8 Dark Tourism Spots Around the World that would make your hair curl

Dark Tourism is a rising trend in the world of tourism. It includes travelling to destinations that are known to be related to tragedies or mass deaths. It helps to understand the human history of violence and bloodshed in great detail. In this article, we will be looking at top 10 places around the world that are gradually becoming dark tourism hotspots.

1. Chernobyl, Ukraine

We are all familiar with images of abandoned parks, buildings etc. on the internet. Imagine a whole city filled with such sights and there’s Chernobyl for you. It is the place where the most severe nuclear disaster in history occurred. Within the span of a few days Chernobyl went from a bustling township to a deserted ghost town.

The scenes from the site would be immortalized in the minds of visitors. There is a strange sense of nostalgia, a feeling of loss that comes over you when you visit a ghost town like this one. That is exactly what professional tour companies offer you on a visit to Chernobyl.

 

2. Auschwitz Concentration Camp, Poland

Perhaps the most popular entry in this list, the site is located in Poland. It is a horrifying reminder of the Holocaust. It is the place where the largest genocide in human history took place. It has been portrayed in numerous movies and books. There have been few places in the world like Auschwitz where the primary objective was to kill off as many human beings as possible each day.

Visitors can witness heaps of footwears and clothes left by the prisoners right before they were guided to gas chambers. There are also remains of equipment that were used to conduct the most horrific medical experiments. With over 1.1 million recorded deaths this site is surely one of the scariest dark tourism spots.

 

3. The Colosseum, Italy

The Colosseum is an ancient amphitheater built about 2000 years ago by Roman Emperors. This magnificent structure is located in Rome, Italy. It is included in the New 7 Wonders of the world for its architectural extravaganza. It could once accommodate around 80,000 spectators. It appears on the radar of dark tourists due to the nature of activities conducted at the place through centuries.

The Roman Emperors used to organize a variety of violent entertainment activities like hunting, animal fights, gladiator duels, public executions etc. at the Colosseum. It is depicted in many Hollywood blockbusters like The Gladiator. The amount of blood spilled in the soil of the Colosseum is beyond measure. The immeasurable cruelties and violence witnessed by the structure over these two millenniums makes it a Dark tourism hot spot. It is one among the most visited tourism destinations in the world every year.

 

4. Murambi Genocide Memorial, Rwanda

The Murambi Memorial commemorates the Rwandan genocide. The event happened in 1994 when armed Hutu militia massacred members of Tutsi ethnic group who were a minority. The death toll was a staggering 8,00,000. It happened at the Murambi Technical School where the Tutsi’s were tricked into gathering. The strange fact about the incident is that the global community remained passive and silent during the time.

The school is now turned into a museum where human skulls and skeletons can be seen in plenty. There are thousands of unidentified graves around the area. The incident has also been adapted to movies and books including Hotel Rwanda and Murambi: The Book of Bones. The chilling remnants of the terrifying genocide can be seen throughout the country. It is one of the lesser visited but equally important dark tourism destinations in the world.

 

5. Perm 36 - Gulag, Russia

Perm - 36 refers to the site where a forced labor camp was located, in erstwhile Soviet Union. Through movies and books, most of us are familiar with the unimaginable horrors that used to take place in such camps often called Gulags. After it stopped functioning in 1987, a humanitarian organization established a museum at the site.

Notably, it is the only labor site that survived the demolition spree of such institutions right before the collapse of the Soviet Union. Visitors can see how political opponents and other innocents were subjected to harsh punishments at these camps. Along with the inhumane treatment, the unbearable climate also led to the death of hundreds of inmates.

 

6. Ground Zero, New York

Ground Zero refers to the site where the Twin Towers used to stand prior to the 9/11 attacks. It has been turned into a memorial museum where visitors can relive the tragic incident through media footages, photographs etc. The attack on the World Trade Centre took place on September 11 2001, claiming around 3000 lives and injuring many more.

It is a symbol of loss and human cruelty. Relatives of the deceased, survivors and other sympathizers gather here annually on September 11 to pay their respects. The site where the largest organized terrorist attack took place has become one of the most visited dark tourism spots in the world.

7. Jallianwala Bagh, India

Jallianwala Bagh is a dark tourism spot in Punjab, India. It is the place where the infamous massacre of 400 peaceful protesters by British soldiers took place in 1919. It was an enclosed ground with only one exit. British commanding officer General Dyer gave orders to open fire upon the protesters. Thousands of helpless people ran around helplessly. Hundreds were shot dead and many more sustained grave injuries. Some jumped in to an open well inside the compound to save themselves from gunfire.

The incident proved to be a catalyst in India’s struggle for Independence. Later a memorial was built, with an eternally burning flame. It is located near the city of Amritsar. The destination attracts thousands of tourists and history enthusiasts each year. The well that drowned many protestors and the walls dotted with numerous bullet marks are preserved in their original form.

 

8. Tiananmen Square, China.

Tiananmen Square in China is known for the June Fourth Incident or massacre of 1989. The incident took place amid a protest organized by students against the Chinese government. Military law was in place and troops fired relentlessly at the gathered crowd which is said to have had close to a million protesters. China has always denied this large-scale massacre of students. The death toll varies from a few hundreds to many thousands according to various agencies.

Due to the fact that the Chinese government has not acknowledged the incident officially, there are no visible memorials dedicated to the victims. But human rights activists and students flock to the square each year to pay their respects and remember their legacy. It is one of the most important spots in modern dark tourism map.

 So, that completes the list. Be sure to add these destinations to your travel bucket list if you are a person curious about human history and tragedies.