Dungeness mansion
Nestled on Cumberland Island, Georgia, are these imposing-looking ruins, a relic of times long since passed. The crumbling ruins were once a gorgeous mansion, housing some of America’s most prominent families. The four-story mansion was eventually destroyed by a raging fire, the cause of which still remains a mystery.
King Fahd’s abandoned palace
This extravagant palace once served as a holiday home for King Fahd, who is thought to have had an overall worth of $20 billion. The Saudi King used the lavish home until his death in 2005, where it has since fallen into wrack and ruin. It’s thought that the King only visited the palace four times.
Billionaire’s Row
Hidden in London are 20 mansions – all of them left abandoned and uncared for. Bought by foreign investors in the 1970s who were chasing a slice of some of the world’s best real estate, the housing strip is now referred to as “the most expensive wasteland in the world.” 25 years on, many of the mansions remain completely untouched, a ghost of forlorn wealth.
The Jackling House
Steve Jobs acquired this century-old mansion in 1994 – though it soon turned into a waking nightmare. Jobs hated the home, with constant upkeep and renovation work being required to return it to its former opulence. The Apple founder spent the last years of his life petitioning to get the building demolished, with the warrant passed eight months before his death.
Genshiro Kawamoto’s mega-mansion
Japanese billionaire businessman Genshiro Kawamoto frequently bought lavish properties, scooping up luxury homes across Japan and Hawaii. Home to Kawamoto’s impressive art collection, this mansion is still filled with Kawamoto’s gorgeous statues and sculptures to this day. The businessman was arrested for tax evasion in 2013, leaving his collection to collect dust.
Lynnewood Hall
This gigantic mansion was built in 1897, housing 55 bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, an art gallery, and a sprawling ballroom. The build cost $8 million, the equivalent of $287 million in today’s money. The home was bought by the Faith Theological Seminary, a branch of evangelical Christians, in 1952. Today, a campaign has been started to save the estate from falling into further ruin.
The Mellon mansion
This once-gorgeous home was the summer destination for the banking mogul James Ross Mellon. It’s been left abandoned for decades, hiding pricey antiques within its cracking walls. The decaying estate has been left to slowly crumble over the years, with its eroding fixtures making it too pricey of a project for anyone to begin the renovating process.
Abercrombie’s castle
This stately castle once belonged to fashion mogul David Thomas Abercrombie, founder of Abercrombie & Fitch. After his passing in 1931, the home was sold to various owners, with no holder taking the time to restore the 4,337-square-foot castle back to its former glory. It was last listed on the market for $3.2 million in 2020.
The abandoned Italian palace
This mega-mansion was built in the 1900s, housing a wealthy Italian family. When the original owners passed away, their children inherited the estate, but let it fall into ruin before moving away. Eerily, everything remains in place in the home, including family portraits, a laid kitchen table, and a children’s toy town – all left to collect dust.
The havelis of India
Shekhawati in India is notorious for its slew of abandoned mansions. Wealthy business tycoons flocked to the area in the 20th century before trade dried up in the area – leading to the neglected super homes. The majority of these mansions have fallen into a state of disrepair, with authorities only allowing sales of the buildings for those who will maintain their heritage.