CHÂTEAU DE BRISSAC; BRISSAC-QUINCÉ, FRANCE

 

As one of the tallest castles in France, the seven-story Château de Brissac is said to host the "Green Lady" who, as the castle's website lays out, is the illegitimate daughter of King Charles VII. She was murdered by her husband after he discovered she was having an affair. It's said that she was wearing a green dress at the time of her death, and now she roams the castle moaning in the early hours.

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Villa de Vecchi in Italy

Villa de Vecchi is foreboding, alright. Just consider that looming fog blanket! Located near Lake Como, Italy, the "House of Witches" dates back to 1854-1857, when it was built as a summer house for Count Felix De Vecchi. The family was only able to spend a few years there, as their lives were mired in tragedy right after it was built.

First, the architect died a year after construction. Then in 1862, Count De Vecchi came home to discover his wife murdered and his daughter missing. When he could not find her after a year of searching, he died by suicide. His brother then moved into the home and his family continued to live there until WWII. It's been vacant since the 1960s, and an avalanche in 2002 wiped out all the houses in the area... except this one. Spooky.

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Lui Family Mansion in Taiwan

Built in 1929 in Baroque style, the Minxiong Ghost House (aka the Lui family mansion) is a freaky place with a heartbreaking history. Located in the Taiwanese countryside, it's been abandoned since the 1950s when the family fled abruptly. Like all mysterious places, there's plenty of lore around the family and why they left the once-beautiful place.

Local legend says the maid was having an affair with her employer, Liu Rong-yu, and when the secret came out, she jumped down the well to her death (but since she did not live to tell the tale, who's to say another family member didn't push her?). Then she came back to haunt the family until they finally left. A few years later, it was occupied by members of the Kuomintang of China (KMT), many of whom were also thought to have died of suicide, which exacerbated its reputation as haunted. People who visit report plenty of ghostly sightings.

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La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina

You don't have to be religious to be moved by La Recoleta Cemetery, which features thousands of statues, mausoleums, fairytale grottoes, and intricate tombstones, as well as the remains of Argentina's most iconic figure—Eva Perón. The stone walkways and labyrinth of mausoleums are as beautiful as they are eerie, and Recoleta has a couple haunted legends of its own. One of the most famous stories involves David Alleno, a former grave-digger and caretaker who worked at the cemetery for 30 years before killing himself. Today, people report hearing Alleno's keys jangling as his ghost walks the pathways at dawn.

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Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Canada

Built in 1888 to encourage tourism and sell train tickets, this chateau-style hotel sits pretty by the Rocky Mountains in Banff National Park. But it gets a tad more Gothic once you get inside—and we aren't talking about the architecture. The Calgary Herald has reported several resident ghosts, including a bride who supposedly fell down the stone staircase during her wedding. But there’s a less tragic spirit, too: Sam the bellman, who worked at the hotel until 1975 and claimed he’d come back to haunt the joint. His spirit supposedly pulls shifts helping people with their bags before disappearing.

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Hoia-Baciu Forest, Romania

From the moment a military technician captured a photograph of a "UFO" hovering over the forest in 1968, Hoia-Baciu has gained paranormal notoriety around the world, with some believing it to be a portal that causes visitors to disappear. Those who have passed through the forest without being zapped into another realm have reported rashes, nausea, and feelings of anxiety, according to The Independent. Known as the "Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," the spooky curved trees that populate the forest just add to the eerie atmosphere.

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Woodchester Mansion, England

Builders hard at work on Woodchester Mansion mysteriously abandoned the project in 1868, leaving tools behind and rooms unfinished. Today, it’s considered one of England’s most haunted places, with rumors of floating coffins, headless horses, and feelings of intense déjà vu. Staff claim they’ve felt their hair being pulled by phantom forces before their cameras mysteriously turned off.

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Château de Brissac, France

One night in 1477, a stately castle in France became the site of a double murder. King Louis XI’s half sister Charlotte de Valois was married to Jacques de Brézé, who learned from a servant one night that his wife was in bed with another man upstairs. De Brézé ran upstairs and killed both lovers with a sword, choosing to wear green (his late wife’s favorite color) to the funeral instead of black. Since then, visitors have reported catching sight of a “Green Lady” haunting the halls in her signature color.

