Wed, Oct 24, 2012
The Manila Film Center,
Philippines
When the Manila Film Center was being built in the early ‘80s, the
scaffolding collapsed and several workmen fell to their deaths in
the orchestra pit. Rumour has it that instead of retrieving the
bodies and giving the workmen proper burials, the First Lady at the
time, Imelda Marcos, ordered that cement be poured onto the pit.
Now visitors report hearing voices and poltergeist activity.
The Tower of London, England
Having witnessed numerous tortures, murders and executions over the
course of 1,000 years, it’s no wonder this infamous tower is home
to dozens of ghosts: among them famous historical figures like Lady
Jane Grey and Ann Boleyn, who were both beheaded in the tower; as
were Thomas Becket, Sir Walter Raleigh and the Countess of
Salisbury, who was hacked to death by the executioner when she
tried to escape the noose and scaffold.
Aradale Mental Hospital, Australia
In the rural city of Ararat in Victoria lies the abandoned Aradale
hospital. Opened in 1867, Aradale is Australia’s biggest abandoned
lunatic asylum, and its conditions were one of the most appalling
at the time, with many patients suffering from cruel treatment.
More than 13,000 people died within its walls, and their ghosts can
sometimes be felt or seen by those brave enough to explore its
cells, rooms and morgue.
Tambun Inn, Malaysia
Tambun Inn in Ipoh has a slew of ghost stories. Some guests have
reported lights in their rooms being mysteriously turned on and
off, while others say they’ve been awakened by eerie whispers in
their ears in the middle of the night. Many have seen the ghost of
an old woman passing through the corridors.
Diplomat Hotel, Philippines
On top of Dominican Hill in Baguio City is the now abandoned
Diplomat Hotel. Before it was developed into a hotel, the building
was a seminary founded in 1911; and during World War II, many nuns
and priests were beheaded there. Guests and employees often saw
headless apparitions in the hotel; and even when it closed in 1987
after the death of its owner, the sightings still persist.
Okiku’s Well, Japan
Himeji Castle in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site and one of the most visited castles in Japan. It is
also home to one of the most haunted sites in the country – Okiku’s
Well. Legend has it that a samurai named Aoyama lived in the castle
and had a maid who refused to give in to his advances. To preserve
her honour, she threw herself into the castle’s well and drowned.
Her ghost supposedly rises from the well every night and sobs
eerily. Trivia: The legend of Okiku’s Well was what inspired the
Japanese horror film Ringu.
The Savoy Hotel, India
Located in the hill station Mussoorie in the state of Uttarakhand
in northern India, The Savoy Hotel was where a spiritualist named
Lady Orme died from poisoning. It is said that her spectre can be
seen meandering through its halls. Fun fact: The Savoy was also the
inspiration for Agatha Christie’s 1920 novel The Mysterious
Affair at The Styles.
Tuen Mun Road, Hong Kong
Because of the many road accidents that have occurred here over the
years, many claim that Tuen Mun Road in Hong Kong is haunted. The
superstitious even believe that some of the more recent deaths may
have been a result of drivers swerving off to avoid hitting phantom
figures popping up unexpectedly in the middle of the road.
The Normandie Apartment, Shanghai
Designed by famous Hungarian architect Ladislav Hudec, this French
Renaissance-style apartment block was built in 1924, and was home
to numerous Chinese film stars. A young actress who killed herself
jumping out the window supposedly haunts the unit on the seventh
floor.
Waverly Hills Sanatorium, USA
One of the most notorious haunted places in America, Waverly Hills
in Kentucky was a sanatorium in the early 20th century for those
suffering from tuberculosis. Many spooky apparitions have been seen
here: among them an old woman with heavy shackles around her arms
and legs, a little girl on the third floor with no eyes playing
with a ball, and a pregnant nurse who hung herself in Room 502.
Some people have also reported hearing sounds of children chanting,
“Ring a ring a roses” coming from the empty rooftop.
Bhangarh Fort, India
Legend has it that there was an evil magician spurned by a
beautiful princess living in the town of Bhangarh in Rajasthan. He
placed a curse on the town and its fort, and war and disaster
ensued for centuries. Since then, locals claim that the place has
been shrouded in darkness. The site is even said to be so famously
haunted that the Indian government has put up a sign restricting
visitors from entering after sunset.
The Catacombs, France
To the south of Paris are the famous Catacombs, an underground 18th
century ossuary that is home to the bones and skulls of more than
six million Parisians. As if being surrounded by a wall of
skeletons in a dimly lit subterranean cemetery isn’t scary enough,
people have reported hearing ghostly cries and being touched by
dark shadows while walking along its somber tunnels.
The Stanley Hotel, Colorado
Made famous by the Stanley Kubrick movie based on Stephen King’s
book The Shining, The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park Colorado
is supposedly haunted by the man who built it, F.O. Stanley. He and
his wife Flora can sometimes be seen playing the piano in the
ballroom. But the fourth floor is said to be the most haunted place
in the hotel: The ghosts of children have been seen in Room 418,
while Room 407 has a spirit who supposedly likes to turn the lights
on and off.