Tuesday, November 29, 2011

America's Most Haunted Battlefields













Gettysburg, Pennsylvania:
Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg.
    The battle was fought July 1-3 of 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg. The battle had the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac defeated attacks by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, ending Lee's invasion of the North. 
    Between 46,000 and 51,000 soldiers from both armies were casualties in the three-day battle. After the gurling three day battle the confederates retreated, prior to Gettysburg Lee had established a reputation as an almost invincible general, achieving stunning victories against superior numbers, although usually at the cost of high casualties to his army.
    So is Gettysburg haunted? many believe the answer to this question is yes without a doubt.
    Many people have claimed to see full body apparitions, dressed in their uniforms walking around. Others have claimed to hear battle cries and gun shots going off. While others have seen the battle as it was in 1863.











Antietam, Maryland:
The Battle of Antietam aka the Battle of Sharpsburg, fought particularly in the south on September 17, 1862 near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single day battle in American history, with about 23,000 casualties.
    Although the battle was tactically inconclusive, it had significance as enough of a victory to give President Abraham Lincoln the confidence to announce his Emancipation Proclamation, which discouraged the British and French governments from potential plans for recognition of the confederacy. 
    People report hearing, seeing and feeling things they cannot explaine. Whats your take ?.














Chickamauga, Tennessee:
The battle was fought on September19-20, 1863, and marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign. The battle was the mosst significant Union defeat in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and involved the second highest number of casualties in the war following the Battle of Gettysburg.
    It claimed an estimated 34,624 casualties (16,170 for the Union; 18,454 for the Confederates).
    Since then there have been claims of every type of haunted and ghostly occurrences in this area. There have been mysterious deaths, numerous ghost sitings, and even claims of a mysterious "green eyed beast" that roams the battle sites at night.












The Alamo, San Antonio Texas:
The battle was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. That started on February 23, 1836 and following a 13-day siege finally ended on March 6, 1836.
    Mexican troops under President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio, Texas. All but two of the Texian defenders were killed.
    Santa Anna's perceived cruelty during the battle inspired many Texians both Texas settlers and adventurers from the United States to join the Texian Army. Buoyed by a desire for revenge, the Texians defeated the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto, on April 21, 1836, ending the revolution. 
  As Mexican soldiers scaled the walls, most of the Texian soldiers withdrew into interior buildings. Defenders unable to reach these points were slain by the Mexican cavalry as they attempted to escape. Between five and seven Texians may have surrendered; if so, they were quickly executed. Most eyewitness accounts reported between 182 and 257 Texians dead, while most historians of the Alamo agree that 400–600 Mexicans were killed or wounded. Several noncombatants were sent to Gonzales to spread word of the Texian defeat.
    The Alamo is probably the best-known psychic "dead zone" in the United States. Ghostly tales about the Alamo can be traced all the way back to 1836.      During the late 1800's, the ghostly activity at the Alamo was big "news" in San Antonio. In 1894, the City of San Antonio pressed the mission into service as a police headquarters and jail. It was not long before, prisoners housed in the old barracks started to complain about all kinds of ghostly activity there. People have claimed to see shadows and hear moans, whispers. Yet others claim to see vanishing lights, feel eerie cold spots and hear other unexplained noises.











Little Bighorn, Montana:
Aka Custer's Last Stand and, by the Indians involved, as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, was armed engagement between combined forces of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho people against the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army. It occurred on June 25 and June 26, 1876, near Little Bighorn River in eastern Montana Territory, near what is now Crow Agency, Montana.
    The battle was the most famous action of the Great Sioux War of 1876 (also known as the Black Hills War). It was an overwhelming victory for the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho,led by several major war leaders, including Crazy Horse and Gall, inspired by the visions of Sitting Bull.
    The U.S Seventh Cavalry, including the Custer Battalion, a force of 700 men led  by George Armstrong Custer, suffered a severe defeat. Five of the Seventh's companies were annihilated; Custer was killed, as were two of his brothers, a nephew, and a brother in law.
                           Indian Casualties
Native American casualties have never been determined and estimates vary widely, from as few as 36 dead to as many as 300.
    The Sioux chief Red Horse told Col. W. H. Wood that the Native American suffered 136 dead an 160 wounded during the battle
                           7th Cavalry Casualties
The 7th Cavalry suffered 52 percent casualties: 16 officers and 242 troopers killed or dead of wounds, 1 officer and 51 troopers wounded. Every soldier in the five companies with Custer was killed (3 indian scouts and several troopers had left that column before the battle; an indian scout, Curley, was the only survivor to leave after the battle had begun), although for years rumors persisted of survivors. 
    The sole surviving animal reportedly discovered on the battlefield by General Terry's troops was Captain Keogh's horse Comanche. (Though other horses were believed to have been captured by the Indians.) 






