The Dark Atlas is a website dedicated to the world's "dark" places. We document locations marked by tragedy, abandonment, or mystery—from famous tourism destinations to remote shipwrecks. We write about them to educate people on the events that happened there, provide historical context, and explain if (and how) it is possible to visit these places today.

The Dark Atlas shares stories of haunted places, abandoned cities, war ruins, hidden histories, crime underworlds, and dark legends. Each article blends historical fact with atmosphere, creating a guide to the world’s most mysterious sites.

We cover a broad spectrum of the "dark" human experience. This includes:

• Historical Tragedies: War memorials, battlefields, and sites of conscience.
• Abandonment: Ghost towns, industrial ruins, and forgotten infrastructure.
• Natural & Man-Made Disasters: Places like Pompeii or the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
• The Inaccessible: Places you can learn about but perhaps cannot visit, such as restricted zones or underwater wrecks.

Dark tourism (academically known as Thanatourism) is the practice of visiting locations where significant historical events involving suffering, death, or the macabre have occurred. Unlike leisure tourism, the primary focus here is the location's association with events such as wars, genocides, shipwrecks, or natural disasters, rather than the scenery or entertainment value.

You can read more about these locations in our full guide: What is Dark Tourism?

People are drawn to dark tourism for many reasons: educational purposes, a desire for authentic historical connection, paying respect to past tragedies, exploring abandoned places and Memento Mori (a reminder of one’s own mortality). Visitors often find these experiences deeply moving and life-affirming, as they provide a stark contrast to typical leisure travel.

Yes, when approached with respect and "solemn curiosity". Ethical dark tourism means acknowledging the significance of tragic sites without sensationalizing them.
The key lies in the traveler's intent: Are you there to learn and pay respects, or to take selfies?
The Dark Atlas provides historical context and encourages thoughtful exploration rather than exploitation.

Not necessarily. While many locations on our map are established dark tourism sites (museums, memorials), others are documented purely for educational purposes. Some locations, such as certain shipwrecks, protected reserves, or structurally unsafe ruins, are listed to preserve their story, even if physical tourism is not possible or recommended.