As one of the three big “phosphate rocks” of the Pacific, (Banaba in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia being the other two), the island was a remote peaceful paradise until it was discovered by the Europeans in the late 18th century.

Germany took control towards the end of the 19th century, and it wasn’t long after this that phosphate deposits were discovered that would transform the fortunes for the island and its inhabitants forever.

Boom Time on Nauru

Nauru was covered with a thick layer of guano. The geological impact of a millennia’s worth of sedimentary bird droppings was both a blessing and a curse for the island.

The high level of phosphorus found in Nauru guano was the perfect raw material for fertilizers and explosives. Guano mining became very lucrative as a result, with the German’s extracting tons of it during the Great War.

After WW2 (and a short spell under Japanese rule) the colony changed hands and became a joint British, Australian, and New Zealand territory, (in the 1960s it passed into sole Australian ownership)

The mining continued, however. The business was so successful that by the mid-twentieth century, Nauru had the highest per capita income in the world.

• Related Content: How to Visit the Montebello Islands [Dark Tourism in Australia]

Bust time on Nauru

The level of guano extraction was not sustainable in the long term. After almost a hundred years of exploitation, the phosphate reserves were almost stripped from the island completely. In 2000 all mining stopped.

Furthermore, the strip-mining process involved with the extraction had decimated the landscape.

80% of Nauru is now a barren, post-apocalyptic wasteland. Dry and desolate with jagged limestone peaks that were in some places up to 15 meters (49 feet) high, the island became a hostile, eye-sore of a place to live.

Tourism was limited, and with the income from the mining over (and severe mismanagement of the funds that had previously been made), the country’s economy collapsed.

Huge unemployment followed and social and health problems are rife. Nauru currently has one of the highest diabetes rates in the world and the once record per capita GDP is now one of the lowest.

Where is Nauru Island?

Nauru is very remote. Situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean it is over 2000 miles (3200 km) from the Australian mainland.

Visiting Nauru Today

The current situation for Nauru remains bleak. With a population of about 10,000 and only a 150-meter-wide strip of fertile land along its shores, the future holds little promise.

Recent money-making plans with other countries (one of which saw the island becoming a tax haven) were met with international regulatory concerns.

After this, Nauru showed greater desperation in the need to earn an income; it opened its doors to Australia in order to become a detention center for asylum seekers.

This has seen local population growth in the form of Iranian and Afghan refugees unable to make an income, only adding to the island’s woes.

Suicides and crime have increased dramatically, alongside the level of desperation of the unfortunate souls that have ended up living on Nauru.

This of course makes it a potentially dangerous place for the average tourist (at the same time as being the proverbial carrot for the more adventurous dark tourist).

• Related Content: Chacabuco, Chile – Abandoned Nitrate Ghost Town & Prison Camp

Sights on Nauru island

The bleak, desolate landscape caused by phosphate mining is one of the main reasons a dark tourist would want to visit Nauru. The limestone pinnacles are a sight you will not experience anywhere else in the world.

The rundown nature of the residential areas is also darkly fascinating. Although visitors should be careful due to the high crime rates.

There are also a few remains left from the Japanese occupation during WWII.

Overall, you do have to be rather committed to checking out this unusual destination as getting there is not easy.

The one airline that flies direct to Nauru from Australia is from Brisbane and the schedule is infrequent, (just twice a week). Once you land you will be forced to spend several days there before being able to catch a return flight back.

Good to know

The Menen Hotel is the best hotel on the island out of very slim pickings. Phone: +674 444 3300

Nauru Tourism Department can be contacted on +674 444 3081.

Featured Image: d-online / CC BY-SA

Visiting Dhanushkodi – India’s Ghost Town

March 20, 2020September 2, 2020

How to Visit the Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) – Obersalzberg, Germany

June 3, 2020October 21, 2020

The Ruins of Villa Epecuén, Argentina – A Resort Town Submerged

September 2, 2020September 2, 2020

Diefenbunker Museum – Canada’s Cold War Relic

March 19, 2020August 31, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

And of course, where there was commerce in the Caribbean, pirates were not far behind.

Port Royal became infamous for the lawlessness of its shores, with rum-drunk sailors, raiding pirates, and prostitutes aplenty.

It all came to an abrupt end on 7 June 1692 however. The town was wiped out by an earthquake and an ensuing tsunami.

Now a relative ghost town, Port Royal is open to tours where you can see remnants of its “illustrious” past both on the shore and under the sea.

The History of Port Royal

Jamaica was declared Spanish territory from the moment Christoper Columbus stepped ashore, mounted the proverbial flag, and took ownership on behalf of King Ferdinand.

He and his crew didn’t stick around, however. There were many more islands to claim during that now very famous voyage.

Lacking gold or other resources of interest the Spanish did not prioritize Jamaica. By 1655 it was under English rule.

Oliver Cromwell had sanctioned an invasion and capture of the Spanish stronghold at Hispaniola, a much more strategically important area at the center of the Caribbean trade.

The English failed and took control of Jamaica as a consolation prize.

The new custodians of Jamaica didn’t dally mind you. The natural harbor at Port Royal quickly blossomed and became the center of English trade in the area.

By the late 1600s, Port Royal was the second-largest European city in the new world, (Boston was number one). It was also one of the most debauched.

• Related Content: Ruddock, Louisiana – Entire Town Destroyed by Hurricane

Pirates at Port Royal

Far from home, the criminal-minded and the desperate made nefarious new lives in Port Royal. Much could be made living off of the slave trade, plantations, and sailing the seas, looting from the Spanish.

The city provided a safe harbor for pirates attacking the shipping lanes to and from Spain and Panama. It was large enough to moor for periods of rest and repair work in between raids.

Furthermore, the port was very close to what was only a handful of safe passages with access to the Spanish Main from the Atlantic.

For these reasons, the infrastructure (and entertainment) at Port Royal grew to cater specifically for pirates. In this guise, it had a reputation as the “Sodom of the New World”.

The taverns were a place of wild alcoholic reverie, fighting, and illicit sex. Even the animals would get involved. As famous Dutch explorer Jan van Riebeeck said in his writings:

“The parrots of Port Royal gather to drink from the large stocks of ale with just as much alacrity as the drunks that frequent the taverns that serve it.”

At the height of Port Royal’s popularity with marauding pirates, the city had one drinking house for every 10 residents.

The English authorities tolerated the criminality due to the lack of sufficient troops. They couldn’t control the pirates and they also needed them to defend the city against the Spanish or French.

Not everyone was a freebooter or sex worker, however. The bustling commercial center had a permanent population of 6,500 by 1692, and this included artisans, merchants, goldsmiths, and a total of 44 tavern keepers.

