The Most Beautiful Haunted Houses in the World
If walls could talk, these homes would scream. Check out stories of the 35 most gorgeous, ghoul-ridden haunted houses across the globe.

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Hauntingly Beautiful Travel Destinations
Word to the wise? Don’t let the beauty of these haunted houses lure you into a false sense of safety when crossing their thresholds. Their jaw-dropping exteriors are all but a cloak, shrouding their creepy histories, steeped with murder, mayhem and revenge.
First up: The Calhoun-Thornwell House or “Tryggveson” was completed in 1922 and remains one of Atlanta's most intriguing residences. Back in the 1970s, when only the carriage house was occupied, local kids would scout the grounds to see if they could catch a glimpse of a ghostly figure in the main house. Rumor has it, they often did.
READ MORE: All The New & Creepy Reasons To Be Excited For Ghostober
Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California
When her husband and infant daughter died, Winchester Rifles heiress Sarah Winchester visited a spiritual medium. The psychic told the wealthy socialite that the premature deaths were payback from angry spirits who’d been killed by Winchester rifles — and now it was time for Sarah to build a house large enough to accommodate all of them. Sarah soon packed her bags for sunny, spacious San Jose, CA, and for the next 38 years, she embarked on a nonstop construction project that would become known as the Winchester Mystery House. Complete with 160 rooms, 2,000 doors, 10,000 windows, 47 stairways, 47 fireplaces, 13 bathrooms and 6 kitchens, the house was supposedly built to confuse evil spirits. Secret passageways, upside-down columns, staircases to nowhere and sealed-off rooms litter this bizarre and creepy mansion. Since Sarah Winchester’s death in 1922, visitors have heard footsteps in her bedroom, seen doorknobs turn themselves, been overcome with icy chills and temporarily lost their vision. Check out the incredible images from the Ghost Adventures crew's overnight lockdown investigation of this hauntingly beautiful home, below.
TAKE A TOUR: Ghost Adventures: Return to the Winchester Mystery House
Larnach Castle, Dunedin, New Zealand
Larnach Castle reigns supreme as the one-and-only castle in New Zealand. The handsome palace is located in Dunedin on the Otago Peninsula and is surrounded by misty gardens for as far as the can see. The opulent castle was built in the late 1800s by a politician named William Larnach. It's rumored that Larnach witnessed the death of his daughter and two wives in the house before tragically taking his own life within its walls. Larnach’s ghost is rumored to watch over the castle and is the main suspect for several inexplicable events including, but not limited to: flashes of light, smoke billowing into the room from the fireplace and doors opening on their own.
Rose Hall, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Rose Hall is a bewitchingly beautiful Georgian plantation located near Montego Bay on the northern coast of Jamaica. The property, built in the 1770s, was owned by a man named John Palmer and included sprawling sugar cane fields maintained by hundreds of slaves. John married an English-born woman named Annie, who subsequentially poisoned him to death to take control of his plantation and fortune. Annie earned the title White Witch by Rose Hall slaves because she practiced voodoo, tortured workers, killed her second and third husband, and dabbled in evil magic. After years of torture, Annie was killed by one of the slaves after she killed their relatives out of spite. The White Witch lies encased in a stone tomb on the property, but her vengeful spirit is said to roam the grounds and terrorize guests of the restored property (and 54-hole golf course) to this day.
SEE MORE: Rose Hall
Château de Brissac, Brissac-Quincé, France
The Château de Brissac is the tallest castle in France and home to the famed ghost The Green Lady. The grand castle was built in the 11th century but rebuilt during the Renaissance as a fortress for nobility. The Green Lady, or la Dame Verte, is believed to be the ghost of Charlotte de Brêzé, the wife of castle owner Jacques de Brêzé. Jacques allegedly walked in on Charlotte having an affair; he proceeded to kill her and her lover as a result. Today, Charlotte haunts the tower room and chapel where eerie moaning can be heard in the early morning hours. Her ghost is known to wear a green dress and, most disturbingly, has holes in her face in place of her eyes and nose.