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Monte Cristo homestead, Australia

Said to be Australia's most haunted house, this isolated residence was built on a hillside in New South Wales in 1884 by farmer Christopher Crawley. After he died in 1920, his wife, Elizabeth, became a Bible-immersed recluse, leaving the house only twice before she passed away. Her ghost is thought to walk the rooms, and visitors report feeling an ice-cold chill when she shows up, sometimes holding a silver cross. She has quite a bit of company, including these spirits: a maid who had plunged to her death from a balcony in the house, a stable boy who was burned to death by his master, and a mentally disabled man who was chained in the caretaker's cottage for 40 years. Naturally, the latter ghost makes his presence felt by clanking his chains.

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Cumae Archaeological Park, Italy

Located on the southwestern coast of Italy and settled in the 8th century BC, Cumae was the first Greek colony on the Italian mainland. It is best known for being the seat of the Cumaean sibyl, or prophetess. In the Aeneid, Aeneas went to see the sibyl before he entered the underworld; a passage to hell is located nearby. Cumae has been the site of much bloodshed. In the 1st century, several brutal battles in the Gothic Wars took place there, and during World War II, German soldiers used a part of it as a bunker and gun emplacement. Modern-day visitors can traverse the dark, womb-like tunnels and try their luck at consulting the sibyl for guidance.

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Glamis Castle, Scotland

This castle was first built in the 14th century, and it's where the Queen
Mother—the late mother to Queen Elizabeth II—grew up. It's also said to be populated by a bevy of ghosts including the Grey Lady, or the Lady of Glamis, otherwise known as Lady Janet Douglas. Accused of murdering her husband by poisoning him and of using witchcraft to take down King James V of Scotland, the Grey Lady was burned at the stake in 1537 in Edinburgh. Her ghost is said to run up the stairs in the clock tower, leaving a trail of ash in her wake. A woman with no tongue has been seen roaming the park around the castle, and the ghost of an 18th-century boy servant, who had been terribly mistreated, is said to haunt a seat near the door of the queen's bedroom. The most famous ghost is Earl Beardie, or the Earl of Crawford. This noble visited the castle in the 15th century, and one night, he got drunk and demanded that someone play cards with him. If no one would, the Earl declared, he would play the devil himself. A mysterious hooded man dressed in black showed up at Glamis and offered to play. By the next morning, the Earl had vanished, and visitors to the castle have reported hearing swearing, loud voices, dice, and clinking glasses. 

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Forbidden City, China

The beautiful, sprawling Forbidden City in Beijing—made up of 980 buildings on 180 acres—is one of China's best-known landmarks. Many true ghost stories have also come from within its walls. From the 15th century through the early 20th century, the Chinese emperor lived there, but now it's rumored to be haunted by the ghosts of concubines. In 1421, Emperor Yongle ordered nearly 3,000 ladies-in-waiting associated with his harem, all of whom lived in the Forbidden City, to be slaughtered, because he thought that a beloved concubine had been poisoned. He spared some of his favorites in the harem, but on the day of his funeral, 16 courtesans were hung with nooses of white silk. Today, in the Forbidden City, a lady with black hair has been seen running from a ghostly soldier; sounds of screaming, weeping, and sword-fighting have been heard; and specters of dead bodies, pools of blood, and pieces of white silk have been glimpsed. The Forbidden City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is open to the public, although it closes before nightfall. 

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Kisiljevo, Serbia

This remote village is home to less than 800 inhabitants—and one spooky vampire story. In 1725, a resident named Petar Plogojowitz passed away, and in the next eight days, nine deaths occurred. The nine who died had said on their deathbeds that they had been throttled—by Plogojowitz's corpse. Priests and officials flocked to Kisiljevo to investigate, and roughly 40 days after Plogojowitz had expired, they exhumed his grave. Strangely, his beard and nails still seemed to be growing, and there were signs of new skin. When a stake was plunged into his body, it was reported that fresh blood spurted from his ears and mouth, a horrible scream arose, and his skin turned black. At that point, the murders ceased. Some call Plogojowitz "the first vampire," which may be more chilling than any other true ghost stories.

