The World's Abandoned Buildings | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Explore the stories behind these eerie abandoned buildings, from a grand subway station in New York to a towering hotel in North Korea.

Key Insights

• 📪 City Hall subway station in New York City was closed due to low passenger numbers and design limitations.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Nicosia International Airport in Cyprus was abandoned following a coup and subsequent Turkish invasion.
• 💱 Canfranc International Railway Station in the Pyrenees was never fully utilized due to conflicts and changes in transportation.
• 🇰🇵 The Ryugyong hotel in North Korea stands as a symbol of unfinished construction and economic crises.
• 🇳🇨 Six Flags New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and has yet to be redeveloped.

Transcript

the construction of a building is a complex and costly process that requires significant effort and planning from a number of parties for this reason buildings are often refurbished or renovated to extend their life while unsuitable structures on highly desirable slice are commonly demolished to make way for new developments but some buildings fall... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why was New York City's City Hall subway station closed?

The station was closed due to low passenger numbers and design limitations, as longer train carriages couldn't properly fit the curved platform.

Q: What happened to Nicosia International Airport in Cyprus?

It was forced to close after a coup and subsequent Turkish invasion. The airport now lies within a United Nations buffer zone between divided communities.

Q: Why was Canfranc International Railway Station abandoned?

The station was never used to its full potential due to conflicts and sealed Spanish tunnels during the Spanish Civil War and dwindling usage during the Second World War.

Q: Why is the Ryugyong hotel in North Korea abandoned?

Construction on the hotel was abandoned multiple times due to economic crises, leaving it as a hollow concrete skeleton with no interior or exterior finishes.

Q: What caused the closure of Six Flags New Orleans?

Hurricane Katrina devastated the park, even submerging it in several feet of sea water. Six Flags filed for bankruptcy and the park has remained closed since.

Q: How did Pripyat become abandoned?

After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the entire city was evacuated as residents were unable to return. The city now lies within the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• New York City had a grand subway station, City Hall, which was eventually closed due to low passenger numbers and design limitations.

• Nicosia International Airport in Cyprus was abandoned following a coup and subsequent Turkish invasion, and it now lies within a United Nations buffer zone.

• Canfranc International Railway Station in the Pyrenees was once the second largest train station in Europe but fell into disuse due to political conflicts.

• The Ryugyong hotel in North Korea, known as the "hotel of doom," was abandoned multiple times and remains unfinished.

• Six Flags New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and has since remained closed despite various redevelopment plans.

• The city of Pripyat near the Chernobyl nuclear plant was evacuated following the 1986 disaster and has been untouched for over 30 years.