10 famous abandoned buildings from around the world

Although they once stood majestically, today these structures are no longer used for a number of reasons. There is nothing more intimidating than the once magnificent building that has been abandoned. Despite the fact that some of the abandoned buildings are well looked after, some of them have been completely destroyed and their original appearance has been lost. Sometimes nature re-conquers the place where the building once stood.

10. Military Hospital Belitz - Germany

Military Hospital Beelitz is a large hospital complex in Beelitz-Heilstatt, Germany. The hospital complex was built in 1898 and was originally planned as a sanatorium. It was converted into a military hospital at the start of World War I for the army of the German Empire. Adolf Hitler recovered here between October and November 1916 after being wounded in the Battle of the Somme. The hospital was occupied by the Red Army in 1945 and remained a Soviet military hospital until 1990. The property was officially abandoned in 2000 after several years of privatization attempts.

9. Battersea Power Plant - England

The Battersea Power Plant is located in Battersea in southwest London. The station consists of two power plants built into a single building: Battersea Power Station A and Battersea Power Station B. Power Station A was built in the 1930s and Power Station B in the 1950s. The Battersea Power Plant ceased generating electricity in 1983 but remains a very popular landmark in London.

The station is notable for its lavish art deco interior design and has been featured prominently in pop culture. It has remained largely unused since its closure due to deterioration. However, there are plans for its reconstruction.

8. Canfranc railway station - Spain

The Canfranc railway station was an international railway station at the end of the Samport railway tunnel in Canfranca, Spain. The main building is 240 meters long and has over 300 windows and 156 doors. The Spaniards began construction of the station in 1923, and it was not officially opened in 1928. The station includes a large locomotive depot and various outbuildings.

Operations at the Canfranc railway station came to an abrupt halt in 1970 when a train crash damaged a bridge on the French side. The French refused to renovate due to the financial burden at the time. The main building has gone into very poor condition and is currently fenced off from the public.

7. Miranda Castle - Belgium

Miranda Castle is a 19th century neo-Gothic castle in the city of Namur, Belgium. It was built in 1866 by Edward Milner and completed in 1907 with a tower clock. Miranda Castle was occupied by the descendants of Lidekerke de Beaufort until World War II. The Germans occupied the building during the Battle of Balga.

It was renamed Noisy Castle when it was converted into an orphanage and a camp for sick children. The castle was completely abandoned in 1991 due to high maintenance costs and difficulties in selling. The building is slowly collapsing in places that have been badly damaged by fire.

6. Bobsleigh track - Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Sarajevo bobsleigh track is located on Trebevich Mountain near Sarajevo. The track was built for the 1984 Winter Olympics and was completed in 1982. The track was used for the World Championships after the end of the Olympic Games.

It was then used as an artillery position by the Bosnia-Serbian forces during the siege of Sarajevo, which resulted in its damage. The track was abandoned in 1991 during the war. At present, repair work is underway on the track, after which the track will be used as a training base.

5. UFO houses in Sanzhi - Taiwan

Sanzhi UFO Houses, also called Sanzhi Skeet Houses, are a collection of abandoned and unfinished buildings in New Taipei. The construction of the houses began in 1978, and from the very beginning they were considered damned. Financial costs hampered construction, and the tragic deaths of employees contributed to the fact that the reputation of the houses was tarnished. The dream of a vacation in Sanzhi never came true. The houses were demolished in 2008.

4. Central Terminal Buffalo - USA

Buffalo Central Terminal was once a train station in Buffalo, active from 1929 to 1979. The station is a 17-story Art Deco building that was designed for the New York Railroad. The station has always been large throughout its history, and 200 trains served daily at its height.

However, after World War II, traffic at Buffalo Central Terminal began to decline. Travel income declined significantly, and parts of the station were demolished in 1966. The rise in car use contributed to the decline in the station's revenues. In 1979, the last train left the station at 16:00. Buffalo Central Terminal is now owned by the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation, which intends to rebuild the terminal.

3. Michigan Central Station - USA

As in the previous case, Michigan Central Railroad Station was a passenger intercity rail depot in Michigan. It was built to replace a Detroit warehouse that was closed due to a fire in 1913. Michigan Central Station remained in service from 1914 to January 1988, when the last Amtrak train was removed from the tracks. Minor renovations were carried out, but there was no significant reconstruction of the building. The station has appeared in several films including Transformers, The Island, and Batman v Superman. The owners of Michigan Grand Station are struggling to restore the building, having no idea what it will be used for.

2. Buzludzha - Bulgaria

Buzludzha is located in the central part of the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. It is a monument to the site of the final battle between the Bulgarian rebels in 1868. Construction of the monument began under the communist regime in 1974 and was opened in 1981. The Buzludzha monument is characterized by a brutal architectural style prevalent among many buildings of the communist era.

The monument was abandoned in 1989 and has not been used since then, most of its parts were destroyed and badly damaged. The monument was closed to visitors due to the danger of collapse at the main entrance to the building.

1. Maunsell Sea Forts - England

The Maunsell Naval Forts were built at the mouths of the Thames and Mersey during World War II to help defend Britain and deter German air raids. They were named after their designer, Guy Maunsell, and acted as naval forts. The Maulsell naval forts were connected by steel platforms that also acted as cannon decks.

The forts were later used for other activities after the 1950s, including pirate radio broadcasts. The forts were destroyed by the Royal Engineers in 1967 to prevent further broadcasting as they were deemed unsafe for any activity. The forts have been featured in several films.