The Most Unusual Cemeteries Filled with Humanity's Oddest Obsessions

01.09.2024 - 02:19

Think you know what a cemetery looks like? Think again! Across the globe, you'll find cemeteries unlike any you've ever imagined—places where humanity's peculiar habits and consumptions are on full display. From bizarre burial practices to unconventional memorials, these unique resting places reveal fascinating insights into how different cultures honor the past. Dive into the world of the most extraordinary cemeteries and discover the strange and intriguing ways people say their final goodbyes!

China: Lifan 330 EV 01 Graveyard

In 2018, Baidu and Lifan Group’s EV rental operator, Panda Auto, launched China’s first shared autonomous vehicle pilot program. However, Panda Auto went bankrupt in 2021 due to its parent company Lifan’s debt crisis, and was unable to refund deposits to users. Lifan, burdened with 30 billion CNY (4.64 billion USD) in debt, was acquired by Geely Auto Group. Before the bankruptcy, Panda Auto operated over 20,000 cars, served over 4 million registered users, and was active in 12 cities.

Greece, Thessaloniki: Train Graveyard

On the outskirts of Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city, hundreds of abandoned train cars are left in disuse. The national railway company, Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE), has allowed its decommissioned trains to rust away here. Since the 1980s, these cars, located on eight tracks in the Nea Ionia suburb, have been considered a large scrapyard.

Cruise Ship Graveyard for Coronavirus Spread

After the coronavirus crisis, cruise ships from the UK and the US were scrapped at the Aliağa port in İzmir. These ships, which were home to COVID-19 outbreaks in the early stages of the pandemic, were banned from sailing by countries like the US and the UK in March. One of the ships in the scrapyard is the Carnival Fantasy, which was recently renovated. Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation, announced in 2020 that 13 ships would be removed from their fleet.

Caribbean: Seashell Graveyard

In the British Virgin Islands of the Caribbean, fishermen have been discarding empty seashells on the seafloor for over 800 years, creating the massive Seashell Graveyard at a depth of 30 meters.

Kuwait: Tire Graveyard

Located in the small town of Al Sulaibiya in Kuwait’s Al Jahra Governorate, the world’s largest tire graveyard contains 50 million tires. These tires come from Kuwait and other countries that pay tire disposal companies. Authorities believe this waste was accumulated in less than 30 years.

England: Red Telephone Box Graveyard

Iconic red telephone boxes, a symbol of Britain, are collected at a maintenance center and turned into a large telephone box graveyard. Welcome to the garden where phone boxes are taken for repairs by Unicorn Restorations, based in Merstham, Surrey.

Russia: Yak-28 Graveyard

The Yakovlev Yak-28, the Soviet Union’s first jet capable of carrying nuclear weapons, was a symbol of the supersonic era in its time. First flown on March 5, 1958, many of these jets now rest in a graveyard.

Australia: Shipwreck Graveyard on Moreton Island

The Tangalooma Wrecks, located on Moreton Island, consist of ships sunk between 1963 and 1984 by the Queensland Government to provide a safe mooring point for boat owners. This site lies north of the Tangalooma Island Resort.

Japan: Traffic Light Graveyard

Nagoya, Japan, is home to a traffic light graveyard where old traffic lights are collected.

Ukraine: Leopard 1 Tank Graveyard

This graveyard in Ukraine features Abrams, Leopard, and Challenger tanks. As of May 2024, it was reported that Russia had lost over 2,900 tanks and Ukraine over 7,000. This site bears the scars of war.