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The most haunted and scariest places in the world

Updated: Sep 12, 2023


Ancient Ram Inn, Wotton-under-Edge, England

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Ancient Ram Inn, Wotton-under-Edge, England

The Ancient Ram Inn is a Grade II listed building and a former pub located in Wotton-under-Edge, a market town within the Stroud district of Gloucestershire, England. The inn has been owned by many people since 1145.


Fairmont Banff Springs, Canada

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Fairmont Banff Springs, Canada

A frightfully handsome room in the original building is reportedly haunted by a ghost of an elderly man. Guests have for years noted a 'feeling' of not being alone in the room at night.




Kehoe House, Savannah, Georgia

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Kehoe House, Savannah, Georgia

The haunted Kehoe House is one of our favorite haunted places to stay in Savannah. Many ghosts are reported by people who visit Savannah and stay here.




Whaley House, San Diego

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Whaley House, San Diego

The Whaley House is known as the most haunted house in America. It is an 1857 Greek Revival style residence, a California Historical Landmark, and museum located in Old Town, San Diego, California. It is currently maintained by Historic Tours of America.


Raynham Hall, Norfolk, England

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Raynham Hall, Norfolk, England

The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall is a ghost that reportedly haunts Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England. It became one of the most famous hauntings in the United Kingdom when photographers from Country Life magazine claimed to have captured its image. The Brown Lady is so named because of the brown brocade dress it is claimed she wears.


Château de Brissac, Brissac-Quincé, France

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Château de Brissac, Brissac-Quincé, France

One of the most infamous residents of the Château de Brissac is the ‘la Dame Verte’ or Green Lady, who is the château’s resident ghost. The Green Lady is said to be the ghost of a woman by the name of Charlotte de Brézé, who was the illegitimate daughter of King Charles VII and his mistress, Agnes Sorel.


The Old Vicarage, Borgvattnet, Sweden

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The Old Vicarage, Borgvattnet, Sweden

Said to be one of Sweden's most haunted places, this vicarage once even attracted a ghost-busting priest. Built in 1876, the humble house for holy men started getting its first reported hauntings in 1927 when the resident vicar reported strange happenings including his laundry being torn from the line.


Old Parliament House, Canberra, Australia

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Old Parliament House, Canberra, Australia

As one of Australia's youngest cities, it might come as a surprise, says Tim the Yowie Man, to know that Canberra is the most haunted place in the nation.


St. George’s Church, Czech Republic

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St. George’s Church, Czech Republic

St. George’s church in Luková is definitely one of the spookiest places in the Czech Republic, maybe even in the world. After being abandoned by locals who believed the church was haunted, an artist’s installation has enhanced St. George’s reputation internationally by giving its ghosts an earthly form.


Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania

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Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania

The Battle of Gettysburg was horrific. Soldiers teetered on the threshold between this world and whatever came after. Centuries later, long after the battle, their stories continue.








Larnach Castle, New Zealand

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Larnach Castle, New Zealand

Larnach Castle is a mock castle on the ridge of the Otago Peninsula within the limits of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand, close to the small settlement of Pukehiki. It is one of a few houses of this scale in New Zealand. Otago Daily Times, Wednesday, 25 January 2023, has reported that ghostly sightings may have left Cumberland College students spooked, but now a tourist has reported being bullied by a ghost at Larnach Castle.


St. Augustine Lighthouse, St. Augustine, Florida

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St. Augustine Lighthouse, St. Augustine, Florida

On the coast of Florida, where the Tolomato and Matanzas Rivers spill out into the unforgiving waters of the Atlantic, stands one of America's oldest and most haunted structures: The St. Augustine Lighthouse.


Lizzie Borden House, Fall River, Massachusetts

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Lizzie Borden House, Fall River, Massachusetts

Believers in the paranormal claim the house is haunted by everyone from Abby and Andrew, to the ghosts of two children murdered by their mother at a house next door in 1848, to Lizzie herself-on a part-time basis, apparently, since people claim Lizzie also haunts Maplecroft, her post-trial house on French Street.


Poveglia, Venice, Italy

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Poveglia, Venice, Italy

In the South Lagoon between Venice and Lido sits the small Italian island of Poveglia that for centuries has been a refuge, stronghold, place of exile and a dumping ground for the diseased, dying and deceased. Ghost Adventures investigate Poveglia Island, used to exile plague victims and mental patients.


The Catacombs of Paris, France

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The Catacombs of Paris, France

The Catacombs of Paris are underground ossuaries in Paris, France, which hold the remains of more than six million people in a small part of a tunnel network built to consolidate Paris's ancient stone quarries.


Bhangarh Fort, India

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Bhangarh Fort, India

According to legend, a sadhu lived within the fort area, and according to his injunction, any house built in the precinct of the fort should not be taller than his own, and if the shadow of any such house fell on his house, it would result in destruction of the fort town.



