ON the Black Sea coast lies a haunting ghost town full of Disney-inspired mansions that were never finished.
The fairytale city, located in the Bolu region of northwestern Turkey, rotted after its builders declared bankruptcy.
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Burj Al Babas was built on a 250-acre site in the Roman spa town of Mudurnu and promised to offer a slice of European luxury to the Middle East.
Developer Sarot Properties Group splashed a whopping £160m on the project, hoping that wealthy Arab investors would flock to the area.
To seal the deal, the builders planned to install a water park in the city, with slides, streams, indoor pools, Turkish baths, saunas and steam rooms.
Prospective buyers could purchase their own royal mansion fitted with underfloor heating and jacuzzis on all levels for £400,000.
The pointed Gothic-style roofs and intricate balconies opening to the stunning view of the sea were reminiscent of Disney classics.
Nestled in the lush Turkish forest, the city seemed straight out of the Cinderella story, albeit without a happy ending.
Despite its dreamy appearance, only 350 houses were sold and the streets of Burj Al Babas remain empty to this day.
Construction began in 2014 and only two-thirds of the planned 732 homes were completed before builders ran out of money.
The ambitious plans left the developers with a huge debt of £21m.
Caught in the country’s economic turmoil, builders were forced to file for bankruptcy in 2019.
The developers were also criticized for allegedly destroying trees while facing legal action from residents.
Locals opposed the project, arguing that the castles looked out of place among Ottoman-style mansions and harmed the environment.
Construction was halted indefinitely and today the eerie town shows no signs of life.
At first glance, it still looks like a fairytale kingdom, but if you look closer, the abandoned city gives off a post-apocalyptic feel.
Building materials are scattered throughout the site and the half-built castles are uninhabitable.
Only curious tourists occasionally sneak into the ghost kingdom to catch a glimpse of the rows of partially completed villas.
Another mysterious abandoned castle mansion was found frozen in time deep in the Canadian forest.
Built in 1973, the 9,000-square-foot mansion once stood proud on 6 acres of beautiful property before meeting its tragic demise.
An urban explorer has also revealed his discovery of a “really dangerous” old Victorian mansion.
The creepy property was filled with unopened Amazon packages and retro arcade games.
Meanwhile, in the sleepy resort town of Guatapé, Colombia, Pablo Escobar’s abandoned mansion was left overgrown.
La Manuela was one of the drug trafficker’s favorite luxury hideouts, but it was blown up and left in ruins the same year he was shot to death.
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