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Inside a $200 million ghost town in Turkey filled with castles reminiscent of Disneyland — minus all the people

The Burj Al Babas is an abandoned ghost town in Turkey filled with Disneyland-like castles.

Construction of the luxury community began in 2014 and cost $200 million.

When Turkey's economy fell, the project halted. Today, 587 castles remain empty.

A town of castles called the Burj Al Babas in northwest Turkey was originally designed to draw foreign vacationers.

After more than 500 were built and $200 million was invested in the property, Turkey's economy fell, and so did the Burj Al Babas, The New York Times reported.

Today, 587 villas sit empty, forming a ghost town, Yes Theory reported. Take a look inside.

Near the small town of Mudurnu in Turkey's northwest region sits Burj Al Babas, a ghost town filled with castles.

Today, there are more than 500 vacant identical homes, Yes Theory reported. Their blue-gray steeples and Gothic fixtures call to mind the castles found in Disney parks.

But the property lacks Disneyland's crowds. Instead, the more than 500 villas sit empty, and Burj Al Babas stands as a symbol of the nation's economic plight.

The project got its start in 2014 when the Yerdelen brothers and Bulent Yilmaz, construction entrepreneurs from Istanbul, Turkey, drafted plans for a $200 million luxury community, The New York Times reported.

When creating the design, the trio pulled inspiration from their home city. The buildings mimic Istanbul's Galata Tower and Maiden's Tower, as well as British and American architecture, Mezher Yerdelen told the Times in 2019.

They also picked a strategic location. Mudurnu is a Roman spa town, according to Condé Nast Traveller. So, the region's nearby hot springs would fill hot tubs in every home and provide warmth for underfloor heating.

Source: Condé Nast Traveller

The original plan included 700 buildings that the group hoped would attract foreign buyers, who, according to the Times, vacation in Turkey for its Mediterranean climate.

The homes were sold for $370,000 to $500,000 each, depending on the location — a price tag that catered to a wealthier Middle Eastern clientele, according to the Times.

The group also planned for a shopping mall in the development's center, along with gardens and lakes throughout the 250-acre property.

The project was initially successful. Of the 732 planned villas, about 350 were sold to customers from Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg reported.

Source: Bloomberg

As construction started in a valley outside Mudurnu, not everyone was happy with the project, the Times reported.

Some locals were frustrated that the castles strayed away from Mudurnu's traditional Ottoman-style architecture, Condé Nast Traveller reported. Others worried that the development would damage nearby forests.

Then oil prices plunged. Potential buyers backed out of their agreements, and others stopped making payments on their future vacation homes, the project's architect told the Times.

That, coupled with Turkey's soaring inflation, political turmoil, and an economic downturn led the developers to file for bankruptcy, placing the project at a standstill in 2018, Newsweek reported.

Source: Newsweek

What remained was 587 completed homes and $27 million in debt.

In 2019, the brothers were granted permission to complete the construction of the contracted houses when their bankruptcy ruling was overturned, according to the Hurriyet Daily News. Soon after, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the project again.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News

According to Atlas Obscura, the entire project was then acquired by NOVA Group Holdings, a multinational American corporation, which may attempt to salvage the development.

Source: Atlas Obscura

But for now, rows of abandoned, identical three-story castles remain, according to Yes Theory.

And since the property's infrastructure was never completed, the development is currently unlivable, Condé Nast Traveller reported.

Today, the abandoned ghost town attracts curious visitors seeking to explore the eerie destination.

And the Burj Al Babas remains one of the world's largest ghost towns.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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Travel Guide To Tenerife

Think you know what's on offer on Tenerife? You might be surprised to find stylish hotels, gorgeous beaches and incredible natural beauty: a far cry from the crowds, high-rises and parched earth that has been synonymous with this island since the 1970s. We've discovered the other side of Tenerife - and now you can, too.

