Eerie Disney ghost village where hundreds of mini castle homes frozen in time
Burj Al Babas is a collapsed mega development that now looks more like a haunting ghost town than a luxury getaway. Situated near the Black Sea, the settlement is packed with 587 miniature castles that were destined to become the next major tourist draw.
Then financing vanished and the whitewashed settlement was abandoned completely.
The properties were marketed for between £330,000 to £440,000 for buyers' own tiny palace. Sarot Group, the scheme's developer, envisaged a tribute to Europe's historic Royal dynasties when they conceived the venture, according to CNN Traveller.
For the wealthy and sophisticated tired of Monaco and the French Riviera - this corner of heaven promised everything: Mediterranean weather above neo-Gothic rooftops gazing over idyllic Turkish woodlands, reports the Mirror. The developers abandoned the town in 2019 when they were forced to file for bankruptcy (Image: Getty Images)
Positioned in the Roman spa settlement of Mudurnu, renowned for its thermal springs and alleged "healing waters," each property would feature underfloor heating and Jacuzzis on every floor.
Nevertheless, after building began in 2014, with 2018 as the planned completion date, Sarot Group was compelled to file for bankruptcy. Residents were equally incensed after witnessing the appearance of the properties and the commercial methods of the developers.
Regional media reported that many were annoyed the castles bore no resemblance to anything in the vicinity, especially the historic Ottoman-style mansions. A legal action was taken against the developers, accusing them of destroying trees and damaging the environment. Hundreds of houses are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Following this, Turkey's economy took a nosedive and the developers soon found themselves in £24 million debt.
The completion of the project seems highly unlikely as investors and buyers withdrew their funds from the £200million project in 2019.
Despite the significant setback, Sarot Group remained optimistic about completing the scheme, according to a report in The New York Times. However, the arrival of the pandemic dealt another blow and the project was left utterly abandoned.
The deserted town is filled with many villas that were started but not one was completed. Burj Al Babas now stands still, frozen in time with no signs of life.
Burj Al Babas comprises more than 700 multi-story castles, half of which had already been sold by 2019.
The contentious Gothic-inspired architectural features, including flying buttresses, pointed arches, and ribbed vaulting, are designed to mimic the castles dotting the roads just outside the Roman spa town of Mudurnu.
The project's developers selected a vast valley at the foot of Turkey's northwestern mountains to attract Arabs from the Gulf. Each home offers stunning natural views.
Moreover, the town is now strewn with discarded construction materials.
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