The Most Guarded Places On Earth
It's hard to imagine that there are places that we're not allowed to visit, especially with today's technology. However, if you plan on going to North Sentinel Island in India, it's probably best to reschedule that trip. In 2006, the tribe killed two fishermen who accidentally entered their territory. Now, it's strictly forbidden as it could result in death.
Even without the threat of death, there are plenty of places that cannot be visited as they are cut off for a variety of reasons. Military bases, forbidden islands, and fragile natural landmarks are off-limits to people. Take a tour and be sure to not include any of these places as your next place to visit.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault Holds A Massive Collection Of Seeds
The massive collection of seeds is in a vault designed to withstand man-made and natural disasters.
If a major catastrophe ever happened, the 890,000 preserved seed samples from almost every country in the world would ensure diverse food options were still available.
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The Svalbard seed vault opens its door only a few times a year. Still, climate change might test how effective the Seed Vault is.
In May 2017, melted permafrost made it inside. Today, it's become of vital importance for war-torn and drought-affected Syria.
The U.N. Buffer Zone Started After Turkish Troops Invaded
Turkish troops invaded Cyprus in 1974. The invasion led to a civil war between the Greek and Turkish inhabitants. The fight ended in a ceasefire, and the United Nations took control of a no man's land "buffer zone."
There, walls separate the Turkish community in the North and the Greek community in the South. Behind the walls are nothing but abandoned homes and businesses. Some "Civil Use Areas" allow civilians, but other areas haven't been touched in decades.
The Catacombs Is A Mysterious Place In Paris
While this was first built as a tunnel network for Paris' stone mines, it became a storage for 6 million dead bodies at the end of the eighteenth century. A small part of the tunnel is open to the public, where tourists can see thousands of bones and skulls stacked together.
99% of the 170-mile long maze is forbidden to enter because it's pretty easy to get lost. It sounds pretty bone-chilling to walk around these tunnels and not get scared.
Pluto's Gate In Turkey Is Dedicated To The Roman God Of Death
Located in the ancient city of Hierapolis, Turkey, it was once the site dedicated to the Roman god of death, Pluto. After its discovery in 1965, Pluto's Gate's dangers were proven to be more than just a myth.
Scientists measured the CO2 concentration and discovered the sun dissipates the gates. At night, the CO2 becomes heavier in the air due to lower temperatures. At dawn, the CO2 reaches 35%, which is enough to kill people and animals in a matter of minutes.
Area 51 Failed To Exist Until 2013
The U.S. military installation 100 miles north of Las Vegas is one of the most mysterious places in the world.
That's especially true considering the U.S. government denied its existence until 2013.
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The area is mainly used by the CIA and the U.S. Air Force as a testing territory.
Despite it being a military installation, many people believe that it might be a place where scientists researched a crashed alien spacecraft. Area 51 is completely prohibited.
The Lascaux Caves Have An Interesting Background Story
The ceilings and the walls of this cave are covered with parietal wall paintings. It's believed that the age of the paintings goes back some 17,000 years ago. Back in 1940, the caves were discovered by Marcel Ravidat, leaving people wondering about their origins and meanings.
Anthropologists believe that the paintings might symbolize past huntings success or a mystical ritual. However, the caves would be open during WWII, which changed the cave environment.
Fort Knox Is The Most Heavily Guarded Place On The Planet
The Fort Knox vaults are the home to the U.S. gold reserves.
Not one single person can make it into the vault, as several combinations need to be entered to gain access.
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Fort Knox has been regarded as the most heavily guarded place in the world and nobody would be able to get in without the help of a guard.
Even the building itself is hardcore and made of concrete-lined granite, reinforced by steel fences to withstand any attacks.
Mausoleum Of The First Qin Emperors Tomb Was Found In 1975
Farmers discovered the tomb of China's first Emperor. Archaeologists have since found about 2,000 clay soldiers and another 8,000 yet to be discovered. The Chinese government has forbidden archaeologists from touching the central tomb with Qin Shi Huang's body.
Nonetheless, opponents of excavation believe that current technology couldn't preserve anything that the tomb holds. If technology does advance further down the road, that could be a possibility.
Niihau Island In Hawaii Is Often Called The Forbidden Island
In 1864, Hawaii's Niihau Island was bought by Elizabeth Sinclair and it's been privately owned ever since. The "Forbidden Island" name goes back to 1952. During the polio epidemic on the Hawaiian Islands, it was forbidden to leave and enter the island to avoid the disease.
Today, with a population of over 170 people, the island is off-limits to anyone that's not the island owners Bruce and Keith Robinson, U.S. Navy personnel and government officials.
Stack Rock Fort Is Private, But Also For Sale
A historic island off the coast of South Wales is not open to the public, but it is on the market! Stack Rock Fort was created for the purpose of defending Britain from a French invasion, led by Napoleon III.
The uninhabited fort was built between 1850 and 1852 and is being sold for £400,000, according to DailyMail.
Vatican Secret Archives Are Very, Very Long
Did you know that the Catholic Church had a secret archive? Neither did we. But, they do have an archive where they store documents that relate to the Catholic Church.
The archives date as far back as the eighth century and an entire archive is so long that it has 53 miles of shelves. Entrance is strictly forbidden, especially for anyone who is not a researcher with special permission for access to the archives.
Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was One Of Japan's Worst Disasters
Back in 2011, the Fukushima nuclear disaster struck Japan really hard. It was so bad that residents within 19 miles of the plant were forced to evacuate. The disaster is the second one to be given the Level 7 event classification by the International Nuclear Event Scale.
It's right next to Chernobyl and due to its extreme radiation, nobody is allowed to enter these premises. That is, except for Keow Lee Loong, a Malaysian photographer who chose to illegally sneak into Fukushima's exclusion zone.
1986 Was The Year Of The Chernobyl Exclusion Disaster In Ukraine
Due to high radiation levels, every local was ordered to immediately leave the premises as the area became abandoned. These days, you can still find abandoned shoes, toys and other possessions that were left behind.
Even though there are excursions that allow anyone to check some parts of town, there is a 19-mile zone known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The territory is strictly forbidden from any access as it results in anyone getting radioactive contamination.
Surtsey Island In Iceland Is Only Used For Scientific Research
In 1963, the island of Surtsey formed after a huge volcanic eruption that lasted for three years. Today, the island is only used for scientific research to better understand how an ecosystem forms without any human impact.
There are only a select few scientists that are allowed on the island and one of the main rules for scientists is to not bring any seeds. It's estimated that Surtsey will remain above sea level for another century.
The Grand Shrine Of Ise In Japan Is Rebuilt Every 20 Years
The Grand Shrine is a sacred place where people worship Amaterasu, a goddess of the sun and the universe of the Shinto religion.
The temple was built without the use of nails, but instead by meticulously joining wood.
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One of the most fascinating facts about the Shrine is that it is rebuilt every 20 years to honor the Shinto concept of death and rebirth.
The only chance people have to get a glimpse is through wooden fences and no photography is allowed.
Morgan Island (Monkey Island) Got Its Name From 4,000 Rhesus Monkeys After Relocating From Puerto Rico
In South Carolina, there is an island that's filled with monkeys! Unfortunately, the population isn't native to the area since the monkeys were relocated from La Parguera, Puerto Rico.
The monkeys were infected with the herpes B virus, so they were forced to be moved because of that and overpopulation.
Poveglia Island Is One Of The Creepiest Places In The World
It all started during the Roman Empire when the island used to be the home of the plague.
During the medieval era, the plague made an unnecessary return and the island became home to thousands of sick people.