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Banff Springs Hotel, Alberta, Canada

The Banff Springs hotel in Alberta Canada, was built over 125 years ago by the Canadian Pacific Railway, as a luxury stop off point for train travelers. Don’t let its picturesque surroundings fool you though, it’s rumoured to be one of the most haunted in the country.

Terrifying reports include the sighting of a bride who fell down the staircase breaking her neck after panicking when her dress caught fire. Her apparition has been seen on the staircase and in the ballroom dancing, with many reporting the flames from the back of her dress.

The main story that is told by locals is that of the family that was murdered in room 873. The door to this room has since been bricked up, but the family that lost their life in this room are still seen to this day, often in the hallway outside the room.

Perhaps the most popular of all the reports is the former bellman, Sam Macauley. He served at the hotel during the 60’s and 70’s, and is still seen to this day. He likes to help guests up to their rooms, dressed in his 60’s uniform, often turning on lights and opening locked doors. If you try and make conversation or tip Sam, he vanishes.

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Fort George, The Citadel, Nova Scotia, Canada

Labelled as Canada’s most haunted historic site, the Halifax Citadel has received hundreds of reports of ghost sightings over the years. Situated at the summit of Citadel Hill in the town of Halifax, Nova Scotia, this star shaped fort is almost 300 years old, with the original foundations being built in 1749, and reconstructed in 1856.

Staff and visitors have reported several apparitions walking the grounds here, with one particular visitor witnessing a soldier in uniform walk into one of the rooms in the old prison area and simply vanish. This is a common theme with many reports centered around apparitions. Other ghostly figures that have been witnessed include an old man, a woman, a man in a red cloak, and an older lady who has been known to show herself in mirrors.

A little girl is said to follow the groups taking part in the ghost tours, with group members often experiencing her holding their hands. Other reports include disembodied voices, unexplained bangs and knocks, mists captured on film and with the naked eye. The feeling of being watched is a common complaint, as is the sudden feeling of nausea, sudden gusts of wind in closed off rooms, furniture moving, doors banging, and on occasion people have been pushed by an unseen force.

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Ancient Ram Inn, Gloucestershire, England

Built in 1145, the Ancient Ram Inn is believed to be the most haunted house in the entire British Isles, and perhaps the most haunted house in the world. The tales of child sacrifices, devil worship, and evil spirits are believed to be behind the terrifying happenings in this building. The Inn was built on the intersection of 2 ley lines, what many people believe is a conductor for spiritual activity. In addition, an ancient Pagan burial ground is said to have resided in the property over 5,000 years ago.

During its time as a bed and breakfast, people would often flee in the middle of the night, often seeing full bodied apparitions in their rooms, the feeling of being touched/pulled, disembodied voices, and the just the general feeling of evil.

John, the current owner and resident of the Ram Inn, has reported that on his first night in the house in 1968, he felt a presence grab his arm, before being dragged out of bed and across the room! John has since found evidence of devil worship and ritual sacrifice. He found two child skeletons underneath the staircase, as well as broken daggers. He continues to experience the hauntings and the attacks to this day.

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The Tower of London – London, England

With a history of torture and execution going back over 900 years, the Tower of London is regarded by many as one of the most haunted places in the UK. It was originally built in 1078 by William the Conqueror, and has served a major role in the history of England ever since.

There have been many reports of the paranormal at the Tower of London over the years. The most famous of all the spirits that live within its walls, is Anne Boleyn, the wife of King Henry VIII. She was beheaded in 1536, and her headless body has been seen walking the Tower’s corridors and often near the spot of her demise.

Other full bodied apparitions have also been seen including Lady Jane Grey, who was spotted by a guardsman in 1957. In the White Tower the White Lady has been seen, often standing at window, where she once stood waving to her children on the other side of the building.