End of an Era

In 1675 the notorious pirate Henry Morgan became Lieutenant Governor of the city and, ironically things began to change for the better.

Pirates were no longer needed to defend the city and the slave trade was becoming more and more profitable.

Morgan took a tighter stance on the more overt piracy still taking place. However, the pirating heyday was finally over in 1687, after Jamaica passed anti-piracy laws.

Instead of being a safe port for pirates, Port Royal was now a place of execution. The infamous Gallows Point saw the end to a series of well-known “buccaneers”, including Charles Vane, John “Calico Jack” Rackham, and female pirate Mary Read.

The Earthquake

“The earth opened and swallowed many people, before my face, and the sea I saw came mounting in over the wall, upon which I concluded it impossible to escape.”

These were the words written by Edmund Heath, a survivor, and eyewitness to the devastating earthquake that ripped through Port Royal in 1692, (he was writing a letter from the safety of his ship moored in the city’s harbor).

Port Royal existed on a sub-surface of sand. As a result, instant liquefaction took place with many of the city’s buildings and its unfortunate citizens sucked into the ground.

This was followed by geysers erupting from the earth and if that wasn’t enough, the resulting tsunami waves destroyed what remained and dragged the rest out to sea.

Over 33 acres disappeared underwater, four of the five city forts crumbled and approximately 2000 people died.

Of those that survived, many turned to immediate looting (an indication of the caliber of citizen). One eye-witness account stated:

“Immediately upon the cessation of the extremity of the earthquake, your heart would abhor hearing of the depredations, robberies, and violence that were in an instant committed upon the place by the vilest and basest of the people; no man could call anything his own, for they that were the strongest and most wicked seized what they pleased….”

Not that looting would do any good for the survivors. With the city in ruins (and littered with the dead), accommodation, clean water, and medication were in extremely short supply. Many died in the weeks after the earthquake due to malignant fevers.

The news spread fast of the destruction of Port Royal and it was often seen as God’s Providence. The catastrophe was simply divine retribution for the human filth that had proliferated the city.

• Related Content: Visiting the Sri Lanka Tsunami Train Wreck

Aftermath

Like cockroaches, the pirates and the slave traders soon returned to a rebuilt Port Royal.

Throughout the early 18th century life of vice and criminality remained the general prerequisite for citizenship, with the anti-piracy laws tested to their limits to keep the marauders in check.

However, natural disasters were never too far away. Early rebuilding work was hampered by a 1703 fire that surged through the city. Flooding caused further setbacks in 1722.

Multiple hurricanes also caused their fair share of destruction during the 18th century, with another fire in 1750 causing yet more damage to Port Royal.

In the midst of these unfortunate series of events, Kingston began to eclipse Port Royal as a commercial center.

An epidemic of cholera tore through the community in 1850, signifying the end of the city as a commercial hub.

20th Century Discoveries

Today, Port Royal is known to scholars as to the “City that Sank” and archaeological diving has been going on since the 1950s, with the most significant find occurring in 1969.

Edwin Link discovered a pocket watch dating from 1686. The clock had stopped at exactly 11:43, providing historians the precise time that the earthquake devastated the town.

Efforts made by the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust have also shed light on what the town was like in the 17th century.

The program focused on submerged areas that had suffered very little damage due to the low oxygen levels of the water.

So much has remained intact, the site has been compared to Pompeii for its archaeological wonders. The discoveries that include everyday artifacts and the way buildings were arranged and constructed have allowed scientists to reconstruct colonial port city life in great detail.

Where is Port Royal?

• Port Royal is 17 miles (27 kilometers) southeast from Kingston. Taxis and buses from the capital will take you there for a small fee. Accommodation is available, however, most visitors take a day trip from Kingston.

Visiting Port Royal Today

Today, Port Royal is a shadow of its former self. The population is less than 2,000 and what is now merely a village has no commercial significance.

The touristic opportunity for the area is great, however. There is a dark mysteriousness attached to just how much of the 17th century lies under the water.

Up until the 1900s visitors could see large sections of the city still visible beneath the waves. Now, boat tours and diving trips can bring you face to face with some of the hidden wonders.

Above ground, you can wander the quiet streets and enjoy the slower pace of life when compared to the busy capital, Kingston.

Here are just some of the highlights of a stay in Port Royal:

Fort Charles

Fort Charles is the most accessible main attraction at Port Royal. It dates back to the 17th century and a small entrance fee of $15USD will grant you access to the fort and the various exhibitions showcasing artifacts from the town’s history.

Walking around the fort is to go back in time with narrow cobblestone corridors, fortification structures, lookouts, and cannons.

There are also items recovered from the earthquake in varying conditions due to laying on the seafloor for centuries.

Organized scuba dive of the Sunken City

Diving parts of the city (that are not restricted due to archaeological importance) and the many shipwrecks off the coast is an experience like no other.

With an estimated 70% of Port Royal under the sea, there is no shortage of dive spots.

These can be booked online before you arrive or through one of the few dive operators working in the area.

• Related Content: Saint-Pierre & the Prison Cell of Ludger Sylbaris

The Giddy House

A famous landmark in Port Royal is the “Giddy House”, one of the buildings to survive the 1907 earthquake and is now partly submerged in the sand.

It used to be the Artillery store connected to Fort Charles but is now a tourist attraction due to the fact it has sunk into the earth at a severe angle.

The reason for the name is clear; once you step inside and walk around you begin to feel disoriented and giddy.

Old Gaol and Naval Hospital

The old jail and naval hospital are definitely worth a visit while in Port Royal. The navy hospital is also of interest for being one of the oldest prefabricated buildings in the world. The inner ironworks were constructed in Bradford, England, before being shipped out to the Caribbean in the 18th century.

St. Peter’s Church

Another of the rare buildings that still exist from the time Port Royal was a bustling pirate city is St Peter’s Church. You’ll find this down aptly named Church Street and dates back to 1725. The courtyard also contains various historical relics of interest.

Featured Image: Raychristofer / CC BY-SA

Poperinge Death Cells – WW1 Memorial, Belgium

June 9, 2020June 10, 2020

The Ghost Fleet and Mass Grave of Truk Lagoon

February 24, 2020September 3, 2020

Darvaza Gas Crater, A Raging Inferno For Nearly 50 Years [Dark Tourism in Central Asia]

October 29, 2019August 31, 2020

KGB Museum Riga [Dark Tourism in Latvia]

November 8, 2019October 6, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

Built to produce submarines on a grand scale for the Nazi war effort, more than 10,000 forced laborers were used in the construction of this gigantic bunker, support yard, and assembly area.

However, the efforts came late in the war for Hitler. The Third Reich was defeated before the mega-project could be completed.

