The Six Flags Jazzland park was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina, which struck New Orleans on 25 August 2005. Despite several investors showing interest in regenerating the park no one has been able to bring this place back to life. It’s still a hot favorite with photographers who can channel a creepier side to their photos.
Abandoned theme parks are definitely one of the spookiest places to be, especially when you think about that terrible day when the hurricane hit and destroyed everything in its path. Much of New Orleans and the surrounding areas are still suffering the after-effects of the hurricane and have yet to be rebuilt to their former glory.
Abandoned Dome Houses in Southwest Florida
Located on the Southwestern coast of Florida sit a group of small and uninhabited domed structures on Cape Romano. They were built in 1981 to serve as a holiday home to the oil mogul Bob Lee, but have since been left empty and now look neglected and run down. They were originally beautiful structures that were powered by solar energy and were self-sustaining, but they were wrecked by hurricanes.
No one is sure what will happen to these buildings in the next few years, but a circular home is indeed an interesting way to live. You can be sure there will be no dusty corners. In 2005, hurricane Wilma caused considerable damage to the properties as well as to the coastline and now what is left of the buildings can only be reached by boat.
Love Finds a Church in Iceland
In the small Icelandic town of Búðir, on the Snæfellsjökull peninsula lies a secluded church called Búðakirkja. It is a picturesque spot, popular with photographers, newlyweds, and travelers alike, thanks to its simple color palette of black and white. It is rare to see a church using just black and white as we are used to more ornate stained-glass windows, but there is something simplistic and beautiful about this design.
First built in 1703, it is surrounded by lava fields, and the only other building nearby is a small hotel. The church was reclaimed in 1987 and restored. The original bell and chalice still feature, as do remains of the original graveyard.
Former Treatment House (Pavilionul de Bai) From Baile Govora, Valcea County, România
This is the Pavilion de Bai, which acted as a treatment center and sanitorium. It was located in Valcea County in the heart of Romania. Designed by architect, Ernest Doneaud, construction started in the early, and the center became operational in 1915. The building was shaped like an E, and there were 145 rooms in total. There were plans to add an additional 19 rooms after the treatment house was officially opened, but these were halted when war broke out.
Among other therapies, the center was equipped to offer water-based therapies, electrotherapy, and compressed air cabinets. This was cutting-edge at the time and helped patients with upper respiratory problems, as a result of inhaling toxic fumes during the war. Using extreme air pressure allowed these ex-servicemen to breathe again. When the area was taken over by communism, these kinds of institutions were starved of funding and as a result and became neglected. There is still hope that this building will be restored as the community around it appears to be growing again.
Abandoned Rollercoaster, Nara Dreamland, Japan
This was a theme park in Japan that was said to be inspired by the ever-popular Disneyland parks. The Nara Dreamland park was initially opened in 1961 and was a popular attraction at one time. However, by 2006, it was agreed the park should close and now seems to be frequented by urban explorers and the occasional security guard. Some of the old rollercoasters still stand, such as the one named the Screw Coaster.
There is another abandoned roller coaster in the park named Aska. If you’re an urban explorer, make sure you have a permit as the guards here have a tendency to hand out tickets for trespassing. Frankly, it doesn’t look like the safest place to explore anyway!