Por Expedia Team, el October 30, 2014

Monstruos más terroríficos del mundo

The most terrifying monsters in the world

The Haunted House of the Most Terrifying Monsters in the World

Romania

Monster: Vampire. Possibly the most famous of the monsters, the vampire is a deeply disturbing character that is part of Slavic folklore. Supposedly they only fear three things: garlic, sunlight, and crucifixes (neither of which seems to affect them in the Twilight saga). Still, the vampire varies around the world. Although they are mythical creatures, their origins can be traced to the Countess Elizabeth Báthory, who is known as the closest person to a vampire, since she drank the blood of young virgins to preserve her youth and beauty.

Terrifying place: Bran Castle. Bran Castle is generally thought to have been owned by Vlad the Impaler, a bloodthirsty ruler who inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. But Bran Castle was only a temporary place of residence for Vlad III, who was known for filling the forests around the residence with impaled bodies to protect himself from invasion by the Turks.

National Halloween Event: As in the rest of the world, Halloween is traditionally celebrated on October 31, with dozens of tourists traveling to Transylvania to celebrate with vampire-themed parties, storytelling, and horror visits.

 

Ireland

Monster: Banshee. He is an Irish mythological spirit (or a member of the Siouxsie Sioux’s gang). The Banshee was seen as an omen, a harbinger of death and condemnation, crying out a lament that freezes blood when someone was about to die. So great is the legend, that even in recent times like 1948, there were peasants who still claimed to hear the Banshee’s lament.

Terrifying place: Charleville Castle. The imposing Gothic-style fort sits on the River Shannon in County Offaly, surrounded by ancient forests where druids once inhabited. Uninhabited since 1912, its restoration began 40 years ago. The ghost of a young girl is said to wander the tallest tower and has become a favorite spot (* ahem *) for investigations of paranormal activity.

National halloween event: Dublin Halloween Festival and Parade. The Samhain (End of Summer) Festival in Dublin celebrates the dead and has a pagan carnival spirit. The parade, which passes through Temple Bar and crosses the River Liffey through the Ormond Bridge, attracts as many as 20,000 partiers, many of whom are gloriously and macabrely disguised. There are also spectacular fireworks.

 

England

Monster: Although their origin is in French folklore, these squat and nasty creatures came to the English imagination in ancient times, and the Druids renamed them as goblins. Lurking under rocks or in tree holes, a leprechaun is said to appear playful, but is capable of curdling blood with his smile.

Terrifying Place: Borley Rectory, Essex. Although this place was destroyed by flames before World War II, it has an ancient reputation as the “” Most Terrifying Haunted House in England “”. Built in 1862, the first reports of supernatural activity began shortly thereafter and continued into the 20th century as nuns were reported screaming, unexplained footprints, ghosts wandering, violent spirits, messages from other worlds on the walls, and human bones and skulls found buried in the basement. You can still have access, if you feel brave this Halloween.

National Halloween event: Set in a deep maze of Victorian warehouses in Southwark, the London Dugeon has an annual celebration at its interactive horror museum. For kids, there are also activities, like face-painting of bloody and horror characters.

 

Germany

Monster: Werewolf. Despite being a mythological figure, in the Middle Ages it was believed that werewolves were real. Perhaps one of the scariest true stories that helped reinforce the myth and make it even more creepy, was the capture of a German named Peter Stumpp in 1589, who admitted to killing and eating at least 16 men – including his own son.

Terrifying place: Frankenstein Castle. Legend has it that the ghost of Johann Konrad wanders the castle of Frankenstein, being the alchemist and doctor who inspired the Mary Shelley gothic novel in 1818. The ruins have been of great interest to ghost-hunters who go in hopes of discover and explore paranormal activity.

National Halloween Event: Frankenstein Castle opens its doors each year for a frantic and terrifying Halloween experience, featuring 11 shows and over 80 monsters.

 

Mexico

Monster: La Llorona. Although this terrifying figure seems to be present in several Latin American legends, it is undoubtedly a story that is part of Mexican folklore. The story tells that in the times of the conquest and colonization in Mexico, an indigenous woman and a Spanish gentleman fell in love and secretly had three children, since this type of relationship was frowned upon. The woman learned that her beloved had betrayed her by agreeing to a suitable marriage, and full of jealousy and rage drowned her three children in a lake and then committed suicide. His soul in pain is seen wandering in the alleys of the center of Mexico City while with laments and tears he exclaims “Oh my children! Where are my children?”