After years of post-war use as a military storage facility, the bunker complex came into the ownership of the Denkort Bunker Valentin in 2011.

It is now a massive memorial structure open to the public. For any dark tourist in the area, it is definitely a must-see.

History of the bunker – Construction

Construction of Bunker Valentin began in the summer of 1943. The area outside of Bremen was mainly rural, providing the space the Nazis needed for such a large-scale construction project.

The more remote location was also an attempt to avoid the heavy allied aerial bombing that was taking place in the larger cities and industrial centers within Germany at that time.

The U-Boat shipyard and protective bunker were positioned downriver from Bremen but with easy access to the North Sea via the River Weser.

Construction was overseen by the Nazis’ “Organisation Todt”, and as was the norm for such huge projects, the workforce was made up of POWs and concentration camp inmates.

Conditions were horrific of course and it is estimated that between 1500 and 6000 workers died during the process of building Bunker Valentin.

The prison camp set up near the site became the largest subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp in Hamburg, with laborers held captive from all over Nazi-occupied Europe.

Allied Bombing

On 27 March 1945, the Valentin factory was attacked by twenty Avro Lancaster heavy bombers from the British Royal Airforce, employing precision bombing tactics.

A support aerial force of 115 Lancasters also bombed the nearby fuel oil storage depots.

The Lancasters bombs caused significant damage to the bunker, blowing large holes in the roof that caused an estimated 1,000 tons of debris to fall into the chamber below.

Other bombs dropped that day caused damage to a nearby electricity plant, as well as local workshops and a concrete mixing plant necessary for construction.

Before the Nazis could even begin to assess the damage another allied attack took place just 3 days later.

On 30 March 1945, the US Eighth Air Force attacked Valentin with Disney bombs.

These rocket-assisted weapons were designed to penetrate further. A total of 60 were launched, with considerable damage done to important supporting installations that surrounded the bunker.

The entire complex was abandoned as a result and within a month the area was occupied by the British Army’s victorious XXX Corps.

Not a single submarine keel was ever laid during the life of the Valentin factory and bunker. Hitler was soon dead and the war was over.

After the war

After the war, the Ministry of Defense of the new Federal Republic of Germany took control of the bunker and began using it as a storage depot for the navy.

By 1960, the still-intact eastern part of the bunker had been renovated for purpose. The Cold War was now very much underway, with the entire complex becoming a closed-off military zone.

Known as the Navy Material Depot, Subunit Wilhelmshaven, the restricted site was closed off to the public for over 3 decades.

During this time the navy constructed a partition wall between the ruined western and eastern sections of the bunker.

The former assembly hall was split into two as result, with the western side too damaged to use in any meaningful way.

Finally, in the 1990s (after the fall of the Iron Curtain and the reunification of Germany), the navy started to allow survivors and relatives of the camps inside the complex.

Where is Bunker Valentin?

• Address: Rekumer Siel, 28777 Bremen, Germany
• Phone: +49 421 69673670
• Website

The best way to reach the bunker is via car or taxi. There is limited parking, however. Bus line 90 from the train stations Bremen-Farge or Bremen-Vegesack will also take you to the site.

Visiting Bunker Valentin Today

After Denkort Bunker Valentin took control of the site, they immediately began to transform it into a museum and open memorial in remembrance to those that died during its construction.

With it being such a large facility (with some parts understandably extremely costly to make safe), the concept is still a work in progress.

Some parts are open to the public, however. Accessible free of charge, a path runs through the site where you will be able to see the exhibits that have been set up within the bunker and surrounding buildings.

Walking tour of the bunker

As you first take the path through the grounds of Bunker Valentin you will find information panels with details of the bunker and its history, written in both German and English.

Once inside, you will begin to appreciate the sheer scale of the engineering effort. The building is enormous.

The entrance atrium contains a reception desk where you can borrow audio-guides. There are also some images projected on to the wall with more information about the bunker.

From here you can walk into the main exhibition area where you will find original objects from the time of the construction. There are also artifacts recovered from the forced labor camp that was established nearby.

One poignant little piece is the engraved tin cigarette case made by an Italian prisoner. He exchanged it for some bread from a German apprentice, who later donated to the exhibition.

Further on within the exhibition area is a section dedicated to submarines. “Das Boot” gets a mention and there are various model kits of german U-Boats on display.

The post-war life of the bunker is also described, with details of its time as military storage facility for the Navy, as well as the long campaign for turning it into a memorial.

Other notable aspects as you take a tour are the damaged parts of the bunker that although off-limits, can be seen from various vantage points as you walk around.

At one point you will reach a viewing platform where you can see the partly ruined western section of the bunker; the holes made by the RAF bombers can still be seen.

Towards the end of the bunker section of the walk, you will come across some wartime artifacts such as a bent bomb casing that the Allies used for target practice after taking control of the area in the spring of 1945.

There is also the chassis of a tipper wagon that would have been used during the construction of Bunker Valentin.

Past this, the path leads you outside once more. Here you arrive at the rear sluice chamber, where the U-boats would have been launched after completion.

This is full of dirty, stagnant water and apart from the scale of it all, it is hard to imagine that hi-tech war machines were intended to begin active duty from here.

Continuing on you will reach the ruins of the heavily bombed concrete mixing plant. Some information panels illustrate what went on within the surrounding infrastructure and how it assisted the construction of the bunker.

The final part of the tour takes you along the outside of the western and southern sides of the bunker, back to the main entrance. This really helps put the scale of the building into perspective as it is not a short walk.

Look out for the large opening on one side as you go. This is where large, prefabricated parts of the U-Boats would have arrived and entered the bunker for assembly.

Featured Image: Jens Lingenau / CC BY-SA

The Hallstatt Beinhaus: An Austrian House of Bones

January 27, 2020September 22, 2020

Moynaq: Desert Ships and the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan

November 13, 2019September 14, 2020

How to Visit the Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) – Obersalzberg, Germany

June 3, 2020October 21, 2020

Visiting Iwo Jima – WW2 in the Pacific

June 12, 2020September 3, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

No area seems to be off-limits when it comes to the subject; cannibalism, taxidermy, murder-cases, shocking images/videos of crime scenes, and depictions of autopsies are all on offer.

Although it veers dangerously close to the glorification of death and murder, (the coverage of Charles Manson is particularly troubling) it is nonetheless educational. For the dark tourists in LA, it will certainly be of interest. Just leave the kids at home.

History of the Museum of Death

The Museum of Death was first established in June 1995 by J. D. Healy and Catherine Shultz. As the founder’s state, the purpose of the museum is simply to “to make people happy to be alive“.

An honorable aim most will agree. And in some measures, you do walk out feeling happy that you’ve never had an encounter with a serial killer. But then I don’t need a museum to fill me with gratitude for that fact.

