We typically imagine the things we build: bridges, roads, canals, ports, and entire cities, as immovable structures that will last forever. What we don't expect is, soon after human beings have moved on, mother nature comes back to reclaim what was once hers. What's even more surprising, these abandoned buildings are everywhere, tucked away into corners of the world that have been left off of maps and forgotten by nearly everyone, until now. Take a look at this list of eerie and surreal abandoned places, and imagine what it must have felt like to rediscover them. If you had, would you have the guts to go inside and explore them for yourself??
The Tree Grew Inside The Abandoned Chimney
This tree could be over 100 years old, and as it grew, it decided to take over this abandoned chimney. Nature has no problem with taking over whatever is in its way. This tree needed sunlight, so it had to adapt to its surroundings.
Located in Berhampur, India, this old chimney is like something from a post-apocalyptic movie. Treepunzel, treepunzel, let down your long vines. It would be the perfect place to build a treehouse and pretend you are the king or queen of the world.
This Ship Hit An Unchartered Reef In 2000 And It Was Left In Nature
The MS World Discoverer was a German expedition cruise ship that hit an unchartered reef in Sandfly Passage, Solomon Islands. The ship was never towed away, and for the past 21 years, it has been taken over by its natural surroundings.
Now it is on its way to becoming a new habitat for wildlife, and other ships know not to go through there, or they will meet the same fate. It must be a cool spot to scuba dive and explore the wreck.
This Chinese Fishing Village Was Abandoned In The 1990
The fishing village in the Shengsi Islands has been abandoned for years, but it is anything but decrepit. After it was abandoned, it turned into the most stunningly green village overgrown with ivory and other lush vegetation.
It is about 40 miles outside of Shanghai, and it was once home to around 2,000 fishermen. However, in the early 2000s, the village couldn't keep up with the demand from the mainland. Slowly everyone left and only a handful of residents remain.
Old Shiva Temple Firmly Embraced By The Sacred Bodhi Tree In Bangladesh
This tree must have had multiple trunks that conjoined towards the top of the temple. It's so holy inside and out. If this is what people meant by treehouse because this definition makes more sense than putting a house in a healthy tree.
At least we know this synagogue will be around for a long time because it has natural support from the tree, and it protects against erosion. Imagine what this will look like in one hundred years.
A Tree Was Found Growing Inside An Abandoned Silo
One of the most impressive things about trees is that they need sunlight on their leaves to help them grow. Instead of dying when they are stuck in the shade, they grow until they reach sunlight, even if that means growing in weird directions or in the middle of silos.
Imagine that this tree only got direct sunlight for a few hours a day until it could finally grow big and tall like the other trees. We love how nature can take over so quickly. How many years was the silo abandoned before it finally sprouted up?
1965 vs. 2012
This home was once a fabulous mansion with sprawling grounds that people envied as they drove by. However, after years of neglect and abandonment, it turned into a decaying shell of its former self.
Now the hedges are overgrown, and no one has taken care of the house in years. The neighborhood children probably think it is haunted based on rumors that started circulating. Even if it weren't haunted, we wouldn't step foot on those grounds.
Old Roller Coaster Straight Out Of Jurassic Park
Universal should take notes because this would be a cool design idea for a new Jurassic Park-themed ride. While this abandoned roller coaster might not have dinosaurs lurking in the shrubbery, they could add some to make it even spookier.
How long do you think it sat like this before becoming this overgrown? We wonder why no one bought the land or knocked it down and built something there instead? At least there is more greenery for people to see.
Railroad Tracks Taken Over By The Forest
Even though these look like they would snap, we are so tempted to walk on them. The forest overtook these abandoned train tracks, and it is like a scene out of a fairytale book where a princess wanders into the woods and meets a bunch of fairies who guide her through the obstacles.
If a train still takes this route, it is probably also covered in moss to blend in with the surroundings. Between the beautiful green plants, the vibrant colors, and the eerieness of the forest, it is truly an amazing sight.
Radioactive Cars From The Fukushima Disaster Slowly Being Eaten By Nature
In 2011, the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, was caused by the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. It was the most severe nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, and these cars were practically frozen in time.