Corvin Castle, Hunedoara, Romania

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Corvin Castle, Hunedoara, Romania

Corvin Castle, also known as Hunyadi Castle, is one of the most beautiful castles in Romania and one of the largest castles in Europe. Its construction began in 1440, and it was designed as a defense fortress against the Ottoman Empire. Corvin Castle is Eurpoe's true fairytale castle. But, this beautiful place is also thought to be one of Romania's most haunted places.


Tao Dan Park, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Tao Dan Park, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Located in one of Vietnam's most popular cities, Ho Chi Minh City lies one of the most haunted places in the world: Tao Dan Park.




Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California

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Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California

The Winchester Mystery House is an architectural wonder and historic landmark in San Jose, CA that was once the personal residence of Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester, the widow of William Wirt Winchester and heiress to a large portion of the Winchester Repeating Arms fortune. It is sometimes claimed to be one of the “most haunted places in the world”, but there is no evidence to support this belief.


Burg Wolfsegg, Germany

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Burg Wolfsegg, Germany

Wolfsegg Castle is a foreboding and haunted place within Germany's countryside. It is a great stone edifice known for its domineering beauty as much as for its ghost stories.





Leap Castle, Ireland

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Leap Castle, Ireland

Leap Castle in County Offaly holds the impressive title of one of the most haunted castles in the world. Thousands of ghost hunters prowl its murky corridors every year in order to catch a glimpse of one of its many resident ghosts.


Lawang Sewu, Semarang, Indonesia

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Lawang Sewu, Semarang, Indonesia

This beautiful Indonesian landmark was once home to the Dutch East Indies Railway Company. Horrible things have happened here during and after WWII. No wonder it’s incredibly haunted. There are even rumors that the building’s haunted by a Kuntilanak. But that doesn’t keep the tourists away.


One If by Land, Two If by Sea, New York

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One If by Land, Two If by Sea, New York

A parapsychologist who has visited the restaurant believes that there are 20 ghosts active in the building, all from different time periods, but he says that they are all aware of each other.



Port Arthur, Australia

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Port Arthur, Australia

Darkness falls and a hidden side of Port Arthur emerges. As a place of heritage, the Port Arthur Historic Site in Tasmania, Australia, provides a substantial representation of a colonial landscape.



Akershus Fortress, Norway

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Akershus Fortress, Norway

Norway is known for its stunning natural beauty, with a rich history of art and architecture, but did you know that it can also be scary? Across the land, you can find chilling supernatural stories and experiences, from a notorious former prison in Oslo to haunted hotels in spectacular settings.


The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado

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The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado

The story of the Stanley Hotel itself began in 1903 when Yankee inventor Freelan Oscar Stanley arrived in the valley, weak and underweight from the symptoms of consumption. To his amazement, just one season here was enough to restore his health to better than before!


Isla de las Munecas, Mexico

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Isla de las Munecas, Mexico

Deep in the heart of the canals of Xochimilco - Mexico City’s last vestige of the Aztecs - is one of the world’s most haunted and tragic locations: The Island of the Dolls.




Crumlin Road Gaol, Northern Ireland

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Crumlin Road Gaol, Northern Ireland

Ghost hunters and visitors to the former prison have reported several sightings and have reported hearing strange sounds. Doors can be heard slamming shut by themselves, and male and female voices can be heard calling out for help.


The Queen Mary, Long Beach, California

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The Queen Mary, Long Beach, California

The infamous stateroom has a large number of recorded paranormal activity with numerous stories of haunted encounters recorded in the ship’s logs. Its dramatic history proves many lives were lost aboard the ship adding to the mystery of the famed ship.


Xunantunich, Belize

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Xunantunich, Belize

Local legend holds that the ruins are haunted by a woman dressed completely in white with eyes that glow red like campfire embers.





Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

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Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle exists as the most besieged castle in Britain with 23 attacks throughout Scotland's history. Edinburgh has a long and macabre history. Ghost hunters and psychics often tout the Scottish capital as a one of the most haunted places in the world.


Gunnuhver, Iceland

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Gunnuhver, Iceland

Gunnuhver’s natural beauty is also steeped in a haunting local legend. Story goes that about 400 years ago, a woman named Gudrun Gunna lived on this peninsula in a small house owned by a lawyer named Vilhjalmur Jonsson. The locals suspected her of being a witch because of a mysterious pot in her house that was always brewing something.


Tower of London, England

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Tower of London, England

The Tower of London is a historic castle built on the River Thames in the city’s center. It was founded in 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. Like other places with a past filled with skullduggery and fear, the Tower is said to be haunted. Most of the ghosts are unfortunate souls who met an untimely - and many times unjust - death.


Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, South Africa

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Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, South Africa

Blood-curdling screams, strange voices and footsteps still terrify soldiers on guard during the late night "ghost shift" at the Castle of Good Hope.