READ MORE: 10 Haunted European Hotels Where You're Likely to See a Ghost
The Willis Jones House, Atlanta, Georgia
The Willis Jones house is so jaw-droppingly beautiful that we would almost consider shacking up with a few spirits to live there. Keyword: almost. Grandeur aside, this Atlanta mansion was originally located on Atlanta's Peachtree Road across from the Randolph-Lucas house before being moved to West Paces Ferry near the governor’s mansion in the late '60s. Its skeleton sat there for many years and mischievous local teens dared each other to spend the night in the shell, though no one lasted an entire evening. They reportedly heard footsteps across floorboards where there were none and knocks on doors that didn’t exist. The home was returned to opulent splendor in the '80s, and we’re not sure of its ghostly status. What we do know is that the home is hauntingly beautiful.
Forbidden City, Beijing, China
Located in Beijing, China, the Gu Gong, as it is called in Chinese, is the world's largest palace complex, covering more than 7.75 million square feet. Completed in 1420, the Forbidden City took nearly 15 years to build, and with more than 8,700 rooms and a moat that's 170 feet wide, it's no wonder paranormal happenings have been reported through the years. Countless murders and executions took place beyond the moat-lined walls — rumors of a faceless, sobbing woman walking the complex grounds have circulated since the Palace Museum opened in the 1940s.
Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina
Though it’s one of North Carolina’s most popular tourist attractions, the Biltmore Estate is also one of the area’s most haunted spots. Built between 1889 and 1895 by George Vanderbilt, the magnificent home contains 250 rooms, including a library where George spent a great deal of time. Today, some visitors of the mansion claim to have spotted him in the library, while others have heard his wife, Edith, whisper his name.
SEE MORE: Top 10 Haunted Places in Baltimore
House of the Seven Gables, Salem, Massachusetts
At a glance, the House of the Seven Gables, or the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion, is simple and stunning. The dark clapboard siding provides a lovely contrast to the bright gardens, and the many large, Georgian-style windows create an incredibly attractive facade for the Salem, Massachusetts house.
Built in 1668, this Colonial-style home is thought to be among the oldest wooden structures in America and is remarkably well-preserved for its 300-plus years. Some might know this house from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel of the same name or the related movies, but it's also famous for its slew of paranormal activity. Mysterious shadows have been seen in the upper windows, as well as unexplained activity from faucets and lights. Some also say that the ghost of Hawthorne’s cousin, Susanna Ingersoll, who lived in the residence, as well as that of a young boy, still occupy the space.
READ MORE: What to See and Do in Salem, Massachusetts
The Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville, Louisiana
An expansive 125-foot wrap-around veranda, complete with ornate iron columns and railing, yields a dramatic entrance to The Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana. The historic home serves as a restaurant and bed-and-breakfast and plays host to more than just tourists. Many ghosts are rumored to take residence on the property, but the most famous is Chloe, the ghost of a slave who took revenge on her womanizing owner by poisoning his children. Legend has it that when other slaves discovered her action they hanged her from a nearby tree. Her apparition has since been spotted roaming the house in a white apron and green turban. In addition to sightings of Chloe's ghost, guests have reported hearing footsteps on the stairs, the sounds of children playing and a grand piano that inexplicably repeats the same haunting chord over and over again. Check
SEE MORE: Ghost Adventures: Myrtles Plantation Pictures
Bran Castle, Transylvania, Romania
Foreboding and fantastic, Bran Castle perches atop a hill in the forest of Transylvania, Romania. The first records of the medieval castle date back to the 1300s, and the palace is Bram Stoker's rumored muse for the castle in his spine-chilling classic, Dracula. Its believed that Stoker likely drew character inspiration from one of the most notorious and bloodthirsty guests of Bram Castle: Count Vlad the Impaler. All vampires aside, Bran Castle is considered one of the most haunted fortresses worldwide, and it continues to draw tourists within its storied walls today.
