When we call a place home, instead of a house, we’re ascribing a sort of positive emotion to it. But on the flip side, a windowless, empty house can evoke melancholy, sad, and even spooky emotions as our brains wonder why the people left in the first place. Mortgage costs are boring, it must be ghosts.
The “Old and Abandoned Houses” Facebook page gathers images of buildings from a bygone age that no one lives in anymore. So get comfortable as you scroll through and be sure to upvote your favorites and comment why you think some of these places are devoid of people below.
More info: Facebook
This post may include affiliate links.
Grimmenstein Castle, Austria
A Boot-Shaped House Hidden Deep In The UK Forest
While on the surface, these are mostly just decrepit old buildings, there are some psychological factors in play that make them fascinating to us. First and foremost, we do have an innate curiosity about abandoned places, as some part of our brain wants to confirm if it’s truly abandoned. Perhaps we think we can find something interesting or find answers to why people left.
It’s also worth noting that in most cases, the places we live in are not abandoned, so it’s a unique chance to see just what age does to a home, something we don’t see every day. Add in the fact that many of these houses are built in an “older” era and it’s easy to see why the average person might find such a building interesting.
Abandoned Fairy Tale House
Abandoned Mansion In Michigan
OK, who else has an urge to snap their fingers? Show of hands! (Not you, Thing!)
Abandoned Victorian Bathtub
We aren’t the only people who think that old “ruins” are interesting, there is some evidence that in the 18th and 19th centuries, Medieval castles, no longer necessary as fortifications, were purposefully allowed to crumble and fall apart, as they would yield “aesthetically pleasing” ruins. While modern historians might grumble at this, the logic is sound.
Abandoned Castle
The Kopice Palace in Poland. It was destroyed by fire in 1958. Last I heard it was on market for offers near about 6 million PLN (about 1.1 million sterling, 1.37 million USD). Bring your toolbox.
Into Abandoned Old House
Abandoned Mansion
It's not abandoned! It's just that the new tenants are from the *Vegetable* Kingdom!
In cases where there weren’t readily available ruins, people would simply fake them. Architect Johann Ferdinand Hetzendorf von Hohenberg designed a set of “Roman ruins” for the garden of the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria. The Hapsburg rulers of the time, like many fashionable people, had a passing interest in the ancient world and didn’t think fake ruins were weird at all.
Such A Shame
Abandoned Beauty Found In An Apartment
Abandoned
And before you judge, consider that modern humans regularly erect haunted houses, horror escape rooms and take tours of places associated with death. There is a thrill associated with a location, while the houses in this list also might be just spooky enough to titillate a real horror fan.
An Abandoned Mansion In The Irish Forests
If it had a roof, it would be my kind of place. In the middle of nowhere!
The Room Of An Old Abandoned House In Italy
Abandoned Mansion In France
For some, an abandoned house isn’t enough, they need a whole street or even a region. This is why some companies make a profit by offering tours of Pripyat, near Chornobyl, still mostly restricted since its nuclear power plant suffered a catastrophic failure in 1986. People have a chance to explore a ghost town, plus see a relatively untouched Soviet town, as long as they don’t care about a little exposure to radiation.
Left Behind In France
An Overgrown Pool At An Abandoned Mansion
Entrance Of An Abandoned Castle, France
Others might go to Hashima Island, Japan, where mines have been abandoned since the 1970s. While not really dangerous, These locations are still “wild” enough that visitors feel like they may stumble across something new or unexpected. The presence of a tour guide would suggest otherwise, but most prefer an interesting delusion to reality.
Would You Explore This?
Abandoned House In Coudersport, Pennsylvania
Abandoned House In Forest
This is perhaps the same psychology that drives people to explore the most uncomfortable caves known to man, even if it means risking life and limb to see a bit of rock that no one else has. Of course, by definition, an abandoned house can’t be “unseen” since it had to have been at least built.
Your Inheritance... Keep It Or Sell It?
