MapUrbex
🌍 Top 20 Most Iconic Abandoned Places in Europe (2025)
Europe is home to an incredible variety of abandoned places: deserted towns, industrial giants, forgotten castles, ruins from wars, hotels left silent, and entire complexes frozen in time.
Here are 20 real locations, each carrying a unique story and atmosphere.
🇮🇹 ITALY
1️⃣ Craco — Basilicata
Perched on a rocky hill, Craco overlooks the dry landscapes of southern Italy.
Repeated landslides forced its evacuation between 1963 and 1980.
The medieval streets, collapsed roofs and solitary tower create an eerie, timeless atmosphere.
2️⃣ Manicomio di R…
This vast psychiatric complex was closed after the reforms of the late 1970s.
Long corridors, treatment rooms, abandoned equipment and murals still visible on the walls reveal decades of intense medical activity.
3️⃣ Villa De Vecchi — “The Red House”
Built in 1854, this alpine villa is known for its damaged frescoes, broken windows and almost mystical atmosphere.
Abandoned since the 1960s, it remains one of Italy’s most captivating ruins.
🇪🇸 SPAIN
4️⃣ Lemoiz Nuclear Power Plant — Basque Country
A monumental nuclear plant that was never commissioned.
The unfinished reactors, dry cooling basins and huge technical halls form a massive industrial landscape overlooking the ocean.
5️⃣ Belchite Viejo — Aragón
Destroyed during the Spanish Civil War.
Ruined churches, collapsed houses and silent streets make it a powerful historical site.
6️⃣ La Mussara — Catalonia
A high-altitude ghost village with abandoned houses, an old school and views stretching endlessly across the hills.
🇩🇪 GERMANY
7️⃣ Beelitz-Heilstätten — Berlin
A huge hospital complex built at the end of the 19th century.
Red-brick pavilions, empty surgical theatres and buildings overtaken by nature make it one of Germany’s most atmospheric ruins.
8️⃣ Spreepark — Berlin
An abandoned amusement park.
Its silent ferris wheel, overturned dinosaur figures and derelict attractions create a surreal scene.
9️⃣ Teufelsberg — Berlin
A former US Cold War listening station built on an artificial hill.
The abandoned domes and empty structures still dominate the Berlin forest.
🔟 Wünsdorf — “The Forbidden City”
Once the headquarters of the Soviet Army in East Germany.
Hundreds of buildings were constructed here: barracks, bunkers, theatres, pools and administrative facilities.
A vast military town left partially deserted.
🇫🇷 FRANCE
1️⃣1️⃣ Manoir Colimaçon
Famous for its monumental spiral staircase, this manor is one of France’s most photographed abandoned houses.
Its circular hall, collapsed floors and elegant but eerie architecture give it a striking presence.
1️⃣2️⃣ Marineland Antibes — Closed Facilities
Some old and unused parts of the marine park remain abandoned.
Empty pools, faded seating areas and unused service corridors reveal a quieter, forgotten side of the site.
🇧🇪 BELGIUM
1️⃣3️⃣ Château Miranda / Noisy
Built in the 19th century, this neo-gothic castle became one of Europe’s most iconic abandoned places before its demolition in 2017.
1️⃣4️⃣ Doel — The Ghost Village
Near Antwerp, Doel is known for its walled houses, empty streets and colourful murals.
A unique Belgian ghost village.
1️⃣5️⃣ Liège Industrial Ruins
Liège is surrounded by massive abandoned steelworks.
High furnaces, turbine halls and huge metallic structures form a colossal industrial landscape.
🇵🇱 POLAND
1️⃣6️⃣ Kopalnia Uranu — Abandoned Uranium Mine
A former Soviet-era underground mine.
Rusty rails, dark galleries and abandoned machines remain.
1️⃣7️⃣ Szpital Tworki — Psychiatric Complex
One of Eastern Europe’s largest psychiatric hospitals.
Some wings remain abandoned, with empty rooms and long corridors.
🇵🇹 PORTUGAL
1️⃣8️⃣ Panorama Hotel — Madeira
Overlooking the Atlantic, this once-luxury hotel now stands empty.
Its open corridors and silent rooms face the sea.
1️⃣9️⃣ Sanatório do Caramulo
A modernist sanatorium in the Portuguese mountains.
Terraces, medical wings and long corridors remain deserted.
🇨🇭 SWITZERLAND (Bonus)
2️⃣0️⃣ Hotel Belvédère — Furka Pass
Closed in 2015.
Its iconic curved façade stands facing the Rhône Glacier, creating one of the most dramatic alpine scenes.
🗺️ Explore Europe with MapUrbex
🔗 Europe Map — MapUrbex
Discover dozens of abandoned places: castles, bunkers, ghost towns, hotels and industrial sites.
🎁 Create an account and get your free map
⚖️ Legal Reminder
Access to abandoned sites may be prohibited without permission.
Many locations are dangerous or protected.
MapUrbex promotes respectful, non-destructive and careful exploration.
🚀 Conclusion
From Italian ghost towns to Belgian steel factories, from Spanish ruins to Swiss mountain hotels, Europe offers countless abandoned sites with powerful stories.
Explore further with our dedicated maps:
🧭 Discover the hidden heritage of Europe with MapUrbex.