The original museum and collection were based in San Diego. According to the owners, the building was the city’s first mortuary.

It was born from a passion for the macabre it seems. Both Healy and Shultz would write to serial killers and request artwork from them, that they would promise to put on display as part of an annual exhibition.

After accumulating enough materials, (as well as other artifacts over the years) they decided to open to the museum in 1995.

The shift to LA happened in the late 90s. The pair gained a lot of (negative) media attention in their attempts to acquire a vast collection of materials from the Heaven’s Gate cult suicides.

They were aiming to buy enough of the original artifacts to recreate the scene of the suicides as a permanent exhibition. The distasteful nature of their aims led to them being evicted from the San Diago building.

Since 2000 the museum has been located on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.

From here on in the collection has grown exponentially, with the large collection of serial killer artwork, photos of the Manson crime scenes, and original photos from the Black Dahlia Murders being of particular interest to visitors.

• Related Content: The Hallstatt Beinhaus: An Austrian House of Bones

Where is the Museum of Death?

• Address: 6031 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028, United States
• Phone: +1 323-466-8011
• Website

Visiting the Museum of Death Today

The range of gruesome, macabre, and in many cases all out shocking artifacts and images on display at the Museum of Death are too many to number.

If you’d like to take a look at the guillotined, severed head of Henri Landru you can, it is there at the museum.

There is also body bag and coffin collection, as well as replicas of execution devices.

Some of the most graphic images include those taken at the infamous Sharon Tate murder scene, (the wife of Roman Polanski that met a bloody end at the hands of the Manson Family).

A photograph of her naked and visibly pregnant body covered in blood is difficult to look at and feels extremely sensationalist.

Photography from a lesser-known murder is also shocking. A couple that murdered the girl’s ex-boyfriend before sawing him into pieces, pose in front of the camera while holding the body parts. (they were caught after sending said images to the chemist for developing).

After this, you can walk into a room filled with animal taxidermy, before venturing into an area that contains a working Thanatron, one of the original suicide machines built by Jack Kevorkian.

Mortician and autopsy instruments are on display, as well as the aforementioned collection of serial killer artwork. An added ‘bonus’ is the reams of correspondence from murderers behind bars; it seemed the founders were pen pals with a large number of them.

Dotted around the museum are images and newspaper clippings detailing the murders of notorious killers such as John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, and Peter Sutcliffe

In the end, the Heaven’s Gate mass suicide has been depicted; the exhibition includes the original beds.

Visit at the right time of year and you can take part in the Black Dahlia look-alike competition. Contestants can choose to dress as both pre and post-mortem Dahlia.

Walking around the museum is a self-guided tour experience that can last as long or as short as you can stomach.

As founder Healy states: “I think it shocks people, but it’s a good shock. Seeing all these artifacts of death in one place reminds people how precious life is.”

My advice is to definitely visit the Museum of Death if you are in the area, and see for yourself.

• Related Content: Cesare Lombroso’s Museum of Criminal Anthropology, Turin

The New Orleans Branch

The success of the Museum of Death has led to the founders opening a branch in New Orleans in 2014.

Called the Musee de Mort Orleans has over 12,000 square meters of space. Apparently the LA building has not been large enough to house the complete collection for a number of years.

With only a 3rd of the collection being shown at any one time at the original Californian residence, the New Orleans branch has enabled the founders to display everything for the first time.

Fun Fact

The Los Angeles building was once the home of Westbeach Recorders, and prior to that, Producers Workshop.

It is where Pink Floyd recorded parts of The Wall while in America. The walls still feature the soundproofing that aided recordings, providing an eerily quiet setting for the exhibits.

Featured Image: Arienne McCracken / CC BY-SA

Plokstine Missile Base – Dark Tourism In Lithuania

July 10, 2020August 31, 2020

Ruddock, Louisiana – Entire Town Destroyed by Hurricane

September 28, 2020

Abandoned Soviet Bio-Weapons Facility, Kantubek – Vozrozhdeniye Island

July 14, 2020September 29, 2020

The Museum of Underground Prisoners [Trips to Jerusalem]

February 10, 2020October 6, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

A notorious concentration camp in the Portuguese colony of Cape Verde, it was established after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Enemies of the state (i.e anyone that spoke out against Portugal’s right-wing authoritarian regime) wound up at Tarrafal.

Their demise once incarcerated was slow and painful. At least 32 political prisoners were known to have died in the camp.

History of Tarrafal Concentration Camp

By 1932 António de Oliveira Salazar was Portugal’s Prime Minister and his heavy-handed leadership quickly saw to the overpopulation of the country’s prison system.

Modeled on Benito Mussolini’s fascist state, left-wing opponents were rounded up and banged up with the concept of a fair trial nowhere in sight.

This called for the need for an overseas penal colony so that political dissidents could be banished. The Portuguese colonies were perfect for this, and many locations were considered.

Santiago Island in the Cape Verde archipelago was the first planned colony. Apparently the site would provide the best “hygiene, surveillance, and natural resources” for a prison complex.

Salazar’s authoritarian regime wanted to drive home the fact that it would not tolerate any kind of political dissent. To this end, Tarrafal was set up from the outset to be harsh and uncompromising.

• Related Content: Presidio Modelo (Model Prison): Dark Tourism Cuba

First Inmates and Opening of the Colony

On 18 October 1936, a ship departed Lisbon carrying 152 political prisoners. Construction of the prison colony was completed during the weeks the first prisoners were in transit.

However, construction can be termed quite loosely in this context. For the first 2 years of the prison’s operation, inmates slept in canvas tents. There was no electricity of appropriate ventilation considering the heat.

There was no running water either. Old fuel cans were used to collect brackish, unclean water from a source that was over 2km away. Part of the prisoner’s job was to fetch this daily.

When the sun wasn’t parching the inmates to near death, they had to endure an extended wet season. During this, the tents rotted, and everything became a quagmire. Malaria was rampant too.

After 4 years of operation, the colony was finally rebuilt in brick. The developed site could house 4,000 prisoners and had facilities such as a health center, reading room, guard towers, and barracks.

There was also a small railway to transport supplies and fuel.

This new design and operational regime were modeled on the Nazi concentration camps of WW2. The conditions and treatment of prisoners were brutal.

Physical and psychological violence was commonplace. Torture techniques included sleep deprivation, beatings, and humiliation.

Men and women cohabited with the rape of the latter taking place from both fellow prisoners and guards.

All inmates were tortured for information on their organizations and networks in Portugal.

A technique that brought about extreme dehydration, heat exhaustion, and death was the isolation chamber.

Called the frigideira (“frying pan”), the windowless cell had daytime temperatures of up to 60° Celsius. Prisoners were held for days, weeks, or months in order to extract information.

