Most Enigmatic locations in the World
Everyone knows about the Grand Canyon, the White House, and Ellis Island – but how many people have heard of Michigan’s Oak Alley Plantation or Ohio’s Antioch College? America may be one of the most well-known countries in the world, but it hides countless secrets that we all should experience – or at least read about in blogs like this one! Here are 7 Most Enigmatic locations in the World that will leave you dumbfounded.
1. The Door to Hell
This site is located about half a mile from Darvaza in Turkmenistan, and is currently on fire. The hole’s diameter is roughly 37 feet and extends more than 100 feet into the ground. This crater, dubbed The Door to Hell, was formed when geologists attempted to extract gas and set off an underground explosion. Although they knew that there was a risk of it igniting, they didn’t believe it would burn for so long or be so large. The hole burns on today despite its creators’ best efforts; since lighting it they have tried numerous times to put out the flames but all of their attempts have failed.
2. House on the Rock
Located outside of Spring Green, Wisconsin is a bizarre piece of art called House on The Rock. Nestled within 28 acres of trees and gardens, It seems to be like an amusement park ride come to life. There are crazy ramps, twisting tunnels and ladders leading up to nowhere. House on The Rock’s design was influenced by Alex Jordan Junior’s trip through Europe during World War II. There he found inspiration from small Greek island villages. Inside each room contains a scene like Alice in Wonderland and oversized furniture. The furniture includes an eight-foot high rocking chair weighing 10 tons Visitors are welcome from May through October for tours offered every hour on weekends.
3. Cahokia Mounds
It is one of America’s most significant ancient monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, yet Cahokia Mounds near Collinsville, Illinois remains one of America’s greatest archaeological mysteries. In fact, it was built so long ago, we don’t even know who did it. The site is a sprawling collection of earthen mounds and wooden structures thought to have been used as ceremonial gathering places or to house temples around AD 700. But no one knows exactly what they were used for or by whom…or why they abruptly vanished almost as quickly as they appeared; leaving only remnants behind.
4. Aokigahara Forest
Aokigahara Forest is a dense forest located at the base of Mount Fuji, Japan. The Japanese refer to it as Jukai or Sea of Trees and for years there have been reports of people who go missing here. Aokigahara Forest is a hotbed for suicide: Since 1959 over 500 people have died there by suicide. Why would someone choose to end their life in a forest?
5. Village of Oak Island
The most notorious Oak Island mystery is a tale of money, pirates and holes. Since 1795 people have searched for treasure believed to be buried on an island off Nova Scotia, Canada. Theories abound about what exactly might be hidden at the bottom of a deep pit on Oak Island—pirate treasure, Captain Kidd’s lost stash or even Noah’s Ark. Research is going for more than 200 years. Still has actually managed to pull anything out from under all those layers of earth. So far, this mysterious hole has claimed five lives.Excavations continue because there may just be something there…or someone believes they have something big enough to risk yet another loss.
6. Stonehenge
One of England’s greatest mysteries and one of its most-visited sites, Stonehenge is a circle of monolithic stones dating back to 2500 BC. No one is entirely sure what it was used for, but archaeologists suspect religious rituals related to astronomical phenomena. The site continues to be shrouded in mystery—as recently as 2008, new discoveries led scholars to believe Stonehenge may have originally been an oak tree. The circle has also gained notoriety from ancient prophecies and time travel novels like H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine. If only they knew how accurate those stories would prove to be…
7. Anomaly Zone
The Anomaly Zone is a region where electromagnetic interference is known to occur. Although its origins are not entirely clear, many speculate that it may be related to nearby underground military operations. This theory stems from notable ghost towns and abandoned mines found within close proximity of it. Still there have been no specific links drawn between these locations and other Anomaly Zones. Due to public interest, however, exploration permits are occasionally granted for limited periods of time by various state governments. The Utah Anomaly Zone, commonly referred to as The Great Salt Lake Desert (despite being over 1,000 feet above sea level). Its currently one of only four such permits ever granted within U.S.