Every year, millions of tourists travel far and wide to see Earth’s many wonders—they visit spectacular natural and man-made structures, take pictures, and cross off an item on their bucket list. It’s typically an exciting experience. However, disturbing facts about some tourist attractions can put a buzzkill on your trip. Here are 15 disturbing facts about some of the most visited destinations in the world.
Eiffel Tour
Completed in 1889 for the International Exhibition of Paris, the Eiffel Tower attracts nearly seven million visitors yearly. Lesser known are the deaths related to the monument. In 1912, Franz Reichelt jumped to his death while trying out his homemade parachute. Leon Collet flew through the tower’s arches, getting tangled in some cables and crashing. Several suicides are also reported each year.
Roman Colosseum
The Colosseum was where gladiators fought to the death in Ancient Rome. Many people died within its walls; the amphitheater became known as one of the seven gates of hell. During the Middle Ages, the venue was largely ignored, and some of the collapsed segments were repurposed to build other buildings. Some even believed it was a site where brigands buried their victims.
Great Wall of China
Despite the debunked myth that the wall can be seen in space by the naked eye, the Great Wall of China is one of the most remarkable man-made structures ever built. The brick, stone, wood, and earth structure stretches a little over 13 miles and took 2,000 years to build. Over a million workers helped erect the fortification, and nearly half of those workers perished during construction. Some people believe that many of the workers were buried within the wall.
Louvre Museum
The Louvre in Paris is one of the most visited museums in the world, attracting nearly nine million tourists every year. However, it also attracts pickpockets. The problem became so bad that in 2013, some museum employees refused to work. Additionally, in 2015, a controversial sculpture depicting a man having sex with a four-legged creature was removed. Some also criticize the museum’s pyramid shape as cultural appropriation.
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty has become a symbol of democracy and the United States of America. Built in 1886 as a gift from France, the monument has a darker history as well. In 1916, German spies set fire to a munitions depot near the harbor. The explosion was one of the biggest in history—it killed seven people and damaged Lady Liberty’s torch and pedestal, influencing the decision to join World War I.
Great Pyramids of Giza
The pyramids in Egypt are among the most incredible man-made structures on the planet, attracting over 14 million visitors each year. Despite the threat of a three-year prison sentence, people continue to climb the structures, leading to several suicides and fatal falls. In 2020, a young person committed suicide by climbing and jumping off the largest pyramid. In 1989, a British tourist climbed one of the pyramids, dozed off, and fell to his death.
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is one of the world’s most beautiful expressions of love. Built in 1648 to honor Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, it stands as a breathtaking white marble mausoleum. Legend has it that Shah Jahan ordered the severing of the hands and gouging of the eyes of the workers who built it to prevent anyone from replicating its beauty—though historians cannot confirm this claim.
Niagara Falls
Located on the Canada-US border, Niagara Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of North America. Formed by melting glaciers 12,000 years ago, the Falls offer a spectacular sight. The first recorded person to fall over the almost 200-foot drop was a 63-year-old teacher from Michigan, who survived while inside a barrel. Unfortunately, 20 to 30 deaths occur at the Falls each year, with most being suicides.
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a giant gorge in Arizona that stretches 277 miles long and 18 miles wide, carved by the Colorado River. This natural wonder attracts nearly five million tourists annually. Its highest point is 8,803 feet, making it hazardous. Between 2007 and 2024, 200 people died in the park. Falling is the second-leading cause of death, followed by medical issues, drowning, hyperthermia, and suicide.
Chichén Itzá
Chichén Itzá is an ancient city on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. It spans four miles and was built by the Mayans between 750 AD and 900 AD. The Mayans regularly held sacrificial rituals in which children and adolescent males were killed. Hundreds of victims have been discovered in a sinkhole and an underground chamber, believed to have been offered as homage to Mayan gods.
Pompeii
In 79 AD, between 2,000 and 16,000 Romans lost their lives when Mount Vesuvius erupted. Some died from toxic gasses, others from falling debris, and still others from extreme heat. Many Pompeii civilians were frozen in time, their bodies cast by volcanic ash after it calcified. Today, tourists can glimpse what many victims were doing up until their sudden deaths.
Auschwitz
During World War II, Auschwitz was the site of the largest Nazi-run concentration camp. Over one million Jews were exterminated ,in Auschwitz alone, during Hitler’s campaign to “purify” Europe. Prisoners were often beaten and killed by guards or sent to gas chambers. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Auschwitz stands as a reminder of one of history’s largest mass murders. The camp was liberated by the Soviet Union in 1945.
Terracotta Warriors
Thousands of life-sized clay warriors guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the emperor of the first Qin dynasty, built around 210 BC. The Chinese believed that the dead moved on to an afterlife and that disturbing a burial site could bring a curse. Three of the seven farmers who discovered the site died under unusual circumstances. Some believe that the tomb’s workers were buried within it to conceal its location.
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world, located in San Francisco, California. The structure stretches for almost 2 miles and is 746 feet tall. Tragically, of the 10 million tourists that visit each year, 30 people commit suicide by jumping off the bridge. Between 1937 and 2013, an estimated 1,400 people died there, with survivors often suffering severe injuries such as organ damage, broken bones, and paralysis.
Machu Picchu
The ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu is perched atop the Andes Mountains at 7,970 feet above sea level. Believed to have been built around 1500 AD, the site demonstrates remarkable architectural ingenuity and offers breathtaking views. However, tourists can also expect challenges—a heavy rain and persistent mosquitoes can make the experience miserable.
