32 Abandoned Cities That Are Slowly Being Reclaimed by Nature

21. Belchite, Spain – A War-Torn Ghost Town

Belchite is a town where history, destruction, and nature intertwine. Once a thriving village in Spain’s Aragón region, Belchite was reduced to ruins during the brutal Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Rather than rebuild, authorities left the ruins standing as a memorial, allowing time and nature to slowly reclaim the battlefield. Walking through Belchite today is like stepping into a war-torn time capsule. Crumbled churches, bullet-riddled facades, and hollowed-out homes stand eerily still, their destruction softened only by creeping ivy and the occasional burst of wildflowers. The town’s silence is profound, broken only by the wind that whistles through empty streets and gaping archways. Nature has not rushed to reclaim Belchite but has instead crept in delicately, a quiet contrast to the violence that once tore it apart. Vines now weave through the ruins, grass grows in the main plaza, and the echoes of war have been replaced by birdsong. The town remains open to visitors who come to experience its eerie, haunting beauty and historical weight.