Those cars will be radioactive for decades to come, and they were eaten by the greenery around them. It is like the worst traffic jam in history, and no one will ever be able to get out it.
The Vine Climbed Up A Chair To Silence My Wind Chime
It is not only humans who get annoyed with the sound of wind chimes. Apparently, plants get frustrated enough to grow tall and wrap themselves around the chimes so that they stop making noises.
Some people say that plants don't have feelings, but this one was angry enough to silence the chimes. It's like they have a mind of their own, and this is why they write movies about killer plants. Who wouldn't be afraid of that?
A Wrecked Ship Was Reclaimed By Nature
Although this looks like a deserted island, it is actually a shipwreck that was encapsulated by plants and trees. Anyone can make their own private island these days as long as they have a boat, drop anchor, and wait till it starts growing things. You just have to add water.
We would love to explore this shipwreck, but we can only imagine what kinds of creatures are hanging out in those trees. People would probably pay a good chunk of money to buy one of these islands.
A Stunning Abandoned Synagogue Transformed By Nature
The Great Synagogue of Constanta was formerly an Ashkenazi synagogue in Romania built between 1910 and 1914. As the Jewish population declined in Constanta, the synagogue fell into disuse, and only three of the four walls are still intact.
Nature took its toll on the synagogue, and local officials didn't think to renovate it like other synagogues in the surrounding areas. Although it looks beautiful from this point of view, most of the beautiful stained glass has been destroyed, and it is on the brink of collapsing.
Abandoned Castle Off The Irish Coast
Interestingly, so much effort went into building this castle on a tiny island, only to be abandoned years later. Initially, it could be accessed by a road or a bridge, but once the lake level rose, they could no longer get to it without a boat.
The McDermott castle was built as a summer home, but it was partially burnt down during the second world war. It is now a historical site, and it is like something from a Disney film. People can visit it by boat and take it the way the trees have taken over the castle.
The Car Became One With Nature
It looks like Ron left his father's flying car in the whomping willow again, and this time it is destroyed forever. Whoever can get the car out of the tree can drive it off the lot for free, but no one has been successful thus far.
Instead of a treehouse, they built a tree car, and all the neighborhood kids hang out in it, but there are "no girls allowed." It's surprising that the tires are still in great condition for sitting there for so long. In another 20 years, you might not be able to see the tree.
Real Grass Made It's Way Through The Fake Grass
While many people install astroturf in their yards because it is more durable and weed resistant, there is a chance that weeds can grow through. This bit of grass was determined to grow right through the fake stuff.
People think that they don't have to do much maintenance with artificial turf, but when weeds start to grow, they have to use a weed wacker to manage mother nature from below. No matter what, there will always be elements to manage.
Tickle Me Elmo Went Green With Moss
We can only imagine how sad this child must have felt when they lost their Elmo toy in the woods. If we lost our childhood stuffed animal, we would be devastated. It was sitting there for so long that the entire thing grew moss and covered all the red fur.
At first, we thought this was a Yoshi toy because it looked like a turtle and it was entirely green, but you can still see some of the red on its feet. We hope the child isn't too devastated about the loss of their toy, and they got a new one to make up for it.
This Tree Grew Inside The Stop Sign
"Stop for mother nature," is what this sign actually means. The city put up a stop sign, and the tree thought, "This is my land, and I am reclaiming my place on this sidewalk." Instead of growing next to the sign, it grew inside the metal stand.
It almost looks intentional because it would be hard for the tree to grow all that time without the leaves getting sunlight. It is another wondered how things can do so well even when the environment isn't perfect.
The Roots Grow Around The Cracks In The Pavement
It's hard to tell if nature or civilization won this battle, but the roots are growing according to the pavement pattern. It must be hard to walk on this section of the sidewalk without tripping. That must be how the tree is getting revenge on society for paving over its home.
The roots are young and malleable, and they will go wherever they can get water, even if that means they have to curve in interesting patterns. There must be a lot of moisture between the bricks.
