49 Abandoned Landmarks That Are More Beautiful Than Ever

32. Fordlândia, Brazil

Deep within the Amazon rainforest lies Fordlândia, the ambitious but ultimately doomed utopian vision of Henry Ford. Established in the late 1920s to secure a source of cultivated rubber for his automobile empire, Ford attempted to recreate a quintessential American town, complete with manicured lawns, a hospital, and dance halls, amidst the jungle. However, disease, cultural clashes, and difficulties in cultivating rubber led to its failure and abandonment by the mid-1940s. Today, its decaying American-style buildings, slowly being consumed by the relentless jungle, stand as a surreal testament to industrial idealism clashing with tropical reality.