Once prosperous, but now abandoned ghost towns are only tourist attractions. Steeped in history, often tragic, these ruined cities stand as a testament to the times.

Oradour-sur-Glans, France

The town of Oradour-sur-Glans in France was destroyed on June 10, 1944, when 642 of its inhabitants, including women and children, were killed by the German Waffen SS.

Photo: Arterra/Philippe Clement / imageBROKER / Profimedia

Wharram Percy, United Kingdom

Wharram Percy has been continuously occupied for approximately 600 years. Probably founded in the 9th or 10th century, the village flourished between the 12th and early 14th centuries when members of the noble family of Percy lived in the village. But at the beginning of the 16th century, as a result of gradual neglect and forced evacuation, it was almost deserted.

Photo: CM Dixon / Heritage Images / Profimedia

Belchite, Spain

Belchite, a ghost town south of Zaragoza in northeastern Spain, is a civil war memorial. It was destroyed in 1937.

Photo: Dyd Fotografos/action press / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia

Krakow, Italy

Located in southern Italy, Krakow’s impressive architecture makes it one of the most fascinating abandoned cities in the world. Residents began moving out after several landslides caused by sewer and water works in the 1960s. Krakow was completely deserted after the 1980 Irpin earthquake.

Photo: Jam Press/Boys with Drones / SplashNews.com / Splash / Profimedia

Bodie, California

It is perhaps the most famous of the cities that rapidly developed in the Wild West at the end of the 19th century. Bodie’s population grew from a handful of gold prospectors to nearly 10,000 by the late 1870s. It had 65 taverns, a Wells Fargo bank and even Chinatown. Bodi’s luster faded in the early 20th century as other cities developed. In 1920, its population was only 120 people.

Photo: Ron Resnick/AP/Profimedia

Sources: CNN, English Heritage, Turismo de Aragon.