Forbidden Places Around The World

It’s difficult to believe that such places exist in our world, but they do.

We’re used to hearing a lot of fascinating information about the places we can visit.

And when we are fascinated by a location, we think, “That’s fantastic!

I should put this place on my bucket list and go there someday! “.

But what about the places we should definitely skip off our bucket lists?

What about those forbidden places we’re not allowed to visit?

It’s difficult to believe that such places exist in our world, but they do. There are military bases, for example, that only allow access to employees. There are some historical sites that are so fragile that human presence can seriously damage them. There are also dangerous locations that none of us would want to visit. However, many of these locations pique our interest, much like a forbidden fruit that becomes instantly appealing. They attract some curious travelers like magnets, driving them to seek out unknown lands. Even so, for the sake of your own life, it’s best not to even attempt to visit these places.

So, without further ado, here are some of the most fascinating places in the world that ordinary people cannot (legally) visit unless they are researchers, scientists, military personnel, or daredevils.

#1 Area 51, Nevada, USA

Area 51 is not only one of the most well-known forbidden places in the US, but it is also one of the most mysterious. Many of them believe an alien spaceship crashed there, while others believe authorities use this location to examine the spaceship that allegedly crashed in Roswell, New Mexico (another super-mysterious place).

Due to its remote location, Area 51 is said to be used as a testing ground by the United States Air Force and CIA. If it’s true (and it most likely is), it’s understandable why the area is off-limits to the public.

#2 Vatican Secret Archive, Vatican

The Vatican Secret Archive, renamed the Vatican Apostolic Archive in 2019, serves as a repository for various documents pertaining to the Catholic Church. Some of these documents date back to the eighth century. Among the items are papal account books, a letter from Michelangelo to Pope Julius II, a letter written before Mary Queen of Scots’ execution, and Martin Luther’s excommunication document.

The majority of the archive is underground, with 85 kilometers (53 miles) of shelves. Except for researchers with special access permits, it is forbidden for anyone to enter. However, even for them, there are numerous restrictions on which documents they can view.

#3 Chichen Itza Pyramid, Mexico

You might be surprised to see Chichen Itza on this list, given that it is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. And you’re correct – millions of tourists visit this site each year to marvel at the magnificent Mayan pyramid. However, while you are welcome to visit, climbing it is now strictly prohibited.

The ban was imposed after a woman fell off the pyramid while descending in 2006. This tragic event had a tragic ending, and in order to prevent anything similar from happening in the future, it was closed to the public, much to the chagrin of numerous tourists attempting to reach the top of Chichen Itza.

#4 Mausoleum Of Qin Shi Huang, China

Although the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang was discovered during the excavation of the Terracotta Army in 1974, it has yet to be excavated. According to opponents of the tomb’s excavation, modern technology cannot prevent its destruction. As a result, access to it is still prohibited by the Chinese government, which strives to preserve their cultural heritage while also paying respect to the man buried there.

All we know about the mausoleum now is that it is a complex underground network of caverns filled with objects that, according to those who buried him, the emperor might have needed in the afterlife. It houses, among other things, a clay replica of his army known as the Terracotta Army.

#5 Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan, India

Technically, the Bhangarh Fort is not completely off-limits to visitors because they can see this magnificent example of Rajasthani architecture during the day. However, entry to this location is strictly prohibited from sunset to sunrise. This 16th-century fort is known as the “most haunted place in India,” and legends about ghosts and curses abound. Some of them will undoubtedly send shivers down your spine.

You may be wondering what happens to visitors to the Bhangarh Fort at night. In fact, no one knows because whoever attempted to break the rule mysteriously vanished after it.

#6 Poveglia, Italy

Poveglia is a small island in the Venetian lagoon between Venice and Lido. Previously, it served as a plague quarantine station, housing over 160 thousand infected people in their final days and hours. According to some reports, human remains make up 50% of the island’s soil. As if this tragedy wasn’t enough, the island later became home to a sinister-looking mental hospital. After a while, it was closed, and Poveglia is no longer open to the public.

As if anyone in their right mind would want to visit this creepy location…

#7 Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway

The Global Seed Vault in Norway, also known as “the Doomsday Vault,” is a vital location for all of us. It stores 100 million seeds from all over the world in the event that something catastrophic happens to our planet’s vegetation. The vault, which opened in 2008, was designed to last about 200 years and can withstand explosions and earthquakes. Furthermore, because it was built on the side of a mountain, it will remain above sea level even if all of the world’s ice melts.

It’s interesting to note that the vault is unaffected by politics: North Korea has given its seeds for storage there.

#8 Lascaux Caves, France

Not all UNESCO World Heritage sites are accessible to the general public. For example, the Lascaux Caves in France, which contain invaluable cave art thought to date back 17,000 years, have been closed to visitors since 1963 due to a series of fungal invasions caused by a high number of visitors. This occurrence demonstrated that any human presence is harmful to the caves. To preserve 900 examples of prehistoric art dating back to the Paleolithic era, tourists are no longer permitted to enter, but replicas have been installed for public viewing.

#9 North Sentinel Island, India

In the Bay of Bengal, North Sentinel Island is a small landmass. Its indigenous people, known as the Sentinelese, reject all contact with the outside world and are one of the few peoples who have remained unaffected by our civilization. How do they keep outsiders from visiting their island? They merely fire arrows at them. As a result, approaching the island and surviving the encounter is impossible.

An interesting fact: when researchers were assessing the damage after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the Sentinelese attacked their helicopters for approaching the island. Of course, none of them were hurt, but this example demonstrates how fiercely the island’s population defends their territory.

#10 Pluto’s Gate, Turkey

People didn’t dare to enter Pluto’s Gate in Hierapolis, Turkey, in ancient times because they thought it was a dangerous place. No one could live there, according to the ancient historian Strabo. He wrote that after visiting this location, he “threw in sparrows, and they immediately breathed their last and fell.”

Scientists confirmed Pluto Gate’s reputation in 1965, much to everyone’s surprise. After measuring the CO2 concentration, they discovered that at night, when the temperature drops and CO2 becomes heavier than air, it forms a lake at the bottom of the Gate. The concentration peaks at dawn, and any living being who gets there risks their life. The site becomes safer during the day, however, because the sun dissipates the gas.

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