The World's 21 Most Haunted Dwellings

Creepy stories about haunted houses can thoroughly freak a person out on Halloween. In the United States, we have no shortage of spooky American haunted houses. Louisiana especially has its fair share of ghost-filled abodes in New Orleans, a city very much in touch with its spirits.

Now, though, we're turning our lens global. The world is full of homes, hotels, and hospitals fabled to be visited by ghosts from the past. These are the stories of 21 haunted sites from around the world.

01
Charles Fort, Ireland
Instagram | palli_30

Charles Fort, Ireland

Charles Fort, in County Cork, Ireland, has been used for centuries to defend the country. Now, it plays home to the ghost of a woman whose husband died while on duty there.

02
Borgvattnet Vicarage, Sweden
Flickr user Lars Engström

Borgvattnet Vicarage, Sweden

The Borgvattnet Vicarage in Ragunda Municipality, Sweden, is known to be one of the most haunted places in that country. Multiple residents have reported seeing ghosts in the building. One woman sleeping there in 1941 reported that she woke up to the sight of three female ghosts regarding her from across the room.

03
The Beechworth Asylum, Australia
Instagram | apitcher_

The Beechworth Asylum, Australia

The Beechworth Asylum in Victoria, Australia, is rumored to be haunted by the ghosts of former patients, in particular a man who appears — and then vanishes — near the basement. Mysterious screams are often heard, and doors have a strange habit of opening on their own. The psychiatric hospital closed for good in 1995 after over 100 years in operation.

04
Chateau de Chateaubriant, France
Flickr user Dennis Jarvis

Chateau de Chateaubriant, France

France's Chateau de Chateaubriant is reportedly visited each October by the ghost of a woman named Francoise de Foix, who returns on the anniversary of the day she was allegedly killed by her husband in 1537. The chateau, which was built in the 11th century, was used as a town hall until the 1970s and now is open to visitors.

05
Princess Theatre, Australia
Instagram | juliet_babybabi

Princess Theatre, Australia

The Princess Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, is not only a beautiful building — it's also said to be a haunted one. Many theater-goers have reported seeing a ghost there, one believed to be the spirit of an actor who died during a show.

06
Old Changi Hospital, Singapore
Flickr user Brian Jeffery Beggerly

Old Changi Hospital, Singapore

The Old Changi Hospital in Singapore hasn't been used as an actual hospital for years. Instead, it's now a popular site for horror filmmakers thanks to its spooky lineage. It's said that prisoners held at the Old Changi Hospital during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore between 1942 and 1945 haunt the grounds today.

07
Larnach Castle, New Zealand
Flickr user Christoph Strässler

Larnach Castle, New Zealand

Dunedin's Larnach Castle, built by a 19th century entrepreneur, is one of New Zealand's largest estates. Unfortunately, the builder's wife and daughter both died at the home and are now said to haunt the structure and grounds. The builder's own life ended tragically when he committed suicide at New Zealand's Parliament in 1898.

08
Palace of Linares, Spain
Flickr user Vinicius Zeronian Mattoso

Palace of Linares, Spain

The Palace of Linares in Madrid is currently used as a cultural center, but the story of its reported haunting is quite sad. A long-ago occupant had the misfortune of discovering that his wife was actually his half-sister. They remained married after receiving permission from the Pope, who declared they must have a chaste marriage. Nonetheless, a daughter was born, and — as the story goes — she was murdered to avoid scandal. The little one now haunts the palace.

09
Baron Empain Palace, Egypt
Flickr user Peter Snelling

Baron Empain Palace, Egypt

Baron Empain Palace in Cairo, Egypt, was built by a French baron. Sadly, both the baron's wife and daughter died at the palace, adding to the intrigue that surrounds the structure, where many odd — and possibly supernatural — occurrences have been noted.

10
Monte Cristo Homestead, Australia
Flickr user island home

Monte Cristo Homestead, Australia

The Monte Cristo Homestead in Junee, New South Wales, is called "Australia's Most Haunted House." A number of creepy incidents — including a maid falling off a balcony and the mysterious death of a baby — took place at the home, which is said to be haunted by the builder's widow.

11
Hotel Tequendama, Colombia
Instagram | erikitadvm

Hotel Tequendama, Colombia

The Hotel del Salto at Tequendama Falls, near Bogota, Colombia, is beautiful — and visited by ghosts, according to local lore. The location is said to be haunted by the spirits of those who visited in the past.

12
Toftaholm Herrgard, Sweden
Instagram | toftaholm

Toftaholm Herrgard, Sweden

The Toftaholm Herrgard on Lake Vidöstern, Sweden, is currently a hotel — a haunted hotel. The story goes that a young man killed himself in one of the rooms after he was forbidden to marry the much richer daughter of the landowner. Now, he haunts the place.

13
Chaonei No. 81, China
Flickr user Connie Ma

Chaonei No. 81, China

Chaonei No. 81, a home in Beijing, China, inspired the 2014 Chinese movie The House That Never Dies. The film tells the story of a house haunted by the wife of a Communist official who died there.

14
Foxwood House, South Africa
Instagram | grahamford965

Foxwood House, South Africa

Foxwood House, South Africa, is currently used as a hotel despite its haunted reputation. Apparently, mysterious footsteps are often heard and a ghost in the form of a female appears regularly on the balcony.

15
Dragsholm Castle, Denmark
Instagram | rolf_o

Dragsholm Castle, Denmark

Dragsholm Castle in Denmark is open currently as a hotel — but three guests have never checked in. The grounds are supposedly haunted by three ghosts, two women and a man identified as the spirit of the late Earl of Bothwell.

16
Iulia Hasdeu Castle, Romania
Flickr user Emmanuel DYAN

Iulia Hasdeu Castle, Romania

The Iulia Hasdeu Castle, located in Campina, Romania, was built in the late 19th century by a father grieving the loss of his teenage daughter. It's said that the spirit of the daughter walks the grounds and can be seen every evening.

17
Clark Air Base Hospital, Philippines
Instagram | emjheisarmiento

Clark Air Base Hospital, Philippines

The Clark Air Base Hospital in the Philippines was used by American forces during WWII and the Vietnam War. Now abandoned, the site is haunted by the ghosts of former patients who reportedly make haunting noises and even throw objects at visitors.

18
Joelma Building, Brazil
Flickr user Gabriel de Andrade Fernandes

Joelma Building, Brazil

The Joelma Building in São Paulo, Brazil, (the yellow structure) was the site of a tragic fire in 1974 in which many people died. Ever since, it is said to be the site of numerous unexplained noises and occurrences.

19
Banff Springs Hotel, Canada
Instagram | stexinyi

Banff Springs Hotel, Canada

The Banff Springs Hotel in the town of Banff, Canada, still operates as a luxury hotel despite the presence of a ghost. Apparently, the form of a woman dressed in her wedding gown haunts the building — she died there on her wedding day.

20
Craigdarroch Castle, Canada
Flickr user Reed Probus

Craigdarroch Castle, Canada

The Craigdarroch Castle in British Columbia, Canada, is now open to the public, but it retains a reputation as a haunted destination. The castle is reportedly visited by the ghost of a woman dressed in white who appears near the ballroom.

21
Three Kings Church, India
Instagram | amityad16

Three Kings Church, India

The Three Kings Chuch in Goa, India, is said to be haunted by three Portuguese kings who died vying to take control of the local area.