Perhaps the most spine chilling of all reports includes the mysterious appearance of two children. They have been witnessed throughout the rooms of the castle. They’re often seen in their nightgowns, holding hands and with a look of terror on their faces. It is believed these are two former Prince’s, who were sent tot he Tower after they were deemed illegitimate by Parliament. They vanished one day and it was assumed that they were murdered by order of their uncle, the Duke of Gloucester. Apparently, two small skeletons were exhumed beneath a staircase in the White Tower.

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Castle of Good Hope – Cape Town, South Africa

The Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town, South Africa was built in the 17th century by the Dutch East India Company. It’s the country’s oldest colonial building, originally serving as a replenishment station for ships passing the treacherous waters of the Cape.

The first reported paranormal occurrence was when the apparition of a tall gentleman was seen in 1915 on one of the castles’ ramparts. The man wasn’t seen again until 1947, when he was seen on a regular basis over a two week period. He would be seen jumping off the side of one of the castle walls, and walking between the bastions Leerdam and Oranje.

One of the most popular stories associated with the Castle is of the former governor Pieter Gysbert van Noodt. He died on 23 April 1728, the same day he had. sentenced to death seven soldiers who 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. Later that day, Van Noodt was found dead slouched over his desk with a look of terror on his face.

Another famous haunting is of the Lady in Grey. She has been witnessed running through the castle holding her face and crying hysterically. However, since a woman’s body was found during recent excavations her ghost hasn’t been reported.

Sometime in the 1700’s, a soldier was found hanging from the bell rope in the bell tower, which overlooks the entrance to the castle. After his death, the bell tower was sealed off however, to this day the bell has been known to strike off its own accord. There’s also the ghost of a black dog who has been known to pounce on unsuspecting visitors, then simply vanish into thin air

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Monte Cristo Homestead – New South Wales, Australia

The historic Monte Cristo Homestead in Junee, New South Wales is regarded as the most haunted location in Australia. It’s reputation is believed to stem from the amount of tragic events that have occurred there since it was built in 1885. From the time of its construction up to 1948, the Crawley family owned and resided in the property. During this time the family laid witness to many deaths, including the tragic death of a young child who was dropped down the stairs. A maid to the family is believed to have fallen from the balcony, and a stable boy apparently burned to death on the property.

There was also a mentally ill man named Harold (the son of a caretaker) who was chained up in the caretaker’s cottage for 40 years. He was found curled up next to the body of his dead mother, and sent to a mental institute where he died shortly after.

The tragedy doesn’t end with the Crawley’s. After the house was left in 1948, it was taken over by a group of caretakers, one of whom was murdered in the caretaker’s cottage.

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Korea’s Top 3 Most Absolutely Scariest Places

1) “Demilitarized Zone” (aka DMZ) 

Did you know that South Korea and North Korea is still technically at war? Well, if you didn’t pay attention in your world history class, your professor probably said something along the line about the North and South being the only place in the world that is still affected by the Cold War. The armistice signed in 1953 during the Korean war only created a ceasefire which did not end the war. No official peace treaty was signed between the two countries making it a war lasting for about 57 years (and still counting). Upon entering the boarder of the Koreas, you should keep in mind that you are literally entering a war zone. But don’t worry, we’re not trying to scare you by saying that a war will break out! It’s more of the atmosphere of the place that gives you the chills. Sort of a spooky thought, eh?

The North and South is separated by a border called the Demilitarized Zone, or the ‘DMZ’ for short. The DMZ has been arguably one of the most spookiest places on earth and if you ever get the chance to visit the zone, you can take a small glimpse into the world’s least understood country – North Korea. Even US presidents such as Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Obama labeled the DMZ to be the scariest place on Earth. The DMZ is about 2.5 kilometers wide between the north and south; filled with land mines, barbed wires, and guard posts watching your every step. Soldiers from both the South and North eye each other every second to see if any suspicious acts are occurring, and hopefully, no miscalculations are made between the two rivals.

Although this is the most heavily militarized zone in the world, it is also the one of the biggest tourist hot spots for people visiting Korea. This is a must place visit if you are in Korea where it is a one time experience where you can accustom yourself with the only country in the world that is still divided. If you’re still not scared enough by reading this…! Go take a tour at the DMZ for a very reasonable price. Taking the tour, you will learn about the history of the DMZ and many incidents that occurred since Korea’s split in 1953. You can discover the secret tunnels that the North Koreans built so that their soldiers can have access to South Korea’s land in case a war was to break out. You can also check out the Joint Security Area (JSA – shown in the picture above). The Joint Security Area is the only part of the DMZ where the North Korean soldiers and South Korean soldiers face each other to see who can stare at each other the longest. And you will definitely lose if you play the staring game with these soldiers.