An Abandoned Haunted House Located In Berlin, Germany
If you are still interested in exploring an abandoned house and looking at these images isn’t enough, there are some safety tips one should follow. First, get permission if you can. Walking around an old house only to get slapped with a trespassing charge is probably not fun for anyone. Avoid going alone and preferably tell someone where you are headed, just in case.
A Forgotten Masterpiece In An Abandoned Mansion
Abandoned Castle
Be funny if it was a TARDIS with a working chameleon circuit, and the whole thing just up and vanished one day.
Amazing Abandoned Castle's In The World - Scotland
"Dunalastair House was designed by Andrew Heiton, a Perth-based architect, who also designed the Atholl Palace Hotel and Dunkeld railway station. It was really only used as it was built to be used up until the First World War because after that the staff needed to run such a big house were no longer available. During the Second World War it was requisitioned and used first as a Polish boys’ and then girls’ school and during this period it was considerably damaged, which included the loss of a Millais painting which was destroyed in a fire in the drawing room. The house’s contents were sold in the mid fifties after the current owner’s grandmother’s death and the house was badly vandalised in the sixties when the lead was stolen from the roof. In those days it was not viable to repair it and no grants were available and it deteriorated very quickly from then on with most removable parts being stolen. Various ideas have been put forward for restoring it, but the cost would be huge."
If you do end up going, don’t say you weren’t warned by us, the law, 1001 films, and common sense. But do be sure to take some photos and document these locations for the rest of the world to see. In many cases, these houses have probably sat untouched and unseen for decades, so it would be interesting and educational for all to get a peek inside.
Witch House. Wooden Cottage , Tatra Mountains , Poland
Abandoned Mansion In The Forest
Abandoned Guitar Factory
And if you are interested in more house-related content, Bored Panda has got you covered, you can take a look at our list of things people recommend you do before buying your first home. Or, if you want a good laugh, check out our post collecting the best “Ugly Belgian Houses,” which might make you wonder if they are an architect's practical jokes.
Abandoned Hotel - 2019
The Red Stairs
Abandoned House
Aw. c'mon, that's an entire abandoned small village all stuffed into one oversized House suit.
Abandoned Bedroom
Abandoned Church
A Decaying Neo-Gothic Turret Hidden Among The Hills - Italy
I've heard of 'having a lien placed on your property', but never like this!
Abandoned Mansion, Belgium
Abandoned Spa Town In The Czech Republic
Abandoned Castle, Ireland
A 14th Century Abandoned Caste In Scotland
The Castle of Aaargh! (As in "Surprise and alarm"). Real name Castle Stalker.
Would U Like To See Inside ?
Old Abandoned Victorian House
Abandoned Beauty!
Looks Like It Is Straight Out Of A Fairytale!
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel Staircase
This Car And Cabin
Abandoned In Scotland
This is the Airlie Monument in Kirriemuir. Built in 1901 to commemorate a man killed the year before in the Boer War. No one ever lived in it. It isn't abandoned.
Cochem, Germany
The Imperial Castle. It's owned by the town as a tourist attraction. Open daily 0900-1700. Restaurant 1000-1800. Not exactly "abandoned."
A 900-Year-Old Church Still Standing In Ireland
Clearly not abandoned (the road is in good condition) it's just old
Germany
Edinburgh, Scotland
How sad that the capital of Scotland has been abandoned. I was there in June and it seemed so vibrant. 🙄
Note: this post originally had 89 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Every time one of these lists is published, more than half are not actually abandoned, and half the rest are clearly staged. BP could just title it 'cool old buildings' and we could happily upvote!
So many that are obviously still occupied. 🙄 .. Those that are actually abandoned, it would be nice to have the location in the heading on each photo.
Urbexers do not usually disclose the location (like the town, village) where the abandoned mansions are
Load More Replies...
Every time one of these lists is published, more than half are not actually abandoned, and half the rest are clearly staged. BP could just title it 'cool old buildings' and we could happily upvote!
So many that are obviously still occupied. 🙄 .. Those that are actually abandoned, it would be nice to have the location in the heading on each photo.
Urbexers do not usually disclose the location (like the town, village) where the abandoned mansions are
Load More Replies...