Another installment in our series on abandoned places in the world.
1. Loew’s Kings Theatre, New York, United States
Built in a Neo-French Renaissance style by the architectural firm of Rapp and Rapp of Chicago in 1929, the Loew’s Kings Theatre had a seating capacity of 3,676. The interior design featured mahogany paneling, art deco lighting fixtures, and lavish draperies. Closed since 1977 due to poor attendance, the Loew’s Kings Theatre is currently undergoing extensive renovations and is scheduled to re-open in 2014 with live performance theatre.
2. Villa Branca in Melide, Ticino, Switzerland
Abandoned shortly after the death of Adele Branca, matriarch of the traditional wine making Branca family, in 1981, Villa Branca was both a wine cellar and a luxury residence. Originally built in 1912, the villa was demolished in June 2010 to make way for five apartment buildings.
3. Rarotonga Resort, Cook Islands
Described as a “South Sea Paradise,” Rarotonga is a popular tourist destination located in the southernmost part of the Cook Islands. In the hopes of attracting conventions, the Cook Islands government agreed in 1987 to a $52 million deal with an Italian bank in order to finance construction of a five-star hotel. Amid bankruptcies, alleged Mafia-related corruption and “cursed” land, the Rarotonga Sheraton was abandoned in the early 1990s.
4. Oradour-sur-Glane, France
On June 10th, 1944, soldiers from the Der Fuhrer Regiment of the Second Waffen SS entered into Oradour-sur-Glane and murdered 642 residents. The small town was subsequently looted and set ablaze. The French government has since preserved the original site as a memorial to the dead.
5. San Juan Parangaricutiro, Mexico
All that remains of the village of San Juan Parangaricutiro is this church. The Volcán de Parícutin began to erupt on February 20, 1943, and in one year’s time consumed two villages in lava and ash.
For previous entries, please click here.
