Built in 1921, this abandoned power plant in Belgium is intimidating enough just to look at. At the time of completion, it was one of the largest coal-burning plants in the country. It was previously used as a water-cooling station, capable of cooling down 480,000 gallons of water per minute. It was once a significant feature of the town and by 1977, was the primary source of energy for the town of Charleroi.
A power plant of this magnitude is going to be a considerable source of pollution, so it wasn’t surprising when it was discovered that this plant was responsible for 10% of all of Belgium’s carbon dioxide emissions. Unsurprisingly Greenpeace started to take notice of the plant and protested for it to be closed down, which eventually happened in 2007. Security guards are often stationed around the plant to stop people looting for scrap metal.
Abandoned Mining Town On Silver Islet, Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada
You’ve heard about the gold rush in Australia, well this was a silver rush in a small town on the banks of Lake Superior in Ontario, Canada. Supplies of silver were discovered in 1845 but attempts to mine it proved difficult due to challenging weather conditions which included storms and ice surges. Miners were not able to successfully retrieve the silver, which was worth $3 million until a breakwater made of concrete and rocks was built in the lake which meant they were able to control the surging waters.
The mine functioned until 1883 when there was a lack of funding for the fuel required to power the furnaces and the water-filled shafts. The mine lays abandoned until this day.
Lucy The Elephant Hotel, New Jersey
Lucy the Elephant was originally built in 1881 and comprised six floors which were topped off by a magnificent Howdah, which is a set used to ride an elephant. There was a winding staircase that led through the elephant-shaped structure. Lucy the Elephant suffered many disasters, which included a fire and having its Howda blown off the top of the building.
Eventually, the building was so damaged and suffered such severe neglect that the city condemned it and said it should be torn down, with a new developer for the area wanting to have Lucy removed altogether. When news got out that Lucy was to be destroyed a committee was formed to have her saved and restored to her former glory. They were victorious, and she is now fully functioning and open for business.
Sunken Boats Moreton Island in Queensland, Australia
It seems strange to have this many shipwrecked boats in one small area. The reason is that these were sunken here on Moreton Island on purpose to make a safe harbor for some of the smaller boats on the island.
Today the rusting metals against the blue and green waters create a feast of colors for the eyes. Now that we know this was done on purpose, we can understand why the boats are arranged the way they are. It looks like these sunken boats, which dated back to 1963, were previously barges or steam dredges that were no longer in use. They were repurposed to make the harbor a safer place for the small boats to be.
Abandoned Castle in Italy
Finding an abandoned castle in Italy is not a unique occurrence. There are several for sale, some which have already been restored and refurbished and others which are in a state of disrepair, a “fixer-upper.”
However, each castle has its own unique style, layout, and character. They may all have some similar features such as winding staircases, basements, servants’ quarters, secret passageways, and even dungeons but each has its own personal twist when it comes to design. Exploring a castle like this probably requires a hard hat and being accompanied by a professional. Who knows, an abandoned castle like this probably has some kind of sinister past and might be haunted too!