Traveling around the world, tourists often do not even think about these cities - and in vain. We have prepared for you a short tour of the amazing cities of our planet: days consider them beautiful, others assess them as strange.
Colma, California, USA
Colma is known as the City of Silence: tens of thousands of people who lost their homeland after earthquakes are buried here. In total, there are about 17 cemeteries in the city, it is believed that about two million people are buried here.
The cemeteries in Colma are unique in that they bury people of different religions and nationalities, including Jews, Chinese and Italians. Located in San Mateo County, California, the city has long been known as the "City of the Dead," and many of the tombstones here are famous. All burials from San Francisco were moved here after the earthquake.
Holy Angels Catholic School is the only private school in the locality, offering students from preschool to 8th grade. The motto of the city is "It's great to live in Colma!". Maybe because of its motto, it is one of the top most unusual cities in the world...
Bilbao, Spain
Over the past 20+ years, the Basque city of Bilbao has become a major center for art, architecture, and design, home to an incredible number of museums, galleries, and architectural wonders. With its Michelin-starred restaurants, architectural masterpieces (such as the Guggenheim Museum) and the picturesque Old Town, Bilbao is a city with incredible power.
But it was not always so. Bilbao, the largest center of the Basque Country, was once a harsh industrial city, few foreign travelers paid attention to it. But since the 1990s, the metropolis has experienced a revival. There's plenty to do in Bilbao today, whether it's tapas bars, river strolls, galleries in the Bilbao Art District or concerts at world-class venues.
Hallstatt, China
Hallstatt is an Austrian village recreated in the Celestial Empire. It was the first settlement to be recreated as a copy. The construction began in 2012, and the first building which was built was a temple. Hallstatt in China is almost identical to the original, but with significantly higher real estate prices. This imitation city attracts travelers from all over the world. Although Austria was initially outraged, today an unexpectedly close bond has been established between the two sister cities.
Whittier, Alaska, USA
The town of Whittier, located in Prince William Sound, is home to 220 people - and they all live in one building, which was previously intended for military residence. A gas station, a video rental point are all located in the same building called Begich Towers. The village can only be reached through one tunnel, which opens twice in 60 minutes, closes at night and opens the next day.
Whittier has 22 hours of sunshine each summer, and in winter, the community can cover up to 6 meters of snow. A hotel in Whittier is not only a place to relax, but also a place to eat and spend a good time overlooking Prince William Bay, attracting the attention of both citizens and travelers looking for adventure.
Hashima, Japan
About 14.5 kilometers from Nagasaki, there is an abandoned island - there are no locals here for a long time, but it is permeated with history. Gunkanjima, the island's second name (meaning "battleship island" because of its resemblance to a battleship), was used for coal mining from 1887 to 1974. As soon as coal reserves began to deplete and oil began to displace coal, the mines closed and the population left the island. After that, Hashima remained uninhabited for nearly three decades, but as the concrete walls crumbled and the flora flourished, the dilapidated mini-city caught the attention of those interested in intact historical ruins.
Derinkuyu, Turkey
The underground city of Derinkuyu in Cappadocia, which stretches to a depth of approximately 85 meters, is an extraordinary cave city. There are stables for pets, graves, shared kitchens, bedrooms, pantries, its own winery and even a religious school! These underground dwellings have sophisticated ventilation systems, allowing 20,000 people to live underground with their livestock and supplies.
Kolmanskop, Namibia
The once-thriving city of Kolmanskop in Namibia, now slowly disappearing into the sand dunes, is unusual and mysterious, yet quite accessible to visitors. Be sure to add it to your Namibia itinerary! Kolmanskop was built 10 km from Lüderitz for the German employees of the diamond company and their families, and was equipped with all possible amenities that were not even available in most German cities at that time. The prosperity of the city ended when more diamonds were found to the south of it. People left almost overnight, but the last resident left in the 1950s. A bowling alley, an auditorium, an ice cream factory and a hospital remain in the city - now the desert is swallowing up old German houses.
