It’s Halloween season, and the search for the scariest horror movies and the spookiest scare parks is on. But there are plenty of places around the world which, whether built or created with the intent to scare or not, will easily do just that. Here is a selection of some of the scariest places on the planet, each one certain to send shivers down the spine, if you dare.
1. Houska Castle, Prague, Czech Republic
Forty-six kilometres from Prague lies Houska Castle, also known as the gateway to Hell. The construction, built in the second half of the 13th century at the supposed request of Bohemian ruler Ottokar II, was erected along with its chapel over a large hole.
The hole is said to be so dark and deep that it is impossible to see the bottom, and folklore describes how animal-human hybrids and dark-winged, otherworldly creatures crawled and flew from its depths, including a bullfrog-human creature and a headless horse.
It is believed that the Gothic building was an attempt to keep these demons trapped. Legend has it that during construction, inmates sentenced to death were offered a pardon in return for being lowered into the hole to explore and report back. Those who did reportedly returned screaming and aged.
The castle was built on flat land with no fortifications, kitchen, or water source, no occupants and no nearby trade routes, leading many to believe it was indeed, and perhaps still is, the gateway to Hell.
2. Ćele Kula, Niš, Serbia
Ćele Kula, from the Turkish Kelle kulesi meaning “skull tower”, is located in Niš, Serbia, and, as its name suggests, is a stone tower covered with human skulls with a rather chilling past.
Constructed by the Ottomans following the Battle of Čegar in May 1809 during the First Serbian Uprising, the tower is made from the skulls of the fallen rebels. Standing 4.5 metres high, the tower originally used 952 skulls embedded on four sides in 14 rows.
Building monuments using the skulls of their enemies was a common Ottoman tactic to scare opponents and discourage rebellion, and Skull Tower was a clear warning to any residents contemplating revolt. Nowadays, however, it is a popular tourist destination and has become an emblem of Serbia’s struggle for independence.
3. Eltz Castle, Wierschem, Germany
Eltz Castle, a medieval fortress nestled in the hills of Wierschem, Germany, is owned by the Eltz family, who have lived there for 33 generations since the 12th century. The castle has become an emblem of Germany, and although its past is no more turbulent or gruesome than other castles of its time, the imposing Gothic structure, coupled with its atmospheric setting of forests and hills, makes for a somewhat spooky destination.
The exterior was used for the fictional American military lunatic asylum in The Ninth Configuration, the 1979 film by William Peter Blatty, and the opening sequences of Le Feu de Wotan, a Belgian comic book, also take place in Eltz Castle. Now a tourist destination, a visit to this castle on a misty autumn night is sure to make anyone shiver.
4. Blood Falls, Taylor Valley, Antarctica
Blood Falls in Antarctica looks like any other water flow running from a glacier, except that it’s blood red. Oozing over the Taylor Glacier, the contrast of crimson red liquid over the ice is quite alarming and definitely a scary sight.
Of course, this is not actually a bleeding glacier. When it was first discovered more than 100 years ago, it was believed that the disturbing colour of the water was caused by red algae. It actually took until 2017 for the mystery to be solved. Scientists realised that the colour comes from oxidised iron and water from a five-million-year-old saltwater lake, so definitely not blood. Still, it makes for a pretty spectacular Halloween scene.
5. Pripyat Amusement Park, Pripyat, Ukraine
Abandoned amusement parks have long been a cliché setting for horror movies, so Pripyat Amusement Park, which is exactly that, is definitely not somewhere to be found after dark.
The park was due to open in May 1986 to honour the USSR’s May Day celebrations. However, the infamous Chernobyl disaster, which occurred only a few kilometres away the month before the scheduled opening, cancelled those plans.
The amusement park never opened and has since become a symbol of the disaster. The ghostly empty Ferris wheel and bumper-car track, along with the location’s tragic history, provide a more than adequate setting for one of the planet’s scariest places.
Whether born of myth, tragedy, or eerie natural phenomena, these destinations remind us that fear often lingers where mystery remains. Each site tells a story that blurs the line between history and horror, making them some of the most chilling places on Earth, if you dare.
