11 luxury buildings that used to serve the elite but were abandoned

These magnificent buildings served the elite in the past. Now they are abandoned for a variety of reasons, from natural disasters to magical rumors.

Bodium Castle in Sussex, (England) was built by a knight in 1385 to house the family. After the family of the knights had no lineage, Bodium changed hands several times and by the 17th century was abandoned. In 1925, the castle was restored. Photo: Reuters.

Jal Mahal Palace in Jaipur (India) looks like it is floating in an artificial lake. But in fact, up to 4 floors of this building sunk below the surface of the lake. Initially, it was built in the 16th century as a royal motel for hunting. The construction of the dam and the expansion of the lake near this area made Jal Mahal quickly submerged in the water. There is information that Jal Mahal will be renovated to become a restaurant. Photo: Reuters.

Leh Palace in Ladakh (India) was built from mud, wood, sand, and stone in 1553. With 9 floors, Leh is the residence of the royal family on the upper floors, and the stables, houses Warehouse is located on lower floors. In the 19th century, Leh was invaded and abandoned since then. Photo: Getty.

The Sans Souci Palace in Milot (Haiti) was completed in 1813, and became the king of King Henri Christophe until his death in 1820. Sans Souci was dubbed the “Versailles of the Caribbean”. The palace was severely damaged and could not be repaired after the earthquake in 1842. Photo: Getty.

Duckett’s Grove Castle in Carlow (Ireland) was built in the 1700s, serving the Duckett family. This Gothic-style building was burned by fire in 1933. Photo: Flickr.

Pidhirtsi Palace in Lviv (Ukraine) was built in the 17th century to serve Polish army generals. It later became a hospital during World War II. Pidhirtsi was abandoned shortly after the end of the war. Photo: Shutterstock.

Grand Hotel de la Foret in Corsica (France) was built in 1893, this used to be a luxury hotel with tennis courts. After World War II, this hotel had difficulty attracting visitors again, so it was abandoned. Photo: Shutterstock.

Villa de Vecchi in Cortenova (Italy) was built in the 1850s to house the family of Felix de Vecchi – commander of the Italian National Guard. According to rumors, the commander’s wife was murdered in this palace, his daughter mysteriously disappeared, causing him to commit suicide, and the house was haunted. It was abandoned forever in the 1960s because no one dared to buy it. Photo: Flickr.

This marble Swannanoa Palace in Virginia (USA) was built in 1912 by James Dooley, an American railroad director. The highlight of the building is the stained glass panels designed and arranged by 300 artisans. When the Dooleys died in the 1920s, Swannanoa was transformed into a country club and by 1980 was abandoned. Today, it is a tourist destination and a wedding venue. Photo: Shutterstock.

Sammezzano Castle in Leccio (Italy) has a total of 365 rooms, built in 1605 by the Spanish nobility. After World War II, the building became a luxury hotel. By the 1990s, Sammezzano was abandoned. Photo: Getty.

Gbadolite Palace in Nsele (Congo) was once a small village, before it was turned into “Palace of Versailles by the green forest” by former President of Congo – Mobutu Sese Seko -. The whole project includes a club, a hotel and an international airport. After the government was overthrown in 1997, Mobutu Sese Seko fled to Morocco, and Gbadolite was officially abandoned. Photo: Getty.