Haunted Houses around the world
A haunted house is believed to be inhabited by disembodied spirits, as seen, heard or reported by citizens or travelers. Ghosts are typically the spirits of people who died from violent causes or who suffered notable tragedies. The houses in which they reside are most often the houses in which their fate was determined, not necessarily a house in which they resided. A 2005 Gallup poll reported that the possibility of a haunted house is the most commonly believed paranormal activity in the western world.
Every culture has at least one haunted house or variation on a building commonly associated with a ghost sighting. The United States an The United Kingdom have incorporated the belief of ghost sighting in their culture for hundreds of years. In the United States, the American South is an area rich in ghost stories, particularly that of soldiers in the American Civil War. The belief in ghosts dates far back in southern culture, with the Cherokee Indians believing in the Brown Mountain Lights in western North Carolina, representative of the spirits of women searching for their loved ones lost in a large battle. California has a particularly tragically speckled past, and the story of Alactraz, an abandoned prison, as a haunted house, dates back to before the prison was closed. San Francisco citizens and visitors report hearing screams, banjo music, harmonica playing and loud footsteps from within the building.
The United Kingdom has many stories of ghost sighting, usually associated with tragic royalty or vengeful rulers. Arundel Castle is probably England’s most well-known haunted house, believed to be inhabited by the spirits of at least four residents who lived on the mysterious grounds. A Tudor manor in Wales, Llancaiach Fawr, is another famous location for ghost sighting in the United Kingdom. The mansion is believed to be haunted by a variety of spirits, most notably that of a young boy who fell from a window to his death.
The belief in ghosts is certainly not restricted to the western world, and neither are the houses in which they live. Australia’s most famous spirited location is the Princess Theatre in Melbourne, where a famous baritone opera singer died onstage while performing “Faust” in 1888. The theatre still commonly keeps a seat open for his spirit in the dress circle during performances, and the sighting of him before a show’s opening is considered a good omen. India, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore all have rich stories surrounding ghost sighting, often related to ancient rulers or, more recently, to World Wars I and II. While traveling abroad, there are many ways to fully experience a culture and its native beliefs, but one of the most exciting and enriching experiences while abroad is visiting a haunted house.