Halloween is a fantastic holiday for anyone who enjoys getting scared. Take a look at our list of world’s most terrifying places for some unforgettable thrills and chills.
From Madame Marie Delphine LaLaurie’s haunted house to an asylum allegedly using shock treatments and overcrowding as treatment methods, these terrifying places will make even seasoned travelers shudder with fear.
Alcatraz
Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay is considered one of the world’s most haunted places, boasting both dark history and mysterious beauty. A national park site, Alcatraz draws people in with its mysterious lure.
Al Capone and “Machine Gun” Kelly were two infamous criminals held prisoner at this infamous jail – do their ghosts still roam?
Haunting historical photos invite readers to explore Alcatraz Prison’s dark tunnels and chilly cells. Sidebars provide further insights into its mysterious past, such as torture and executions that occurred here. Visitors have reported hearing moaning voices late at night as well as experiencing cold spots or hearing chain clanking at Alcatraz.
Gladesville Mental Hospital
Gladesville Mental Hospital, once an insane asylum with an intricate history, is famed for its hauntings. Ghostly spirits are said to roam its halls while chills can be felt within its heritage-listed central block with treatment rooms and patient dormitories.
The site was designed according to American Dr Thomas Kirkbride’s principles; however, overcrowding and underfunding led to neglect and abuse from overcrowding and inadequate funding. Families were often not informed when someone passed away – their bodies being interred anonymously at an on-site cemetery instead.
Photographer Yvette Worboys recently captured haunting images of Gladesville and has reported back that psychics who looked at her pictures confirmed a strong residual energy on the property. Additionally, she heard footsteps and moans coming from upstairs area.
Akershus Castle
No matter your personal beliefs or interest in paranormal phenomena, Norway boasts several haunted places that make for great visits – with Akershus Castle near Oslo being one of them.
King Hakon V had it constructed to defend against invasions by Norwegian nobility, yet became home for many notable prisoners, such as author Gjest Baardsen and Ole Hoyland (known for being Norway’s Robin Hood).
Fortress has been the site of several reported ghost sightings. Visitors have reported hearing bagpipes and drum music. Footsteps of prisoners can be heard throughout the building and there have even been reports of haunted dogs! Numerous tours in Oslo feature stops at this castle such as Segway tours, bike tours, sightseeing cruises and historical ghost tours.
Samlesbury Hall
Samlesbury Hall Museum offers a fun family experience with its haunted interior and creepy activities for all ages – perfect for discovering more of Lancashire history! Enjoy Betsy Bumblebee stories and activities or step through its timeline room which depicts both Hall history and contemporary national events.
The Hall’s priest holes and Victorian kitchen have earned it the distinction as one of the UK’s most haunted structures, according to reports by guests and local authorities. Dorothy Southworth is believed to haunt this building; guests have reported feeling uncomfortable, being hit and seeing shadowy figures during visits.
Visitors of the Hall can also experience its Priest Room, where bloodstains from an atrocious priest murder are believed to still adorn its floorboards.
Chillingham Castle
Chillingham Castle in Northumberland is known to be one of the most haunted castles in England, featuring unique history and paranormal activity. Watch this TikTok clip to gain more insight into this haunted medieval building’s dark tales and specters that haunt it!
This Grade 1-Star fortress dates back to 13th-century Europe, boasting grand royal halls and elegant tea room spaces as well as terrifying torture chambers and hidden dungeons. There’s even a legendary cast of supernatural beings roaming its corridors!
Tombola’s research indicates that this castle possesses an impressive scare factor score of 35, boasting some of the highest levels of paranormal activity in the country. Cries from an unidentified source known as the Blue Boy have been heard throughout its corridors while an apparition of a woman wearing white has appeared in its Inner Pantry.