Finally, the camp was closed in this guise in 1954. The national and international pressure was proving too great for the Portuguese authorities to ignore.

• Related Content: Visiting Cellular Jail, Port Blair – All You Need to Know

A forced labor camp for African leaders and Militants

By 1961 the camp was once again in operation. Reopened on the orders of Adriano Moreira, the Minister of the Overseas Provinces, it was used as a forced labor camp for African leaders and militants.

Prisoners that were fighting Portuguese colonialism among the colonies were sent here, the majority from Cape Verde, Angola, and Guinea-Bissau.

Conditions were again terrible, however, prisoners did have the opportunity to improve their education and knowledge via classes they held among themselves.

After the Carnation Revolution on 25 April 1974 (which brought an end to Portugal’s 50-year-old authoritarian regime), Tarrafal was closed for good.

A year later the Portuguese government returned the site over to Cape Verde after it achieved its independence.

• Related Content: A Trip to Viper Island, Andaman, India – All You Need to Know

Where is Tarrafal Former Prison Colony?

• Address: Unnamed Road, Chão Bom, Cape Verde

The camp is situated 1.5 km south of the village of Tarrafal. It is at northern end Santiago (approx 30 miles from the capital Praia)

You can walk to the site from Tarrafal village. Your own car or taxi is recommended in the heat, however. The museum has a carpark outside the main entrance gates.

Tarrafal Prison Colony Today

The site has served several purposes since closing as a prison. It was first used as a military base, then a refugee camp and a storage facility. In more recent years it was even used as a school.

Now, however, the site is a museum showcasing the treatment of political prisoners during Portugal’s authoritarian regime of the mid 20th century.

The Museu da Resistência as it is called features a collection of photos, plaques, and artifacts detailing its troubled history as a penal colony.

This is housed in one of the remaining cell blocks and is ordered thematically and partly chronologically.

The eventual aim of the project is for the site to become a World Heritage site, (in 2006, the World Monument Fund named Tarrafal one of its 100 watched monuments).

A Walking Tour of Tarrafal

Tarrafal is more like a prison ghost-town as you walk around it. The atmosphere is eerie and foreboding even in the bright, clear blue skies of a Cape Verde day.

Once you have passed the main gate and paid the entrance fee, you are unlikely to see anyone else at the site, it is strangely quiet and clearly not that popular with tourists.

The stone barracks and cell blocks with barred windows are still very much intact, adding to the overall ghost town atmosphere.

Labels helpfully provide information on what the various buildings used to be used for. There’s also graffiti from former prisoners which is always a poignant sight, whichever dark tourist location you happen to be at.

The prison’s hospital still exists, standing in the center of the complex. The dining halls and kitchen area can be found in the western section of the site. Here more signs provide context to what you are seeing in front of you.

The block of solitary confinement cells are extremely thought-provoking. Walking amongst these it is impossible not to think of the anguish and pain that the prisoners would have suffered within these stone walls.

The creaky doors with their iron bars also remain, only adding to the overall impact.

The colony security measures also exist. The concrete trench that surrounds the camp is very much intact, along with the old and rusted barbed wire fence. Broken platforms that were once the watchtowers stand on each corner.

Overall, you certainly get a feel for what Tarrafal must have been like as a prison colony. It is a must-see visit for any dark tourist in Santiago.

Featured Image: Gagum / CC BY

How to Visit the Stockport Air Raid Shelters

May 20, 2020July 22, 2020

Chagan Nuclear Tests, Crater Lake & Ghost Town – Kazakhstan

August 19, 2020September 16, 2020

Port Royal – Sunken Pirate City, Jamaica

August 29, 2020September 28, 2020

The Third Tunnel of Aggression [DMZ, Dark Tourism Korea]

January 22, 2020August 31, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

In the first half of the 20th century, towns were rapidly built to house the many workers required to mine the nitrate.

However, when the industry turned and was no longer viable, these communities quickly fell into ruin.

This was the case for Chacabuco, which is not only one of the largest ghost towns in Chile, it was once used as a concentration camp during the earliest period of the Pinochet military dictatorship.

In short, it is a remote, must-see visit for any discerning dark tourist in Chile.

History of Chacabuco Mining Town

However, the mines there were short-lived. The American depression in the 1930s alongside the invention of synthetic nitrate by the Germans meant that by the 1940 northern Chile’s nitrate industry was on its last legs.

The impact of the demise was dramatic. What had been almost 50% of Chile’s Gross National Product fell to almost zero.

As a town, Chacabuco had only survived 14 years. As the mines closed, the workers left for opportunities elsewhere. What had once been a bustling community of over 5,000 workers and their families became abandoned.

Facilities such as the theater, library, pool, and sports center and of course all the houses, fell in to ruin.

Chacabuco became a time capsule of Chilian life in the 30s. So much so the government declared it a national monument and began protecting it in 1971.

However, this coveted status did not last long. After the 1973 Coup d’État made by General Augusto Pinochet, the future of Chacabuco became very bleak indeed.

• Related Content: Rhyolite, Nevada – Abandoned Gold Rush-era Ghost Town

Chacabuco Prison Camp

To house the prisoners a large area of Chacabuco was surrounded by electrified fences and watchtowers. Beyond that perimeter, the site was secured by landmines. (There is currently believed to be 98 lost landmines around Chacabuco, so visitors beware.)

In a rather tragic twist of irony, the government undersecretary of education who had signed off on Chacabuco becoming a national monument just 2 years before, was imprisoned too. He died shortly after release.

Approximately 1,800 prisoners were held there during its two-year use. The vast majority never made it out alive.

After the prison closed, Chacabuco was again abandoned and left to the elements. It remained this way until the 1990s when preservation attempts finally began.

• Related Content: Visiting Nauru – A Island From Boom To Bust

Protection from vandalism

Headed by an ex-prisoner of Chacabuco, two former inmates of the camp returned to look after the site as caretakers.

The first was Roberto Saldívar. He lived there until his death in 2006. At this stage, the responsibility was to prevent further damage from vandalism, (the town church had been burned to the ground by arsonists sometime in the 1980s).

Pedro Barreda took over from Saldívar and still lives there to this day.

• Related Content: Kadykchan – Abandoned Soviet Mining Town

Where is Chacabuco Ghost Town

• Address: Chacabuco, Sierra Gorda, Antofagasta, Chile
• Admission: 2000 CLP
• Opening times: Daily, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m.

Visiting Chacabuco Today

In 1992 a small amount of restoration work was made on the old theatre with aid from Germany’s Goethe Institute. This culminated in a permanent exhibition in the former library rooms connected to the theatre.

Today, the theatre is by far the most pristine building in the town. The grand, whitewashed, three-story building stands proudly, adjacent to the main square.