Where to stay in Tenerife

Guía de Isora, Tenerife (00 34 922 126 000; www.abamahotelresort.com ). Recently acquired by Ritz-Carlton, this vast, family-friendly resort on the west coast is more like a village than a hotel. It has 10 restaurants, eight swimming pools, seven tennis courts and its own golf course and spa centre - you could spend a week here an never step outside. With 476 rooms (including 148 in private villas) Abama is a relaxing and luxurious retreat. ££££

HOTEL BOTANICO

Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife (00 34 922 381 400; www.hotelbotanico.com ). On the outskirts of Puerto de la Cruz, beside the town's Jardin Botanico, this five-star hotel was built in the 1970s - but even though the architecture is undistinguished, it is a supremely comfortable place to stay. Who cares if the decor is a bit old-fashioned? The spa and gardens are sublime. £££

HOTEL SAN ROQUE

Garachico, Tenerife (00 34 922 133 435; www.hotelsanroque.com ). A romantic, family-run hotel in an 18th-century mansion in Garachico that's been lovingly restored in a subtle range of traditional and modern styles. There are 20 rooms, including four suites and eight duplexes. The secluded poolside restaurant is a splendid place to unwind. £££

LA QUINTA ROJA

Garachico, Tenerife (00 34 922 133 377; www.quintaroja.com ). Also in Garachico, this compact boutique hotel (just 20 rooms) is plainer and simpler than the San Roque, but the building is even older. Its magnificent stone staircase dates back to the 16th century. ££

ROYAL GARDEN VILLAS

Adeje, Tenerife (00 34 922 788 482; www.royalgardenvillas.com ) Tucked away in Adeje, one of the nicest places in the south, this intimate hideaway offers guests a clever mix of pampering and self-catering. All 28 villas have well-equipped kitchens and private pools, plus five-star service and facilities. The Jardin restaurant (run by award-winning Girona chef Victor Rocha) is a great place to eat, whether or not you stay the night. ££££

SAN BLAS RESERVA AMBIENTA

San Blas, Tenerife (00 34 922 749 010; www.sanblas.eu ). This new five-star hotel, near Reina Sofia airport, aims to blend in with the surrounding San Blas nature reserve. The architecture is unobtrusive, water is recycled, and the plants in the gravel garden are all indigenous. Both restaurants have sea views. ££

Where to eat out in Tenerife

EL ADERNO Calle La Alhondiga 8, Buenavista del Norte, Tenerife (00 34 922 127 064; www.eladerno.com ). A delightful shop selling pastries and chocolates in the sleepy village of Buenavista del Norte. The shopfront is tiny. The bakery is an old tomato-packing plant. You'd never guess it caters for the Spanish royal family.

LUCAS MAES Calle Barranco de la Arena 53, La Orotava, Tenerife (00 34 922 321 159; www.lucasmaes-restaurante.com ). Lucas Maes grew up in Tenerife, but his family are Belgian, and his menu is a beguiling blend of Spanish and international flavours. For seven courses his creative tasting menu is great value, and the setting is superb. Maes and his Spanish wife Susana restored this handsome 19th-century house, on the edge of La Oratava. With stunning views over the ocean, it's an idyllic rendezvous.

SIFONIA Calle El Humo 4, Santa Cruz, Tenerife (00 34 922 535 350; www.restaurantesinfonia.es ). Run by a young Argentinean couple, Diego Maderna and Carolina San Juan, this sleek modern restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz reflects the island's debt to South American cuisine.

What to see in Tenerife

CASA DEL VINO LA BARANDA Carreterra General Del Norte, El Sauzal, Tenerife (00 34 922 563 886; www.cabtfe.es/casa-vino ). For several centuries, wine was Tenerife's finest export and after a lifetime in the doldrums, it's enjoying a revival. This rural wine museum doubles as a restaurant, a vintner and a bodega, where you can sample the local vintage, or buy a few bottles to take away.

MUSEO MILITAR Calle de San Isidro, Santa Cruz, Tenerife (00 34 922 271 658). Nelson lost his right arm during an abortive raid on Santa Cruz, and the city's military museum contains a colourful exhibition about the only defeat of his career. Exhibits include the cannon that blew away his arm, and Nelson's only letter of surrender, the first document he signed with his left hand.

TEA Avenida de San Sebastián 8, Santa Cruz, Tenerife (00 34 922 849 034; www.teatenerife.es ). Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the celebrated Swiss architects who built the Olympic Stadium in Beijing, the Tenerife Espacio de las Artes is Santa Cruz's answer to Tate Modern. The fine permanent collection includes works by the local surrealist artist Oscar Dominguez.

TENERIFE OPERA HOUSE Avenida Constitución 1, Santa Cruz, Tenerife (00 34 922 56 86 00; www.auditoriodetenerife.com ). Designed by Santiago Calatrava and opened in 2003, Santa Cruz's opera house has a varied musical programme of classical, jazz and pop.

