For the most part, the world is your oyster. However, some places exist in the world that people are forbidden to visit. Some governments ban places because they’re dangerous to people, or humans are dangerous to the animals and habitats nearby. Others hold secrets governments and individuals definitely want to keep from the public.
If you want to learn more about these forbidden places, you’ll have to keep reading below.
1. Ducle Base
There’s a base near Dulce, New Mexico in the US.
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This article is starting with a pretty controversial one. Certain groups claim that under Dulce, New Mexico, there’s a hidden base for the US government. According to conspiracy theorists, there’s a compound somewhere near the town that is host to all sorts of experiments, or even aliens. If true, it would be the ultimate forbidden place.
2. Poveglia Island
Povegllia is a small island in Italy.
©Pietro Basilico/Shutterstock.com
This island has a heavy history filled with death. It was once used as a quarantine station for the plague, holding over 160 thousand people on the island. In 1922, Italy used the island as a mental hospital. There were rumors it was corrupt and the doctors often tortured the inhabitants. It’s one of the most haunted places on earth, and the soil is at least 50 percent human remains, according to certain statements.
3. North Brother Island
North Brother Island is just off of New York City in the US.
©CC BY-SA 2.0 - License
Like Poveglia Island, North Brother Island started as a quarantine hospital. The United States designated the island for those with typhoid and was home to Typhoid Mary. Then, it became a rehabilitation center. After the center was shut down, North Brother Island became a bird sanctuary.
4. Heard Island
Heard Island is between Antarctica and Madagascar and is owned by Australia.
©NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons - License
There are two volcanoes, still active, on Heard Island. But that’s not what makes the island forbidden. The island is protected as a nature reserve. The government only allows people to visit the island for scientific research.
5. Bohemian Grove
This gentlemen’s club is in California, US.
©SevenMaps/Shutterstock.com
Bohemian Grove is 2,700 acres. It’s an extremely private gentleman’s club where some of the most prominent men in the world get together and talk. Friends and family members are allowed on occasion, but they must follow the rules closely and be off the property by a specific time.
6. Ise Grand Shrine
The Ise Grand Shrine is one of the most expensive shrines in Japan.
©Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com
To protect this temple, only the royal family is allowed to enter, and only on rare occasions. There is one other exception. About every 20 years, the temple is rebuilt to maintain its strength and Shinto traditions.
7. Area 51
This not-so-secret military base is in Nevada, USA.
©Dragan Mihajlovic/iStock via Getty Images
Area 51 isn’t entirely forbidden. No standard citizen has a chance of entering the gates. Only specific government bodies, like high-level scientists and the military, are allowed in the base. Rumors say that the base is home to new weapons for the army, or perhaps a site for extra-terrestrial research.
8. Snake Island
Ilha da Queimada Grande, commonly known as Snake Island, is an Island off of Brazil.
©Cindy Creighton/Shutterstock.com
This is an island you probably wouldn’t want to go to, even if you could. The Brazilian government has banned travelers due to how deadly the island is. This island earned its name by having the highest concentration of pit vipers in the world.
9. Surtsey Island
Surtsey is an island off of Iceland.
©Thomas Males/Shutterstock.com
The reason Surtsey is forbidden is because of its scientific significance. It’s the newest landform in the world created by volcanoes, breaking the surface in the 1960s. Only scientists researching the island have permission to visit.
10. Tomb of Qin Shi Huang
This terracotta army was found in China.
©dndavis/iStock via Getty Images
There is still a lot to discover about this tomb and the soldiers that have remained standing for over 2,000 years. To respect the site, the Tomb Qin Shi Huang has been blocked by the government and no excavation is allowed.
11. The Vatican Secret Archives
As you might expect, the Vatican Secret Archives are in Vatican City.
©Sergii Figurnyi/Shutterstock.com
The Vatican Secret Archives aren’t actually a secret. They’re just incredibly private. The archives hold all sorts of information related to the Pope and the history of the church and religion. The Vatican permits some researchers and members of the church, but that’s it.