This too has seen some refurbishment works done. The square now contains a children’s play area, some benches, and newly planted trees surround a small bandstand type construction.

The effect is disconcerting, however. The rest of Chacabuco remains an abandoned ghost town, encroaching on this small pocket of newness.

Many of the original buildings are at risk of collapse through neglect. Streets and pathways are covered in dust and debris.

Parts of the nitrate production plant still exist. The 35m high chimney is the tallest structure in Chacabuco.

Walking Tour

Bilingual signs (Spanish and English) are present around the site. A large panel in the square provides a guide to the site, as well as a map.

You can then follow a route that leads you past 8 more informational panels along a circuit around the town.

North-west of the square is where the prison camp section used to be. There are no watchtowers or fences left, however, some of the original worker’s buildings that were used as prison wards during the life of the camp do remain.

It is best not to wander past the old perimeter here due to the aforementioned mine situation.

Despite most of the buildings being in a nearly ruined state, it is still very interesting to walk among them. Some still feature interesting wall murals, presumably created by former prisoners.

South of the main square are some larger buildings that used to be the mining company administration offices. There is also the old supermarket from when the town was a thriving community.

Behind these, you will find the ruins of some workshops. Amazingly some of the old industrial machinery still exist, large rusting hulks destined to be inside these dilapidated buildings forever.

To see the nitrate production facilities you need to head to the eastern side of town. (Just follow the chimney stack). Here you will find more old machines, industrial debris, and most impressive of all, remnants of the giant boilers.

Here you will find the ruins of larger houses that once belonged to the managers and upper-level administrators of the town.

You can just about make out some of the former grandeur. The footprint of the buildings hints to the relative luxury of the living conditions, compared to the smaller dwellings nearer the center.

Look out for some of the abandoned vehicles here too. The sight of these old 1920s car wrecks makes you wish you could take them home for restoration.

The Exhibition Area

Here an exhibition containing text-and-photo information panels provides some detailed history of the nitrate industry in Chile.

There are also some glass display cabinets with items that once belonged to the workers; tools, clothes, and shoes for example.

There is also information about Chacabuco as a detention camp, including artifacts from the time such as barbed wire, bullets, and quotes from the inmates’ testimonies during their incarcaration.

How to Visit the Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) – Obersalzberg, Germany

June 3, 2020October 21, 2020

Visiting Dhanushkodi – India’s Ghost Town

March 20, 2020September 2, 2020

The Execution Spot of Nicolae Ceausescu – Targoviste Museum of Communism

May 12, 2020August 31, 2020

Tomsk Memorial Museum – Former NKVD Prison

May 13, 2020June 26, 2023

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

Not much remains, however it is still worth taking the time to visit this dark tourist spot.

The gallows building still stands as well as a few other structures from the penal complex. The fact the site has been repurposed for tourism is also a plus.

Information panels in English provide context as you walk around and guides are available too.

The boat ride across to Viper Island is also stunning, making it a worthwhile venture if you are in the area.

History of Viper Island

The rather ominous-sounding name has nothing to do with snakes or the fact the island used to be a penal colony. It is derived from the name of the vessel “H.M.S. Viper” in which the British Lt. Archibald Blair first arrived at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1789.

The vessel came into trouble during a storm nearby and the wreckage was later found off the coast of the island.

It would be almost 70 years before the British decided to convert the Andaman Islands to a penal complex.

The larger penal colony at nearby Port Blair (named after the stricken Lt.) was originally built in 1958 to house prisoners of the Indian Rebellion.

At that time Ross Island was chosen as the headquarters of the penal settlement.

When more space was required for the complex, the British turned towards Viper Island, with the construction and development of Viper Jail taking place between 1864–67.

The building work was done using slave labor from the prisons at Blair Port.

• Related Content: Roopkund Skeleton Lake [Dark Tourism in India]

Viper Jail

The jail was notoriously harsh. Solitary cells, lock-ups, stocks, and whipping stands were built. It was also a brutal place where women prisoners could also be held.

One particularly nasty practice the authorities used was to chain prisoners together at night. Using coupling irons inmates would be linked at the legs, giving the place its nickname “Viper Chain Gang Jail”.

During the day they would be subject to hard labor. Essentially, the British used the jail to inflict some of the worst torture and hardship on those that had actively supported a free India against British rule.

In addition to brutal incarceration, Viper Island was also a gallows. Executions were regularly held, the most infamous of which was that of Shere Ali.

Ali had murdered Lord Mayo, the British Viceroy of India, in 1872. His hanging made headlines across the Empire.

However, the importance of Viper island as a penal colony declined after the construction of the Cellular Jail in 1906. Not long after the prisoners were relocated and the prison closed for good.

• Related Content: Visiting Dhanushkodi – India’s Ghost Town

Where is Viper Island?

Viper Island Today

Viper Island is a very beautiful tourist destination. It can be accessed via regular 20-minute boat trips from Port Blair’s harbor.

Upon arrival at Viper Island, you will see the remains of the former prison guardhouse beside the pier head.

The two-storied jail building stands as a semi-ruin. Half of the roof has caved in and an outer wall is dilapidated.

Around these, you will find information boards describing the colony and the conditions for the prisoners during the 19th century. Some of them contain prints of original photographs too.

Up from the jail is a strangely picturesque red-brick, temple-like ruin that was once the gallows. A panel here displays a photo of Shere Ali and the history behind the murder of Lord Mayo.

That is all that remains of the colony on Viper Island, however as already mentioned, the beautiful scenery and the interesting history make the trip more than worthwhile.

• Related Content: Devil’s Island – Abandoned Penal Colony, French Guiana

Good to know

There are a number of operators that run boat trips to the island from Port Blair. Just head to the tourist buildings on the jetty and browse the kiosks there.

You can also prearrange via a travel agent or book a trip online before you arrive.

It is also a good idea to incorporate a visit to Viper Island as part of a longer tour itinerary that include nearby Ross Island and Havelock.

Featured Image: Sanyam Bahga / CC BY-SA

A Trip Along the Alpine Wall – Italy’s WW2 Fortifications

May 14, 2020August 31, 2020

Roopkund Skeleton Lake [Dark Tourism in India]

February 15, 2020August 31, 2020

Saint-Pierre & the Prison Cell of Ludger Sylbaris

May 7, 2020September 4, 2020

Novaya Zemlya Nuclear Test Site [Dark Tourism Russia]

February 4, 2020September 16, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

From original Ku Klux Klan robes covered in dried blood to leg irons, chains and collars hanging from the walls, little is left to the imagination when it comes to depicting the horrific treatment of African slaves during this dark period of history.

It is an educational visit for anyone taking a trip to the Caribbean and is willing to see a different side away from the pristine beaches and well-stocked cocktail bars.