READ MORE: Romania’s Dracula: Where the Bloody Legend Began
The White House, Washington, DC
For years there have been reports that the White House is a hotbed of haunted activity. Visitors, staff and even White House residents have reported seeing the ghosts of Abraham Lincoln, Abigail Adams and Andrew Jackson, to name a few. FDR, Dwight Eisenhower and Winston Churchill are among those who claimed to have seen the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. More recently, the Obamas claim to have repeatedly heard strange sounds and felt a sensation of something gnawing at their feet in the middle of the night.
READ MORE: Ghostly Tales and Spirited Stories from the White House
Glamis Castle, Angus, Scotland
Glamis Castle is considered the most haunted castle in Scotland, and for good reasons. The impressive palace was built for royalty in the early 1000s and rumored to host a secret so terrible, so horrific, that the secret is shared only with the castle’s incumbent Earl when they come of age. Countless ghosts call the castle home, and the grisly tales of their demises are sure to keep you up at night. Spirits found at Glamis include a clansman who cannibalized his family, an apparition of an evil, armored knight and a screaming woman without a tongue running across the castle grounds at night — to name a few.
SEE MORE: The World's 35 Most Captivating Castles
McRaven House, Vicksburg, MIssissippi
A darling double porch and artisan millwork lend the McRaven House curb appeal. But don’t let its charming facade fool you — the pre-war property holds the title as the most haunted home in Mississippi. The Vicksburg home was built in 1797 and served as a hideout for a highwayman named Andrew Glass. Glass was the first of many occupants to die in the house and, after his demise, the McRaven served as both a family home and a confederate field hospital during the civil war. Local legend has it that many former residents who died on the grounds continue to haunt the halls and treat tourists to apparitions and eerie events during their visit. Mary Elizabeth Howard is said to be the most active spirit; the lady of the house, she died in 1836 shortly after childbirth in one of the upstairs bedrooms.
SEE MORE: The Creepiest Places in All 50 States
Palazzo Dario, Venice, Italy
Venice, Italy, is considered one of the most romantic (and haunted) cities in the world. Palazzo Dario lives up to the City of Water’s foreboding reputation. The austere, floating palace was built during the 15th century on the Grand Canal, boasting gothic Venetian architecture, ornate marble features, and grand, mural-adorned ceilings. Soon after its construction, the daughter of builder Giovanni Dario committed suicide within its walls. Since that time, it’s rumored that at least 12 owners of Palazzo Dario died in mysterious, unlikely or untimely circumstances; another five have filed for bankruptcy.
Dragsholm Slot, Odsherred, Denmark
This house of 100 ghosts is said to contain the spirit of the 4th Earl of Bothwell. The former Scottish nobleman and husband to Mary Queen of Scots was once imprisoned inside the castle’s walls. Today, his ghost is rumored to roam the grounds atop a full horse and carriage, mingling with 99 other spirits who reportedly call this 13th-century Danish stronghold home. Dragsholm Slot is located about an hour outside of Copenhagen.
READ MORE: 10 Haunted European Hotels Where You're Likely to See a Ghost
Ashton Villa, Galveston, Texas
Built in the mid-1800s, Ashton Villa is a stately mansion in Galveston, Texas and is the oldest brick home in the state. Built by businessman James Moreau Brown, the structure is a handsome specimen of the Italianate Villa style, with a symmetrical construction, dramatic eaves and ornate wrought iron railings and columns adorning the front balcony.
Ashton Villa is reported to still be inhabited by one of its previous residents, Bettie Brown, daughter of James Brown. Her once over-the-top personality seems unwilling to fade in the afterlife. People report seeing Bettie in the house’s Gold Room and on the staircase. Aside from that, there are reports of fans turning on and off, furniture with a mind of its own and even ghostly piano music that some attribute to Bettie’s sister, Matilda.
