he came to watch the execution, which he didn’t. Van Noodt was found dead later that day, slouched over his desk with a look of terror on his face.
Tourists can visit Cape Town Castle to see for themselves if they dare to visit such haunted places. Soldiers tell eerie stories of footsteps pacing along the battlements between the two bastions of Leerdam and Buren. After World War II, the sounds were accompanied by a floating human shape without legs. It’s said this ghost might be a soldier who hung himself in the bell tower nearly 300 years ago.
There is also a sad-faced ghost of a woman, wearing a long, grey cloak, as she runs through the castle at night, screaming and crying hysterically. Then, there is the unusual ghost who loves to join parties. It’s said that this ghost is Lady Anne Barnard, who lived at the Castle for five years from 1797 while her husband was a colonial secretary. Her spirit has been seen at functions in the ballroom, wearing a ballgown.
This journey through some of the spookiest places on Earth may haunt your memories for some time to come. With their long, eventful history, it’s no wonder that ghouls are still prowling these beautiful destinations. If you are the adventurous type and greet danger with open arms, you may wish to actually tour these spine-chilling haunted places and document your own experiences! Get acquainted first hand with the mysterious stories lurking behind each of these travel destinations. You will definitely return from your travels with exciting (or terrifying) stories to share.
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