History of Museum Kura Hulanda

Part of the luxurious 65-room Hotel Kura Hulanda, the museum is not what one would normally expect to see on a Caribbean holiday. In many ways, this makes its existence all the more important.

Situated in the city-center harbor of Willemstad, the hotel was developed by Dutch philanthropist Jacob Gelt Dekker.

He financed the construction after purchasing a dilapidated 18th-century mansion in the area. It was while undertaking the renovation works that Dekker discovered that he had bought a property on the site of a former slave-trading depot.

The harbor was where Dutch entrepreneurs (and the Dutch West India Company) once traded and transshipped enslaved Africans brought to the Caribbean to work on the sugar plantations.

To preserve the history he decided to include a new museum as part of the project. He then spent millions stocking the museum and refurbishing the various 18th and 19th-century buildings to house the collection. He also restored old homes at the site so they could be used as guest rooms.

Dekker completed his goal with impressive results. The Kura Hulanda museum traces the island’s melting pot of cultures, from the indigenous Arawaks to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in a comprehensive manner.

Hours can be spent browsing the old photographs, artifacts, and exhibits.

• Related Content: Visiting Deadly Lake Nyos [Dark Tourism in Africa]

Where is the Kura Hulanda Museum?

• Address: Klipstraat, Willemstad, Curaçao
• Admission: $10 ($7 seniors and children under 12 years old)

Inside the Kura Hulanda Museum

It wouldn’t be an understatement to declare the Kura Hulanda Museum the best within the entire Dutch Caribbean. In my opinion, it is the most important.

However, although it has become well known for the exhibits covering the slave-trade, there is much more to the museum than this.

The whole complex leads visitors through rooms to huts to courtyards within the “village”. The various artifacts on display cover the island’s history in great detail.

One area focuses on the Mesopotamian period, another contains a collection of casts of early hominid skulls. There is also excellent information surrounding the indigenous Arawaks and what happened to them during European colonization.

Essentially, hundreds of artifacts from Africa, Europe, and the Americas line the walls of the Kura Hulanda Museum in an attempt to chronicle the island’s history.

However, as already mentioned, the sections detailing the plight of West African slaves in the area can be quite shocking.

Original bills of sale showing ownership of slaves have a significant impact, as do the various exhibits exploring the methods of torture.

The re-creation of a slave ship is especially effective. You gain an insight into what it must have been like to traverse the Atlantic in those horrible, squalid conditions, with the narrow berths, chains, and shackles.

• Related Content: Saint-Pierre & the Prison Cell of Ludger Sylbaris

Featured Image: -JvL- from Netherlands / CC BY

Varosha, Famagusta: The Abandoned Beach Resort

January 28, 2020September 8, 2020

The Stasi Museum – Dark Tourism in Berlin

October 8, 2019August 31, 2020

Bunker Valentin, Bremen – Nazi U-Boat Facility

August 21, 2020August 31, 2020

Chagan Nuclear Tests, Crater Lake & Ghost Town – Kazakhstan

August 19, 2020September 16, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

The place was the beautiful Montebello Islands off the north-west coast of Australia.

Three nuclear weapons tests were conducted by the British military and now it is possible to visit the islands and see the remains of the barracks as well as the actual test site.

For the intrepid dark tourist that not only finds themselves in this remote area of Australia but also has the time to take a boat tour out to the archipelago, the experience is truly worth it.

• Related Content: Visiting Nauru – A Island From Boom To Bust

A Short History of the Montebello Islands

Montebello is Italian for “beautiful mountain”, and what better place to tarnish with deadly nuclear fallout.

A total of 174 small islands make up the archipelago which lies approximately 81 miles off the Pilbara coast of Australia.

It is believed the indigenous Australians populated the islands until about 5,000 BC. However, rising sea levels led to the archipelago becoming farther from the mainland, which in turn forced the aboriginals to gradually abandon them.

Although an early European reference does appear in 1622 after an English ship named Tyrall was wrecked close by; (the charts would record the islands as the Tyral rocks for the next 180 years), it wasn’t until the early 19th century that the Europeans began to claim them.

In 1801 a French Navy exploration expedition sailed past and arrogantly began to name them after the nobility.

The crew, led by Captain Nicolas Baudin, named Hermite Island after Admiral Jean-Marthe-Adrien L’Hermite and Trimouille Island after a French aristocratic family.

Later, however, the British would claim sovereignty based on the proximity to Australia. The islands then enjoyed a period of economic significance due to the pearl fishing trade which lasted up until the outbreak of the Second World War.

• Related Content: Chagan Nuclear Tests, Crater Lake & Ghost Town – Kazakhstan

British Nuclear Weapons Tests

After the war and the shock of Hiroshima, western powers scurried to develop their respective nuclear armaments. For the British, the remoteness of the Montebello Islands was perfect for testing the technology.

This did make sense. The relatively small area of the UK did not provide anywhere far enough from settlements to detonate. So the Montebello Islands copped it instead.

A bay on Trimouille Island was chosen as the site of the first-ever atomic weapon tested by the British. Codenamed, “Operation Hurricane” detonation took place on the 3rd of October 1952.

The 25 kiloton device, similar in yield to the Fat Man Bomb the Americans released on Nagaski in 1945, was exploded inside a surplus warship.

Ready to up the ante in terms of devastation, British scientists returned to the Islands in 1956 with two more bombs. Detonated under the code name “Operation Mosaic“, the second of the bombs, named G2, was large enough to affect inhabitants on the Australian mainland.

As with American and Russian nuclear tests of the time, the fallout and the yield were much larger than predicted.

G2 had a yield of 98 kilotons and is reported to have contaminated locations as far away as the coast of Queensland; the opposite side Australia!

Where are the Montebello Islands?

How to get to the Montebello Islands

A number of fishing charter companies, as well as diving and safari tours, operate to and from the Montebello Islands.

Karratha city is a popular launching point from the mainland and a quick Google search will bring you a list of relevant services on how to get there.

Exmouth is another destination where you can find boat rental services and tours to the islands.

Be warned, if taking a vessel yourself the Islands are relatively remote (they were used for nuclear testing after all).

Navigation should only be attempted in favorable weather conditions. The boat should be suitably sized and your skillset and supplies adequate for the trip.

Visiting Montebello Islands Today

The Montebello Islands have now been declared a “Marine Park” by the Department of Environment and Conservation.

Incredibly, you can visit the sites of British nuclear testing, as long as you take the necessary care, (you have to love the laid back attitude of the Australians).

As the Parks Authority state on the website:

“As slightly elevated radiation levels still occur at test sites on Trimouille and Alpha Islands, visitors should limit visits to one hour per day. Do not disturb the soil and do not handle or remove relics associated with the tests.”