Mont Saint-Michel, France
Built high on a peak, Mont Saint Michel near Normandy, France, is one of medieval architecture's greatest achievements. It's also reported to be extremely haunted. Occupied mainly by monks until the seventeenth century, it was repurposed as a prison and maintained that function until 1863. In addition to reports of ghostly monks roaming the halls, the most famous spirit seems to be that of Louis d’Estouville, a commander at the abbey during the Hundred Years War who caused the deaths of thousands of English soldiers.
SEE MORE: The World's 35 Most Captivating Castles
The LaLaurie House, New Orleans, Louisiana
One of the eeriest homes in the French Quarter, the LaLaurie Mansion was home to Dr. Louis and Delphine LaLaurie, a socially prominent family in the early 1830s. Rumor has it that Delphine treated her slaves brutally, chaining the cook to the stove, chasing another slave girl with a whip and causing her to jump to her death and torturing and mutilating many others in a secret attic room. The house, which was owned by actor Nicolas Cage from 2007 to 2009, has been haunted by screams of agony coming from the apparitions of Delphine's slaves ever since. Watch the Portals to Hell episode about the LaLaurie house.
Castello Dal Pozzo, Piedmont, Italy
At Italy’s Castello Dal Pozzo the specter of a young woman has been appearing in a tower window for centuries. The woman is thought to be the lingering presence of Barbara Alberto, a former resident who, in 1467, fell in love with a soldier who was unable to return for her. Guests tell stories of Alberto’s frail frame, peering out of a window with eternal longing for her love. Today, Castello Dal Pozzo is a five-star hotel overlooking spectacular Lake Maggiore, near the Swiss border.
SEE MORE: 10 Haunted European Hotels Where You're Likely to See a Ghost
Hay House, Macon, Georgia
The historic Johnston-Felton-Hay House is a four-storied Italian Renaissance Revival-style mansion built in Macon, Georgia, starting in 1855. The swoon-worthy estate boasts a facade fashioned with impressive arches, curves and symmetry; the interior spans 18,000 square feet. Several families called Hay House home over the last 160+ years, but today the impressive property is a National Historic Landmark that serves as a public museum. The only catch? Your tour ticket may come with more history than you anticipated. Guests and museum staff report encounters with an apparition of an elderly woman in the halls, seeing doors slam, hearing footsteps on the stairs, taps on their shoulders and, perhaps the most chilling? Inexplicable wailing noises coming from the master bedroom.
SEE MORE: How Haunted Is Your State?
Tower of London, London, England
London, England is home to breathtaking castles and cathedrals alike — many of which are riddled with tortured spirits and gruesome ghosts. The most haunted structure of them all? The Tower of London. This should come as no surprise, considering the marathon of torture and slew of beheadings there. Rumor has it that one ghost that haunts the tower is none other than Queen Ann Boleyn herself, who met her demise within the Tower walls. Other eerie apparitions you may meet upon your tour of the Bloody Tower include Arabella Stuart and two screaming young boys, believed to be the ghosts of the Princes in the Tower.
SEE MORE: Haunted London
The Mercer House, Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia is a historic Southern seaport town steeped in haunted history. Stories of spirits and apparitions abound in the charming-by-day-town, and this Italian Renaissance Revival-style home is no exception. The Mercer House was the setting of multiple tragic deaths, including a young boy who fell from the roof onto the iron stake fence below and a man named Danny Hansford. Hansford was shot to death by the owner of the home, Jim Williams, who was also, allegedly, his secret lover. Williams went to trial for the murder and received an acquittal of the crime, but he was never free. Just eight months after his acquittal, Jim Williams' body was discovered in Mercer House in the exact location of Danny Hansford's murder. Legend has it that Danny remained at Mercer House and scared Jim Williams to death.