Terrifying place: Island of the Dolls. This island located in the Xochimilco canal can be the element of your nightmares or the dream of someone who is looking for emotions on Halloween. The thousands of mutilated and disheveled dolls that adorn the island can lie on some tree, fence, plant or any surface, but you will be a spectator of thousands of dolls with blank eyes, some without limbs, some without hair, but all terrifying.

National halloween event: Day of the Dead. Mexico honors its dead as it does the living. In this festival deceased ancestors are celebrated offering their favorite dishes and drinks; It is a feast that reigns for two days.

 

France

Monster: Ogre. Ogres are a common figure in European mythology and fiction, first mentioned in the late 12th century by the poet Chrétien de Troyes. While in the last decade they have been portrayed as friendly monsters (Shrek, for example), these huge ugly green creatures were once described as baby eaters!

Terrifying place: Catacombs of Paris. The Paris Catacombs are an underground ossuary built from the remains of the staggering 6 million skeletons. With walls made of skulls and bones, this one place is truly weird, chilling, and even slightly fun (if black humor is your thing).

National Halloween event: The French were late for the Halloween celebration, but the city of Limoges (famous for its porcelain) sees 30,000 people take to the streets every year to parade in creepy costumes, while celebrating with candle-lit pumpkins at tall and drinking green cocktails.

 

Egypt

Monster: Mummy. Ancient Egyptians believed that preserving the body was essential to reach the afterlife. Only from recent times – based on Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 – is there the idea that a mummy comes to life to terrorize unfortunate explorers. Still, the evil ways of a mummy rarely extend beyond those who disturb their graves.

Terrifying place: Valley of the Kings. WadiBiban el-Muluk is a valley where the tombs of royalty and the country’s nobles were found between the 16th and 11th centuries BC. Many who have visited this place said they felt something supernatural in the dry air, and the ghosts of fallen Egyptian kings are believed to still roam the valley.

National Halloween Event: None! Egyptians don’t celebrate Halloween, but you can always explore the Valley of the Kings and feel a chill while the overwhelming heat accompanies visitors.

 

Scotland

Monster: Loch Ness Monster. Possibly the most famous solitary monster in the world, the origin of Nessie has been tried to explain in various ways, such as that it is a surviving plesiosaur from the last ice age, or an enormous otter, a mutant or a mythological spirit of water ( or “” Kelpie “”). Although it was first mentioned in literature in the 17th century, its fame began in 1933 when the News of the World newspaper published a sensational image of this monster (later revealed to be false). Nessie was a shy creature in the 21st century, but who really knows what is hidden in the cold, deep, dark and cloudy lake?

Terrifying place: Edinburgh Castle. This imposing fortress has been sitting on top of the hill above Edinburgh for at least 900 years. Its cold dungeons were the site of many executions, and its staircases and chambers are the scene of apparitions. Headless drummers, ghost pipers, wailing ghosts, and disembodied voices have been reported by visitors for decades.

National halloween event: Ghost Tour. Considered one of the most haunted cities in Europe, there are a hundred supernatural visits that take place between the Gothic spiers of and the narrow alleys of Edinburgh. Some tours will even take you to the dark depths of Blair Street Underground Vaults, which has been noted as “probably the most haunted place in Britain”. Not suitable for those who are passed out by an impression.

 

Japan

Monster: Oni. The Oni are main characters in Japanese folklore. Their depictions vary greatly, but they usually appear as some kind of monster or ogre, with long, tangled hair, horned heads, blood-red skin, and an iron stick in one hand. He is not someone you want to run into in a dark alley.

Terrifying place: Gunkanjima (Island of Ghosts). Gunkanjima is an abandoned facility on the Nagasaki coast where coal mining activities were carried out. This island was Javier Bardem’s inspiration for the terrorist HQ scene in the latest James Bond movie Skyfall. The place has been invaded by nature and decay since it was abandoned in 1974, and it’s incredibly creepy to look at.

National Halloween Event: In Japan, Halloween is only celebrated by just a fraction of its population, but with the grand celebration of Disney World Tokyo, and the open-minded festivities, it is sure to grow into something bigger year after year.

 

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