The Overgrown Agave Took Over The Abandoned Greenhouse
Boy, oh, boy could someone make a lot of tequila out of this massive agave growing in an abandoned greenhouse. This plant looks like it could eat you and it will come back for revenge if someone tries to chop it down.
Maybe if you try to make tequila with it, it will turn everyone into radioactive zombies. However, the greenhouse was the perfect environment for this plant to grow even if there wasn't someone taking care of it.
The Tree Needed Sun, So It Grew Through The Brick Wall
Houseplants: "You did not water me at exactly 2:55 pm, so now I must die." Wild plants: "I guess I can just squeeze through this minuscule crack in the brick wall to get the sunlight I need to thrive." Trees are much more resilient than all the dainty house plants we failed to keep alive.
It really makes you wonder how this tree is surviving despite being crushed by the bricks. It looks like it would be hard for the tree to get water to all of its branches in such a small space.
The Tree Left The Most Important Part Of The Sign Visible
The hiking sign had been in this spot for so long that the tree decided to eat it, but leave the most important symbol visible. It didn't know that this was an important symbol, but by some strange coincidence, it left it clear for hikers.
We didn't know a tree could swallow something because we thought they photosynthesized. Now we have to be afraid of trees eating us if we stand in the same position for too long.
130,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Skull Encased In Stalagmites
This ancient Neanderthal skull was found in a sinkhole in a cave in Italy. It almost looks like it is tangled in the arms of an octopus. It gives us the heebie-jeebies because of all the weird bumps and the obviously creepy skull.
Imagine being the first person to see that looming in the dark and having the fright of your life. We can't stop seeing the stalagmites as molars. This skeleton probably has descendants not too far away from this cave.
An Entire Bridge Was Abandoned In New Zealand And The Forest Took Over It
Is this a scene out of Planet of the Apes, or is this an abandoned, overgrown bridge? People in New Zealand call this "The Bridge to Nowhere," and it's not that far off. It is far away from civilization, and it was only inhabited by a community for a short period of time.
During World War I, New Zealand decided to try to develop in areas outsized of the populated towns because they were running out of resources. However, it was eventually abandoned, and nature did what it does best.
Trees Will Grow Around Anything
How do trees manage to grow around these things without creating any gaps or seems? It looks like someone even painted the railing to keep it fresh without disturbing the tree. It's a good thing that it didn't grow around the portion with the door.
Luckily, there is no need to disturb the tree because it is not in anyone's way, and it provides shade to everyone standing by that bus stop. It would be cool to see the time-lapse of this tree growing around the railing.
Someone Needs A Landscaper
If humans ceased to exist, is this what the world would start to look like? We always try to picture what this home looked like in its prime, with people living happily inside and the trees growing only outside the house.
It's a little sad to see this home abandoned by its owners. What was a good enough reason for them to leave this behind and let it decay and be overtaken by the forest surrounding it.
Overgrown Train Tracks Look Like A Fairytale
There hasn't been a train pass through this part of the woods in a very long time, and the landscape decided to take over the tracks. They finally reclaimed the territory that was stolen from them by humans.
Who is daring enough to wander into the abandoned tunnel? This must be the way the ghost train goes because it is the only way for it to go without being seen by the other trains.
The Oak Tree Grew Through The Stair Railing
To be totally honest, the tree did the railing a favor and made it look much more appealing to the eyes. Why have a boring metal railing when you can have something natural that blends in with the surroundings?
If they take out the metal railing, they will have a natural handrail from the tree branches, and it will look so modern compared to all their neighbors. It is impressive that the metal hasn't warped.
Nature Won The Battle Between Gravestone Vs. Tree
Once again, nature wins in the battle versus this tombstone. Somehow this tree ripped apart a stone, and that shows how strong plants can be. They should make a horror movie about killer trees that come to life and take over the planet.
Have you ever seen a more specific date on a headstone? This person was fifty-two years, nine months, and nine days old when they died, but we have never seen anyone who would want that on their grave.
Tree Becomes The Gatekeeper At The Abandoned Putzar Castle In Germany
The tree probably started growing when the gate was built, but it thought that the large gap between the walls was insecure, so it had to fill the gap. Now no one can get through the walls and trespass on the Putzar castle property.