Casa Loma, Toronto, Canada

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Casa Loma, Toronto, Canada

From strange apparitions to spooky voices and unseen grabbing hands, Casa Loma has more than its share of ghost stories. Every October in Toronto, the grounds of Casa Loma are transformed into an immersive theatrical experience, Legends of Horror.



Forbidden City, Beijing, China

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Forbidden City, Beijing, China

As a city with a rich past, Beijing has quite a few spooky places that are thought to be haunted by the deceased. While some of the stories are groundless and have no actual proof, the sheer bone-chilling factor attached is enough to make the place attractive in a mysterious sense.


Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia

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Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia

The prison, which closed in 1971, is considered by several sources to be one of the most haunted places in America. While the prison was operating, two guards and several inmates were murdered within the walls. Other prisoners committed suicide, and hundreds of others died from disease and old age.



Aokigahara Forest, Japan

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Aokigahara Forest, Japan

The strange saga of Aokigahara Forest in Japan, also known as the Suicide Forest and Sea of Trees. Also known as the Sea of Trees, Suicide Forest, and Japan's Demon Forest, Aokigahara has been home to over 500 confirmed suicides since the 1950s.


Teatro Tapia, Puerto Rico

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Teatro Tapia, Puerto Rico

Notably one of the most haunted places in San Juan, Teatro Tapia, continues to spook visitors and staff year round. The theater was built in the 1800’s and is said to be a paranormal hotspot for apparitions, orbs and seriously spooky sounds of footsteps and voices.


Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, South Carolina

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Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, South Carolina

Rumored to be haunted by the ghosts of former theatre goers, Dock Street Theatre in Charleston South Carolina once played home to a very different tragedy. Today, the Dock Street is haunted not only by the ghost of that prostitute from the Planters Hotel, but also by a very prominent actor from the 19th Century who worked and frequented the hotel.


Hoia Baciu Forest, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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Hoia Baciu Forest, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

The Hoia Baciu Forest located on the outskirts of Cluj Napoca, on the northern border of Romania. It spans across 250 hectares of Transylvania and is considered one of the most haunted places on the planet because of strange paranormal phenomena that is consistently reported. The Hoia Baciu Forest is often referred to as the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania as it is said to be inhabited by the devil in person, by ghosts and perhaps even aliens.


Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia

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Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia

American forces sunk 12 Japanese warships, 32 merchant ships and destroyed 275 crucial Japanese aircraft. The area quickly became the largest underwater graveyard in the world, and gained further recognition as, The Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon.


Myrtles Plantation, USA

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Myrtles Plantation, USA

Located in the deep American south, where summers are warm, and the air is thick with the spirits of overworked slaves and brutal masters, lies the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana. With its majestic wrap around veranda, blue trim, and 20 rooms, it sits on high ground, appearing like a fortress as you approach. It appears to be something out of a storybook. However, its history is not for the faint of heart.


Ponte Sisto, Rome

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Ponte Sisto, Rome

In a city like Rome, where history pervades every street and every stone, some of the historical figures who populated it alive, still do it in the form of a spirit or ghost.






Oriental Theater, Chicago

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Oriental Theater, Chicago

First called the Iroquois Theater, ghosts are said to haunt the downtown Loop location often. It was renamed The Oriental Theater in 1926, and later was rebranded as the Nederlander Theatre in 1998. Despite the change in names over the years, its history is still told today, as it’s the place where almost 600 people perished after a fire broke out in 1903.


Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah

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Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah

Savannah has earned a reputation as America’s most haunted city. It’s not surprising that this lovely Southern city has its share of haunted cemeteries – a must visit for anyone who’s ready to have a paranormal experience.



La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires

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La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires

La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires is one of the world’s most famous cemeteries with its beautiful tombstones and statues. Some say it’s more magical than macabre, but it is a graveyard after all and it does have its fair share of haunted legends.



Himeji Castle, Japan

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Himeji Castle, Japan

It was built for war, became haunted by vengeful ghosts, is protected by “magic” ceramic tiles, and boasts a bizarre military maze to confuse invaders. Myth, superstition, bloodshed, and glory reverberate through the 83 buildings of the biggest and most revered castle in Japan. Today a tourist attraction outside Kobe, this hilltop fortress has a dark, strange story.


Parador de Jaén, Spain

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Parador de Jaén, Spain

Some of Paradores' luxury hotels in Spain are said to be haunted, and with such rich history and comfortable accommodation, it's no wonder that some ghostly guests have decided never to leave!




Monte Cristo Homestead, New South Wales, Australia

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Monte Cristo Homestead, New South Wales, Australia

From documentary crews and ghost hunters to sceptics and horror lovers, the Monte Cristo Homestead in Junee has attracted tens of thousands of visitors every year since opening to the public in 1971.



[From sources across the web]



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