49 Abandoned Landmarks That Are More Beautiful Than Ever

9. Varosha – Famagusta, Cyprus

Once the glittering jewel of Cyprus’s tourism industry, Varosha was the place to be in the early 1970s. Celebrities lounged on its sun-soaked beaches, high-rise hotels lined the coast, and boutiques buzzed with life. But all of that came to a sudden halt in 1974, when Turkey invaded Cyprus following a military coup. The residents of Varosha fled overnight, leaving beach towels on chairs and store mannequins dressed in the latest '70s fashion. The Turkish military fenced off the entire district, turning this lively resort town into an untouched time capsule—off-limits to civilians for nearly five decades. Today, the chain-link fences have started to open, revealing a strangely preserved city frozen in time. Cracked sidewalks are now littered with wildflowers, palm trees stretch unchecked into the streets, and rusted hotel signs still bear the names of long-defunct luxury brands. The Mediterranean continues to lap at Varosha’s shorelines, as if nothing changed, even as the city behind it slumbers in silence. With recent partial reopenings, curious travelers can now glimpse this lost paradise, where the glamour of the past meets the gravity of history.