Remains of the British military presence can also be explored. Concrete bunkers and monitoring stations remain intact on some of the islands. You can also find roads and abandoned scrap metal from military equipment.

The former operational headquarters also still stands on the southern end of Hermite Island.

Beyond all of the exploration, you can also enjoy the natural beauty of the island and the relevant water sports and fishing.

There are barrier and fringing coral reefs, a huge variety of wildlife and maritime pleasures that all bring divers, snorkellers, fishers, and sea kayakers to this remote former military outpost.

Good to Know

If you plan on camping on the islands you can on Primrose, Bluebell, Crocus, Hermite & Renewal Islands (year-round).

Northwest Island is only available for camping between April-Sept as long as you are within 100m of the high tide mark. No pets or open fires are allowed.

The Ruins of Villa Epecuén, Argentina – A Resort Town Submerged

September 2, 2020September 2, 2020

The Third Tunnel of Aggression [DMZ, Dark Tourism Korea]

January 22, 2020August 31, 2020

Visiting Iwo Jima – WW2 in the Pacific

June 12, 2020September 3, 2020

Kadykchan – Abandoned Soviet Mining Town

September 10, 2020September 22, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

Stalin’s Five Year Plan and tyrannical push to prove that Russia was an industrialized nation, meant that the canal was rushed to completion.

The collateral death toll was massive. Official records state that between 12,000 and 25,000 laborers died in the process. Contemporary historians put that number as high as 250,000.

The end result was a canal that was too shallow for purpose. The Soviet propaganda machine didn’t waste time in declaring it a success mind you.

It was seen as a flagship achievement, and the fact it never played a significant role in Soviet commerce or industry was largely ignored… as was the brutal treatment of those that made it.

• Related Content: Vorkuta – Russia’s Dying City Above the Arctic Circle

A Short History of the White Sea Canal

The white sea canal opened on Wednesday 2 August 1933, (until 1961, it was known as the “Stalin White Sea-Baltic Canal”). The canal runs for 141 miles along a route that was considered strategically important for the shipment of cargo.

Two major seas off the coast of Russia were connected as a result. Now transit could be made between the White Sea, in the Arctic Ocean, with Lake Onega that connects to the Baltic Sea.

However, as we have already mentioned. Stalin was so intent on having the canal finished on time, proverbial corners were cut: the shallow draught stunted the economic advantages of the canal. Most sea-going vessels could not use it.

• Related Content: How to Visit Grytviken Whaling Station, South Georgia

Construction – Forced Labor

The white sea canal was constructed between 1931 and 1933 in a mere 20 months. This was 4 months ahead of schedule.

Everyone involved outside of the head engineers was forced labor. In fact, the Gulag camp administration (BBLAG, the Directorate of the BBK Camps) was fully responsible for the project.

It is estimated that they managed a workforce of over 100,000 convicts at any one time.

Conditions were horrific. Although the Soviets were keen to portray a positive use of the Gulags, (the idea being that they were “reforging class enemies” through “collective labor”), the harsh treatment of the inmates was borderline barbaric.

Prisoners were forced to dig out the canal with primitive hand tools. This was totally inappropriate for the task. The mortality rate (using official records) was close to 10% with an even larger percentage becoming ill or infirm.

Working hours were long, in what at times were below freezing temperatures. Months of brutal toil broke even the hardiest of inmates.

In the early days of the construction, those that died were simply thrown in the ditches running parallel to the canal.

• Related Content: Museum of Tolerance – Los Angeles (A Complete Guide)

The Unmarked Graves

Historian Yury Dmitriev, of the “Karelian Commission on the rehabilitation of former political prisoners under Stalinism”, has spent decades uncovering the truth behind the lives that were lost during the construction of the White Sea Canal.

He has also conducted a large amount of research in order to locate the various unmarked graves that line its route.

It has been no small task. Dmitriev estimates that the Chekists buried approximately 86,000 people along the length of the works during the 1930s.

Uncovering archival documents he has managed to locate scores of unmarked mass grave sites. In a 2015 interview with Meduza.io Dmitriev states:

“It’s the purpose of my life as a person and as a historian to look for the tortured and executed, but a whole lifetime still isn’t enough. Now, I can confirm and point out where the pits and ditches are.”

Doing so comes at a risk, however. Dmitriev is not much liked by local officials or, surprisingly the public.

Maybe they would prefer to forget. Nevertheless, he carries a gun as he walks the canal side uncovering the locations of the long dead.

In much the same way that the Soviets tried to hide the truth, officials today find Dmitriev a nuisance and would prefer him to quit.

A recent attempt by the government to unearth the burial pits around Sandormokh (the aim was to eradicate evidence of the death toll), was thwarted by Dmitriev.

Vigilante to the core, the Historian threatened to use his gun on the driver of the bulldozer if he didn’t turn it off.

The construction worker didn’t hesitate and the excavation came to a halt

Even after the police and officials arrived, the latter ordering workers to continue, no more digging was done. They didn’t want to cross Dmitriev and his gun.

• Related Content: Exploring the Drakelow Tunnels – All You Need to Know

Where is the White Sea Canal?

The Route Today

The White Sea-Baltic Canal sees very little action from cargo ships today, (in truth in never did).

A survey conducted back in 2008, showed that only light traffic of between ten and forty boats use the canal per day.

With the tourism development in Karelia most of these boats belong to tour companies. It is easy to see why the canal has become popular for recreational users.

It passes through a number of the area’s top natural attractions, including several canalized rivers and Lake Vygozero. Old lighthouses and preserved buildings from Tsarist rule are of particular interest along the route.

At one section of the canal, positioned directly on the bank is St. Nicholas the Miracle-Worker church.

If you are doing a private tour or manning the boat yourself, you can also stop off close to Sandarmokh (not far from the Belomorkanal’s first gateway) and walk along the edges in search of the unmarked grave areas.

Dmitriev has erected small plaques at certain locations to draw attention to these sacred sites.

Unfortunately, the Russian government is doing little to raise awareness of the history. Only two small memorials to the Gulag victims can be found along the canal route.

One monument has been erected at Povenets in honor of the prisoners that perished. Another smaller memorial can be found in Belomorsk near the White Sea end of the canal.

Featured Image: Alexxx1979 / CC BY-SA

Visiting the Hanging Coffins Of Sagada, Luzon, Philippines

April 27, 2020August 31, 2020

Moynaq: Desert Ships and the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan

November 13, 2019September 14, 2020

A Trip Along the Alpine Wall – Italy’s WW2 Fortifications

May 14, 2020August 31, 2020

Varosha, Famagusta: The Abandoned Beach Resort

January 28, 2020September 8, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/