It is incredible that a tree can grow around or through brick walls that were built hundreds of years ago. They are so powerful, and nature is quite resilient because they can create a home for themselves and put down roots wherever they need to.
A Boat Became It's Own Eco-System
We have heard of being one with nature, but we have never seen anyone let their home turn into nature. These people must have wanted their home to blend right in with the surroundings so no one can bother them, and they had the right idea.
Now the home is a floating garden that looks like the forest around it is floating down the river. We don't know how it became so overgrown, or the boat even started growing plants, but it is interesting what can happen if you leave a boat in one place for long enough.
An Abandoned Greenhouse Is The Perfect Place For Nature To Thrive
Greenhouses are meant to be the perfect environment for plants, so when they are abandoned, it is no wonder that trees and shrubbery flourish in these environments. It is said that at night when the moon is full, the ghosts of the owners come and dance in the moonlit greenhouse.
If they cleaned this up and added in some pretty flowers, this would be a beautiful place to get married on a spring day. Can't you just picture the bride and groom standing in front of that gorgeous view? That would be one beautiful photograph.
The Plant Is Slowly Stealing The Broom
How long has the broom been sitting idly? It must have been there for a while because the plant got so fed up that it decided to do the sweeping itself. Like the animated objects in Beauty and the Beast, the broom came to life and started doing the household work.
The real question is, why haven't these people used the broom in that long of a time? Maybe the tree is enchanted, and it grabbed onto the broom to help the humans with their choirs.
A Home Claimed By The Sand Dunes
It probably wasn't a great idea to build a house in the middle of the desert, but this person did, and the sand got revenge. You have to wonder if it collapsed or it was covered in a sandstorm. Whatever the case may be, they learned a valuable lesson.
It looks like a cool place to visit, but we would never live there for obvious reasons. The worst part is, they still aren't able to get Direct TV. They are probably still being charged for service.
The Moss Grew Inside The Letters Of A Tombstone
The semi-legible writing had moss growing all over it after the tombstone fell to the ground. It amazes us that someone took so much time to hand engrave this tombstone with such a long text.
Over time, the whole stone will be covered in moss, and none of the letters will be legible. However, it might be time for a power washer so that people can read what it says and appreciate the artwork.
The Plants Are Learning How To Play The Piano
We wonder if this still piano could still work despite its decrepit state. At least it's now in tune with nature because nature is growing inside it. Why would someone leave a perfectly good piano outside to rot and turn into this mess?
It is something you would find in a gallery because it is a juxtaposition between art and mother nature. We can even imagine someone putting a poem over this picture with something about broken love.
The Ferns Grew Directly Under The Light
There are some plants that don't require direct sunlight, and the fern is one of them, which is why this is so unusual. They prefer a lot of indirect sunlight, so it is unique that they only grew right where the direct sunlight would be.
This is like a post-apocalyptic sight because the building is all destroyed, and it looks like no one has been there for years. This might be what the planet starts to look like once humans are gone.
The Ivy Overtook The Car
Remember The Blob? This ivy swallowing the car reminds us of that 1958 horror film. Instead of getting a parking ticket, this person's car was repossessed by nature, and we don't know which is a worse outcome.
They must not have cared much about the car to let it get to this state. It is now trendy and eco-friendly because it runs on green fuel. This must have been how engineers got the idea for eco-friendly cars.
It Used To Be A Restaurant And The Nature Took Over
This stunning restaurant once seated people and was filled with loud conversations clinking glasses, and memories being made. However, the restaurant went under, and the building was left for nature to take its course.
The first question we had when we saw this was where did they put the toilets? Maybe we are only seeing one side of the restaurant. It looks like it was a gorgeous place to dine, and now it could be a place to grow ingredients for those dishes.
A Tank Abandoned And Covered Up
It looks like this tank was abandoned by its crew, and it had to blend in or else it would be destroyed by the enemy. It is like a forgotten ghost of a horrific past. Just imagine the things that tank did in the past.
How many years will it be before the hedges cover it completely? It might take a bit more time, but someday people won't even be able to tell that it is there, and then they will stumble upon it unknowingly.