12. Gruinard Island
Gruinard Island in Scotland was home to military tests in WWII.
©Robertsonpr/Shutterstock.com
The government bought Gruinard Island with the specific purpose of testing war weapons. Specifically, they tested a form of anthrax on the island. Though the weapons ended up never being used in the war, the weapons were tested on the island. The island is supposedly safe now, but is still not open to the public thanks to a private buyer.
13. Niihau Island
Unless you’re part of the Navy, you’re likely never going to see the US-based island Niihau any closer than this.
©Robert Spriggs/Shutterstock.com
There are roughly 160 people on Niihau island, but only this group of people and the US Navy are allowed on the island. The owners of the island promised to use the land to protect the traditional Hawaiian language and culture.
14. Pravcicka Brana
This beautiful arch is in the Czech Republic.
©Ondrej Prosicky/iStock via Getty Images
The Pravcicka Brana is a naturally formed arch. It used to be a huge tourist attraction. However, the constant walking over the arch by tourists has eroded the structure. It’s ready to collapse at any time, and due to the danger, is forbidden.
15. Coca-Cola’s Vault
The Coca-Cola vault is in Georgia, US.
©Delta News Hub / CC BY 2.0 - License
Though the vault is located in a fairly popular tourist attraction for fans of the soda, the vault itself is forbidden. This is supposedly because it’s the location of the recipe for Coca-Cola, a closely guarded secret.
16. Mezhgorye
Mezhgorye is a town in Russia.
©Mehaniq/Shutterstock.com
Though this is technically just a town in Russia, it’s top-secret and forbidden to anyone not personally approved by Vladimir Putin. No one knows for sure what’s there, but some say that it’s home to nuclear weapons.
17. North Sentinel Island
This is an island near, and technically owned, by India.
©vivaswa/Shutterstock.com
North Sentinel Island isn’t home to anything secretive. However, it is very dangerous. It’s home to one of the last communities not touched by modern civilization. These people are heavily protected because they’ve gathered no immunity from our modern diseases. Interactions with the islanders could lead to a high rate of death and infection.
18. Lascaux Caves
Lascaux Cave is a series of cave paintings found in France.
©LACROIX CHRISTINE/Shutterstock.com
For many archaeologists, there’s nothing more interesting than the cave paintings in Lascaux Cave. They are over 17,000 years old. The caves had to be closed off to the public as the high levels of heat and carbon dioxide in the caves damaged the paintings.
19. Svalbard Global Seed Vault
This highly protected seed vault is in Norway.
©Theerasak Namkampa/Shutterstock.com
Svalbard Global Seed Vault is home to over 900 thousand seeds from all over the world. The main purpose of this storage vault is to have seeds in case humans manage to kill off all life on Earth. It’s also great for studying plants that are extinct or going extinct.
Summary of Places People Are Forbidden to Visit
| List Number | Place | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ducle Base | United States |
| 2 | Poveglia Island | Italy |
| 3 | North Brother Island | United States |
| 4 | Heard Island | Australia |
| 5 | Bohemian Grove | United States |
| 6 | Ise Grand Shrine | Japan |
| 7 | Area 51 | United States |
| 8 | Snake Island | Brazil |
| 9 | Surtsey Island | Iceland |
| 10 | Tomb of Qin Shi Huang | China |
| 11 | The Vatican Secret Archives | Vatican City |
| 12 | Gruinard Island | Scotland |
| 13 | Niihau Island | United States |
| 14 | Pravcicka Brana | Czech Republic |
| 15 | Coca-Cola’s Vault | United States |
| 16 | Mezhgorye | Russia |
| 17 | North Sentinel Island | India |
| 18 | Lascaux Caves | France |
| 19 | Svalbard Global Seed Vault | Norway |
The photo featured at the top of this post is © Alberto Masnovo/iStock via Getty Images
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