The incredible story was made into a famous book and later a movie of the same title: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
SEE MORE: Top 10 Most Haunted Cities to Spend a Weekend
Ross Castle, County Kerry, Ireland
Ross Castle in County Kerry was built in 1536 by the local ruling clan the O'Donoghues; today, it’s run as a bed and breakfast. Paranormal believers say the spirit of an English lord’s daughter haunts the castle, as does the ghost of Irish folk hero Myles “The Slasher” O’Reilly.
READ MORE: Haunted Ireland
Inside-Outside House, Longwood, Florida
You could visit Orlando to see Disney's scary yet whimsical Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom. Or, you could explore Orlando North, including the towns of Oviedo, Longwood and Sanford, for real-life haunted attractions, like the Inside-Outside House. First owned by retired seaman Captain W. Pierce in 1873, the charming home now serves as a family-run Cottage Gift Shop established by the Redditt family in 1955. The catch? Captain Pierce never left his home. Pierce and his cherished cat, Brutus, are alleged to haunt the halls of the Inside-Out house with whispers, chills, voices and footsteps alike.
Philipsburg Manor, Sleepy Hollow, New York
Watch your head when you visit the 18th century Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow. That's where you may encounter the Headless Horseman around Halloween; legend says he's still searching for his head after losing it in the Revolutionary War. Sleepy Hollow, a village in Mount Pleasant, is the setting for Washington Irving's tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. In Irving's story, the horseman often thundered past the church and over the bridge in the dead of night.
SEE MORE: Hit the Cemetrail: 11 Spooky Cemeteries You Can Visit
Hampton Court, London, England
Located just outside London, Hampton Court Palace swarms with royal ghosts. Catherine Howard, one of the beheaded wives of Henry VIII, supposedly loiters around at night. In 2003, CCTV cameras at the palace reported a strange sighting: The alleyway doors at Hampton Court burst open in the middle of the night. If you’re not too scared, visit the place yourself and check out the great hall, royal chapel, maze and gardens. You’ll feel the haunted vibes all around you.
SEE MORE: Haunted London
The Booth House, Bowman, Georgia
The Booth House is a grand 1858 antebellum home located just shy of 30 minutes outside of Athens in the rural town of Bowman, Georgia. The handsome home boasts 5,000 square feet and features a double-decker porch shaded by idyllic pecan trees. But, despite its haint blue porch ceiling, a lost soul found its way into the column-clad home and continues to haunt those who've stayed there ever since. A handyman who came to do repairs claimed an old man walked the Booth House halls and whispered in his ear. Even more disconcerting? Weekend guests experienced a rude awakening — literally. They reported that they couldn't rise out of bed because an invisible force field wouldn't allow them to move.
The Glebe House, Charleston, South Carolina
Southern hospitality knows no bounds in this Charlestonian mansion. Purchased by the College of Charleston in the 1960s, the Glebe House surprised restoration workers when they discovered the previous owners created a series of mazes throughout the home by sealing off stairways and entire rooms. After its restoration, the Glebe House served as a guesthouse for overnight guests and the reason for the peculiar maze soon became apparent. According to College of Charleston’s news site, The College Today, a couple staying in Glebe House were reading books in bed one night when suddenly they heard rustling at their footboard. They glanced up from their pages and came face-to-face with an apparition they described as a tall, well-dressed man wearing a fluffy tie. The legend goes that the ghost tried to speak, but no sound came from his mouth, and he became visibly frustrated. He subsequently turned on his heels and promptly exited their bedroom through a solid plaster wall.
SEE MORE: 15 Haunted Colleges and Universities
Franklin Castle, Cleveland, Ohio
A beautiful Queen Anne Victorian home, Franklin Castle in Cleveland has been called one of Ohio’s most haunted locations. The imposing stone structure with its turrets, balconies and intricate stone carvings is at once creepy and captivating. With its imposing appearance, it’s not surprising that this home boasts a doleful past, marked by rumors of murder, an arson attack and paranormal happenings.