But can you handle it? Is the thought of a war still freaking you out? We dare you to check out the place! But don’t worry, we are sure that there will be no war between the two sides 

Special Note: Environmentalist rejoice! As the DMZ is one of the most heavily guarded area in the world, this is one of the few places in the world where there is virtually no human intervention. It’s pretty much nature at its purest. As a result, the biodiversity in the DMZ area is one of the most untouched places in the world! Too bad you’re not allowed to see any of it! (Unless you have power binoculars )

2.) “Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital” in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

If you’re the type of person that is always looking for weird things to do in Korea, well we did all the searching for you. If you ever get to stop by a tiny city called Gwangju in Gyeonggi-do, Korea, stop by the Gonjiam Mental Hospital just for the heck of it. This hospital was shut down nearly 15 years ago and there was no real conclusion on why this place shut down. This is the freaky part: people were just randomly dying in this hospital. Well, you’re thinking that there should’ve been at least some kind investigation, right? Not really. There was no mention of why people started dying so mysteriously at this mental institute.

The atmosphere of this abandoned hospital has an exterior thats all torn up, ash gray colored pipes, and shattered windows that no one has ever bothered to pick up. You most definitely want to check this place out during the day when the sun is at it’s peak because it’s probably intense enough to look around this place even when the sun is up. We can’t even imagine what it would be like at night. Inside the building you’ll find long hallways with aspiring black shaded corridors that make the interior even more scarier. You’ll also find thousands of shattered pieces of glass that still remain to this day probably left by psychiatric patients 15 years ago. Who knows what was going on in their minds at the time. From room to room, they all hold their own unique and distinct traits of some sort; some rooms you will find old cartoon books, examination tables, and scribblings on the walls that seem to have absolutely no definition of any sort. You can also see offices with jackets and white-coats still hanging on the wall — it feels just as if the doctor left the office yesterday. You’ll find scribblings on whiteboards and little sticky notes with personal messages saying that the hospital should be abandoned and evacuated as soon as possible. Again, no reason why. But we know one thing is for sure, the person who wrote the personal sticky note saying the place should be evacuated was a lucky one to get out alive. Or did he? Why don’t you go to the hospital and ask him in person! 

3.) “Neulbom Garden” (늘봄가든)

Neulbom Garden used to be a local hit restaurant, until things got very strange with the owners and employees. They say this place is so haunted that you can still hear the dishes being done in the kitchen at night.

Brief history of the restaurant: There was a family of three, one daughter and a couple that lived together. One day, the daughter got into a collision on a nearby road causing her neck to be snapped and leaving her in a vegetative state. The couples had no choice but to suffer the pain of having a daughter that couldn’t speak or think for the rest of her life. Because of this incident, the husband decided to commit suicide by hanging himself. Scary enough?!

…

Well, this has been in the talks for about 20 years.

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Within that time span of 20 years, this restaurant has been bought by an unknown rich couple. The stories are not so specific in terms of events because there were not many witnesses that survived. But there were rumors of doors suddenly opening and shutting and customers would order food where all of the orders were getting messed up (well… sorta spooky!). The boss could not handle such situations and left the employees to do all the work because he was busy doing the dishes in the back kitchen (dude was one of those psychos that couldn’t stand dirty dishes!). Oh yea, and the boss was also known to club customers in the head if he saw them playing with their food or dropped scraps of food on his floor (can anyone say psycho?!). No one knows if this crazy boss is part of the party de haunt, but what we know is that it definitely is haunted! The building has been left to rot since it’s abandonment, and the exterior has that very abandoned (aka scary) look of red bricks deteriorating on the outer wall. It’s so haunted that people dare not enter because if they do, they might get a mistaken order for “AHHHHHHHH!!!!”

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