8 Amazing Places that Humans have Destroyed

8 Amazing Places that Humans have Destroyed

The global urbanization and industrialization have destroyed unlimited amazing places around the globe.

The advancement of technology has enabled humanity to change the surface of the Earth according to our needs. We did manage to extract numerous benefits from this progress but it cost us some of the most beautiful assets of the world. Although the number of these unfortunate places is beyond imagination, we have compiled a list of top 8 amazing places (in our opinion) that were destroyed by humans.

Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in Pripyat

Image Credits: Photorator

Pripyat, a small town in Ukraine, experienced a massive nuclear disaster in 1986 whose effects were felt as far as Greece, Italy, and Moldova. According to an estimate, this explosion was 400 times more deadly than the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and it will take 1000 years for its effects to disappear. The severity of the damage can be estimated by the fact that the Red Forest, which sat downwind of the blast, is still the most contaminated region of the world, even after a passage of almost 33 years.

Lascaux Cave

Lascaux Cave - amazing places
Image Credits: Phaidon

Lascaux Cave is one of those many amazing places that feature on the UNESCO World Heritage Site program. It is a clear proof of the impressiveness of this extraordinary cave in southwestern France. It was discovered by a group of teenage friends in 1940 and homes nearly 2,100 masterpieces of art (600 paintings and 1,500 engravings). This site was opened for general public in 1948 as a tourist attraction but had to be closed within a few years (1963) to preserve its tremendous artwork.

Wittenoom

Image Credits: ABC

Located at a distance of 1,100 kilometers from Perth, Wittenoom used to be the hub of Asbestos Mining in Australia before it was declared as one of the most hazardous sites of the country. This region was the sole supplier of Australia’ blue asbestos in the 1950s and 60s but uncontrolled expansion is always destructive and this is what happened with this city. Despite all the warnings from medical professionals, the mining process continued to grow until 1978, when the city was officially closed.

Pavlopetri

Pavlopetri - amazing places
Image Credits: The Vintage News

Pavlopetri is the oldest submerged city in the world. It offers a substantial amount of archaeological remains to explore but it didn’t get the respect it deserved. A number of factors are threatening this ancient monument but the pollution from large ships anchoring nearby is the biggest risk. Although it was included in the list of 2016 World Monuments Watch, humanity poses a serious threat to this historical place as there are no restrictions to visit the site.

Pico Bolívar

Image Credits: Alluring World

Pico Bolívar is the tallest peak of Venezuela with a height of more than 16,000 feet above sea level. You may get a shock while reading it but this peak was an extremely popular skiing destination, only a few decades ago. The availability of a cable car ensured that ski enthusiasts continue to visit this site all year-round. However, the rapid change of climate (global warming) has brought an end to all the fun and situation is going from bad to worse, on a daily basis. According to some environmental experts, the glacier will disappear completely in the next few years.

Boeung Kak Lake

Boeung Kak Lake - amazing places
Image Credits: Mekong Commons

Located in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, this lake was once a popular tourist destination for the travelers who wanted to spend some peaceful time and enjoy some beautiful sunsets. Like several other amazing places, the monetary interests of humans led to the destruction of this beautiful natural spot. A property deal by the Cambodian government led to the filling of the entire lake which reduced it to a mere puddle.

The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef - amazing places
Image Credits: Carbon Brief

The Great Barrier Reef is simply huge as it covers more area than the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Switzerland combined. The general image of this site is colorful fish, sparkling water, and beautiful corals but there is another side of the picture that is not so cool. In the last few years, the reef has experienced some disastrous coral bleaching events, which have affected almost two-thirds of this amazing place. The situation is so serious that some researchers have used the term “Terminal Stage” to describe the current conditions of the reef.

Palmyra

Image Credits: The Spectator

Palmyra was a part of the Roman Empire and is considered one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world. The architecture, art, and religious monuments of this great city dates back to the 1st century, which made it a popular tourist spot. Having said that, all the history and beauty of the site was destroyed mercilessly by bombs and other explosives in the war. In addition to the precious heritage of the place, a lot of innocent lives are being lost for the lust of power and money.

The causes of destroying the above mentioned amazing places might differ from one another but the thing that stays common is the ignorant attitude of humans, who tends to fulfill their desires at any cost.         

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