I just can’t get over myself on this one. I like a good haunting, dang it. Maybe it is because our house on Bruce Avenue may have had an extra spirit poking around while we were growing up. It sure seemed like it to us. Or maybe it was my love of the film “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” with Don Knotts. Either way. I like a good ghost story.
It seems like ghosts are all around the world. From the equator to the poles and back again. Although. Many people would say that ghosts don’t exist. And they also are quick to add that every ‘haunted’ place around the world could be explained by scientific phenomena. Things like air pressure, toxic gasses, and other causes.
On the other hand, 50% of people in America believe in ghosts. God wins on this one, as 65% believe in God.
Anyway, I’ve seen some things first hand. Especially when I lived in Charleston, South Carolina. Everybody had a ghost in their home down there, it seemed.
I recently came across an article about the top ten haunted places in Europe. As it goes, these locations have earned their reputation from sightings by multiple unrelated witnesses. And all of these people swear that they’ve seen or heard some creepy stuff going on in these locations. They don’t have a horse in the race. In other words, they don’t have anything to gain by lying. So here they are. These haunted locations that you or I can visit in Europe.
10. Château de Brissac, France
9. Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
8. Houska Castle, Czech Republic
7. Moosham Castle, Austria
6. Dragsholm Castle, Denmark
5. Leap Castle, Ireland
4. Borgvattnet Vicarage, Sweden
3. Hoia-Baciu Forest, Romania
2. Paris Catacombs, France
1. Tower Of London, England
There will never be an answer to this one, I’m afraid. Although, there are a lot of “Ghost Hunter” shows that try to prove otherwise. But the jury is still out. Are they real or not?
What do you believe? Do you think that some people’s spirits linger among us? Why. Or Why not.
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Note: Here are some details of those locations (taken directly from the article). I selected a few at random.
7. Moosham Castle, Austria
Moosham Castle in Unternberg, Austria stands atop the foundations of a Roman fortress, with documented history dating back to 1191. While it’s known for its involvement in battles and wars throughout its history, it’s infamous for the horrifying Zaubererjackl witch trials held there between 1675 and 1690. The trials resulted in the execution of 139 people, a large number being males, following accusations of witchcraft. The castle’s association with brutal interrogations, tortures, and inhumane executions during this period has resulted in its current reputation as one of the most haunted places in the country.
After the witch trials, Moosham Castle went through another unfortunate episode during the late 18th-century werewolf hysteria, when nearby locals murdered all of its inhabitants due to suspicions of them being werewolves. The castle was abandoned until Count Johann Nepomuk Wilczek acquired it in 1886, beginning its restoration that continues to this day. There have been many reports of paranormal activities in its premises, including disembodied voices and shadow-like figures that have been spotted roaming its grounds.
3. Hoia-Baciu Forest, Romania
Also sometimes called the ‘Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania’, the Hoia-Baciu Forest in Romania is considered one of the most haunted places in Europe. Its most notable feature is the number of crooked, weirdly-bent trees you can find here, which – according to the local folklore – could have only been done by supernatural, unholy beings. Not helping its reputation is a series of allegations of ghost sightings over the years.
The forest gained fame when in the 1960s, a biologist named Alexandru Sift photographed a mysterious flying object in the sky above the trees. In a separate incident years later, a shepherd and his 200 sheep went into the forest and were never heard from again, presumably consumed by whatever made the trees that way. Another case speaks of a young girl who got lost in the forest, only to reappear five years later with no memory of where she had been. Many visitors have also reported getting rashes, headaches, seizures, and other medical issues after entering the forest.
1. Tower Of London, England
The Tower of London has existed for over 900 years. In that time, it has earned the reputation of being the most haunted place in England, and probably for good reason. The tower has been used for many purposes over the years, including a royal fortress, palace, prison, mint, and even a zoo. Its history includes events like the murder of Henry VI during the Wars of the Roses, the mysterious disappearance of the Princess in the Tower, and the execution of Anne Boleyn. It has also served as a state prison, with figures like Elizabeth I and Lady Jane Grey held within its walls at different points in time.
Today, the Tower of London is believed to be haunted by a variety of ghosts, each with its own dark story. Among them is the ghost of Thomas A. Becket, who allegedly destroyed part of the Inner Curtain Wall. There’s also Lady Arbella Stuart, a potential successor to Queen Elizabeth I, who is said to still still roam around The Queen’s House. Anne Boleyn’s ghost occasionally makes appearances near her execution site, and then there’s the White Lady, who could be usually found haunting the White Tower.
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“Now I know what a ghost is. Unfinished business, that’s what.”
― Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses
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“I shall not commit the fashionable stupidity of regarding everything I cannot explain as a fraud.
—address to the Society for Psychical Research in England”
― C.G. Jung
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“We’re all ghosts. We all carry, inside us, people who came before us.”
― Liam Callanan, The Cloud Atlas
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Boo. Ghost? Or No Ghost? That is the question.