The home’s story begins in the late 1800s when it was built for Hannes Tiedemann, a successful German immigrant. Hannes lost all six of his children and his first wife, Luisa, during his lifetime. Three of his children died within the walls of the ornate home. Subsequent owners and visitors would report mysterious occurrences, such as light fixtures moving of their own accord and the voices of crying children. As if that weren’t creepy enough, there are tunnels concealed beneath the house that were supposedly the site of murderous acts committed by the home’s first owner.
SEE MORE: Ghost Adventures: Franklin Castle
Lizzie Borden House, Fall River, Massachusetts
Who killed Andrew Borden and his wife with an axe in 1892? A jury set free the suspected murderer, their daughter, Lizzie. Still, an old rhyme pins the gruesome double homicide on her. After her trial, Lizzie sold the Victorian home, which is now a bed and breakfast and museum. Guests can now stay in the rooms where the murders occurred, and often flee in the middle of the night after seeing doors open and close by themselves and watching shadowy figures climb the stairs.
SEE MORE: Haunted Bed and Breakfasts
The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado
Don’t be fooled by the Stanley Hotel's magnificent setting, or its historic charm. This lovely locale inspired author Stephen King’s terrifying novel and subsequent horror film, The Shining, when he and his wife visited just before it closed for winter. King said he had nightmares about his then three-year-old son, screaming as he was chased through the hotel’s long, empty halls. Do your own chasing when you take a Night Spirit Tour through the hotel, now more than 100 years old. Room 217, where the Kings stayed, is the most haunted spot on the property, but it is also rumored that the former owner still plays piano in the concert hall after dark and strolls the lobby by day. There's also an underground delivery tunnel where a deceased employee's spirit is rumored to be trapped. Our advice: Stay away from anything labeled “redrum.” In King’s book, it’s “murder” spelled backward.
SEE MORE: ‘Do Not Disturb’ Is Not An Option At These 9 Haunted Hotels
The Octagon House, Washington, DC
The shapely and spine-chilling Octagon House is undoubtedly one of America’s most beautiful haunted homes. It was built in 1801 and served as a temporary residence for President James Madison and his wife Dolly when the White House was destroyed by the British during the war of 1812. Dolly's ghost is known to walk the halls to this day, the smell of lilacs accompanying her apparition.
It is also reported (but not proven) that two sisters fell to their deaths on separate occasions after having arguments with their father and the original owner of the home, Colonel John Tayloe III. The girls’ apparitions have been reported throughout the home by tourists, curators and museum employees alike.
SEE MORE: Top Haunted Cities in America
The Amityville Horror House, Amityville, New York
The rich history and beauty of this five-bedroom Dutch Colonial home are overshadowed by the story of George and Kathy Lutz, the previous residents of 112 Ocean Avenue, who claimed that shortly after moving into the house they fled in terror driven out by paranormal activity. A subsequent best-selling novel and popular movie about their tale marked the town as the site of the most famous haunted house in history. But many are unaware that the true history of this house is much darker. Six members of the DeFeo family were murdered in the house one year before the Lutz family moved in and their tragedy haunts the citizens of Amityville to this day.
SEE MORE: Our 21 Favorite Halloween & Horror Movie Houses
50 Berkeley Square, London, England
Crowned the most haunted house in London, 50 Berkley Square has a long, creepy history of eerie encounters that are sure to make the hair on your neck stand up. The handsome 1750s townhouse, located in central London, housed many people, including former Prime Minister George Canning. Rumors of 50 Berkley Square began circulating once Thomas Myers moved in during the late 1820s. Myers, who set up residence in the attic of the townhome, slowly became mad, never leaving the house or walking throughout the property during daylight. Another man was allegedly tortured into insanity after being locked in the attic without contact with another human being apart from food being passed through a hole in the door. The most noteworthy ghost appears as a brown mist or white body; many believe the apparition belongs to a girl who threw herself from the attic window.
SEE MORE: Haunted London