NATURE AND PARKS

TENO RURAL PARK Tenerife ( www.tenorural.com ). The Teno Rural Park on the west coast comprises more than 8,000 hectares of wild landscapes and villages.

How to get to Tenerife

AIRLINES FROM THE UK British Airways (0844 493 0787; www.britishairways.com ) flies to Tenerife five times per week from London Gatwick and offers the only business class to the island. Also flying to Tenerife are Monarch (08719 405040; www.monarch.co.uk ) from Birmingham, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester; and Jet2 (0871 226 1737; www.jet2.com ) from Blackpool, Manchester, Leeds Bradford and Newcastle.

The Best Time to Travel? The Off Season

By Gianluca Longo

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

In 2021, I spent a blissful year traveling solo across Italy. Not just because I didn’t have a companion, but because, with international travel still largely blocked due to COVID, my country felt empty. Can you imagine Venice without the crowds? I don’t have to. I lived it. So exhilarating was my time training through the boot that when travel opened back up, and the hot spots became flooded with travelers, I said to myself: never again. From now on, I would rearrange my travels to avoid the crowds—and the headaches that come with them. I will be an off-season traveler, for life.

The waters at Borgo Santandrea on the Amalfi are warm enough for swimming in April

Aperitivo at Borgo Santandrea

The benefits of off-season travel can feel endless. Yes, of course there are fewer crowds to interrupt your flow, and steal your tables at the restaurants you want to eat at. I went to the Amalfi in April—April!—and found it heavenly. The weather was glorious—not too hot, but warm enough to swim. The staff at the then-new Borgo Santandrea were friendlier and upgrades more likely due to the time of year. And my room was spectacular. I still remember the scent of lemon flowers and fresh herbs in the terraced gardens. The views over the sky-merging sea were pure, with no yacht or boat to interrupt them. I even enjoyed a walk through the Amalfi’s narrow streets, devoid of the hundreds of clueless tourists, especially from cruise ships which populate the sea in High Summer.

Local engagement is always higher outside peak season, and for me, that is why we travel. Last year, I chose June for Patmos in Greece, which is never as crowded as it is in July or August. The island was greener and the heat more bearable. The crowds? Still tolerable. I arrived with a last-minute booked cabin on the BlueStar from Athens , all much more relaxing. I met with some of the home owners of the Chora, there to ‘open’ the houses, after long cold months, piling cushions and mattresses outside on the terraces to let them breathe in the sun. I swam every morning, and had lovely conversations with restaurant owners and locals. I loved the place so much I went back in August. Guess what? I regretted it.

Traveling in lesser expected times of year also help you to see a place in an entirely different way. Is it weird that I didn’t realize that St Moritz is not just a winter destination? With a major heat wave hitting central Europe and the UK I made my way to the Engadin Valley at the beginning of August. I checked in at the old-fashioned Suvretta House , at a reasonable price, where I was welcomed by name. Long walks through the valley, skinny dips in the clear waters of the alpine lakes, visits to interesting museums and art galleries kept me very busy. And I wore cashmere in the evenings, for the outdoor cinema. For the rest of August I was in London . And it wasn't that bad. I found it fairly easy to book my favorite restaurants , I went to see ballets at the Royal Opera House and a couple of plays at the theater. And reconnected with some good friends. A trick about cities and seasons? They are amazing in the summer, when the people who live there or normally visit, flock to the outdoors.

Eden Rock on St. Barts is open well into shoulder season.

But of course, that means that the sea is best outside of summer, too. I went to one of my lifelong loves, Capri , in September, because, yes, July and August are just too popular, too expensive, too hot. And I fell in love with it again. I stayed at La Palma, the new hotel, chic in every single detail, and I did all the things I love: early morning hikes, swimming by the Faraglioni, with no fear of being decapitated by the hundred of speed boats of High Summer, sunset spritzes at Bar Tiberio in the piazzetta, without having to queue (or beg) for a table. One October, I did St Barts . I stayed at the wonderful Eden Rock (upgraded again) and loved it. The island was not full, a paradise. One day I found myself swimming alone at Colombier Beach, with the whitest sand and the most intense turquoise sea.

As I write this in tail end of winter, I am sitting in my hotel room in Venice , the newly opened Violino d’Oro . Out of the window, the cold and misty lagoon meets my gaze. It’s marvelous. Venice in winter is magical: the fresh air, the cozy small restaurants with dimmed lights, the noise of the boats crossing. With not so many tourists, you really own the city. The joy of the off season.

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