  An obelisk commemorates the U.S. Army dead, and marks the spot of the mass grave where all US soldiers were re-buried   




    People have described sudden, mysterious drops in temperature, the sensation of being grabbed by an invisible hand, inanimate objects moved by an invisible force (such as light switches being turned on), and apparitions or groups of apparitions. Strange sounds have been heard, including disembodied voices and footsteps, high-pitched whistling, and frightening screams. One man reported witnessing the battle itself.









USS Arizona, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii:
Located at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, marks the resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors killed on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 by Japanese imperia forces and commemorates the events of that day. The attack on Pearl Harbor and the island of O'ahu was the action that led to United States involvement in World War II.
    The sunken remains of the battleship were declared a National Historic Landmark on May 5, 1989.
    The USS Arizona is no longer in commission, but is an active U.S military cemetery. As a special tribute to the ship and her lost crew, the United States flag flies from the flagpole, which is attached to the severed mainmast of the sunken battleship. The USS Arizona Memorial has come to commemorate all military personnel killed in the Pearl Harbor attack. To this day, oil can be seen rising from the wreckage to the surface of the water. The oil seeping is sometimes referred to as "the tears of the Arizona" or "black tears."
    So is this site haunted?, while many without a doubt believe it is others arn't so sure.
    A friend of my visited this site many years ago, she said that while at first she was dumb struck at the view of it she then had flash backs of what had happened there so many years ago, and that she suddenly was overcome with a sad feeling in the pit of her stomach something she says she will never forget, it was as though the lost souls were standing there beside her trying to tell her their story. She later said that after leaving the site she still felt saddened for what she says had to be a few hours and then it dissappeared.
    The above photo was taken by a woman from Australian on September 26, 2011, she was taking a picture of the sun reflecting off the oil ridden saltwater above the shipwreck, she says she feels as though its the face of a young sailor who perished on the ship. 










Chalmette National Battlefield and Cemetery, Chalmette Louisiana:
Aka The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the Louisiana Purchase. The Treaty of Ghent had been signed on December 24, 1814 and ratified by the United States Senate on February 16, 1815. However, official dispatches annoucing the peace would not rech the combatants until late February, finally putting an end to the war. The battle is widely regarded as the greatest American land victory of the war. 
                              
                       United Kingdom Casualties:
772 were killed from December 23 to January 8, 1,521 wounded and 552 missing.

                        United States Casualties:
 55 were killed from December 23 to January 8, 185 wounded and 93 missing.  
                                 

The victory for America was surprising to say the least most of the American Army believed that a vastly powerful British fleet and army had sailed for New Orleans.
    The battle boosted the reputation of Andrew Jackson and helped to propel him to the White House. The anniversary of the battle was celebrated for many years.
     With the Americans outnumbered it seemed as though the city of New Orleans was in danger of being captured. Consequently, the Ursuline nuns along with many faithful people of New Orleans gathered in the Ursuline Convent's chapel before the statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor. They spent the night before the battle praying and crying before the holy statue, begging for the Virgin Mary's intercession. On the morning of January 8, the Very Rev. William Dubourg, Vicar General, offered Mass at the altar on which the statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor had been placed. The Prioress of the Ursuline convent, Mother Ste. Marie Olivier de Vezin, made a vow to have a Mass of Thanksgiving sung annually should the American forces win. At the very moment of communion, a courier ran into the chapel to inform all those present that the British had been defeated. General Jackson went to the convent himself to thank the nuns for their prayers: "By the blessing of heaven, directing the valor of the troops under my command, one of the most brilliant victories in the annals of war was obtained." The vow made by Mother Ste. Marie has been faithfully kept throughout the years.
 This site also holds a cemetery, it is now closed to new interments, it is the burial place to over 15,300 veterans of American military campaigns from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War.   
    The cemetery suffered considerable damage due to Hurricane Katrina, toppling headstones and much of the perimeter wall. The days and hours the cemetery and battleground are open to the public are still limited as of 2008. 
     It is said to be haunted by the soldiers who fought here, people claim to hear the sound of ghostly cannon and voices barking commands to unseen troops. Many heard whispers in the cemetery and seen the wandering figure of a lone British soldier walking among the headstones. 








Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia: 
The battle was fought December 11-15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside. The union army's futile frontal assaults on December 13 against entrenched confederate defenders on the heights behind the city is remembered as one of the most one-sided battles of the American Civil War, with Union casualties more than twice as heavy as those suffered by the Confederates. 
                                   
                                  Union Casualties:
1,284 were killed, 9,600 wounded and 1,769 captured/missing.

                               Confederacy Casualties:
608 were killed, 4,116 wounded and 653 captured/missing.

    The memories of the battle and the months and days of apprehension that led up to it have left their mark and visitors of modern times have reported many strange encounters and paranormal events.







Cold Harbor, Richmond National Battlefield, Richmond Virginia:
The battle was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 (with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3). It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American Historys bloodiest, most lopsided battles. Thousands of Union soldiers were killed or wounded in a hopeless frontal assault against the fortified positions of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's army.
    On May 31st, as Grant's army once again swung around the right flank of Lee's army, Union cavalry seized the crossroads of Old Cold Harbor, about 10 miles northeast of the Confederate capital of Richmond Virginia, holding it against Confederate attacks until the Union infantry arrived. Both Grant and Lee, whose armies had suffered enormous casualties in the Overland Campaign, received reinforcements. On the evening of June 1, the Union VI Corps and XVIII Corps  arrived and assaulted the Confederate works to the west of the crossroads with some success.                             
    On June 2, the remainder of both armies arrived and the Confederates built an elaborate series of fortifications 7 miles long. At dawn on June 3, three Union corps attacked the Confederate works on the southern end of the line and were easily repulsed with heavy casualties. Attempts to assault on the northern end of line and to resume the assaults on the southern were unsuccessful.
    Grant said of the battle in his memoirs, "I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made. ... No advantage whatever was gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained." The armies confronted each other on these lines until the night of June 12, when Grant again advanced by his left flank, marching to James River.


                                                Union Casualties:
1,844 were killed, 9,077 wounded and 1,816 captured/missing.


                          Confederacy Casualties:
83 were killed, 3,380 wounded and 1,132 captured/missing.


    Some say that the ghostly battles are still raging on in the afterlife. some locals state that they see or hear them around 1am every morning.
    Also, a lone secluded path runs thru the park for visitors and if you're lucky you can photo a ghost. Many of these pictures have been published in the Richmond Times Dispatch and Mechanicsville Local.
    Often the smell of gunpowder is dominate and other times the smell of fear and pain, say many who have visited.
Mechanicsville - Cold Harbor - Cemetery - The cemetery beside the Battlefield park is haunted by a little girl's ghost. always dressed in white with a bonnet and a very pretty face.
Local legend has it that she fell out of the window of the Gravekeeper's house, Garthright House. Her little ghost is often seen in the window of the house or just waking or running around the lonely cemetery. she often appears sometimes happy sometimes sad and crying.










Stones River National Battlefield, Murfreesboro Tennessee:
The battle was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. Of the major battles of the Civil War, Stones River had the highest percentage of casualties on both sides. Although the battle itself was inconclusive, the Union Army's repulse of the two Confederate attacks and subsequent Confederate withdrawal were a much needed boost to Union morale after the defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg, and it dashed Confederate aspirations for control of Middle Tennessee.
    Union Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans's Army of the Cumberland marched from Nashville, Tennessee, on December 26, 1862, to challenge General Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee at Murfreesboro. On December 31, each army commander planned to attack his opponent's right flank, but Bragg struck first. A massive assault by the corps Maj. Gen. William J. Hardee, followed by that of Leonidas Polk, overran the wing commanded by Maj. Gen. Alexander M. McCook. A stout defense by the division of Brig. Gen. Philip Sheridan in the right center of the line prevented a total collapse and the Union assumed a tight defensive position backing up to the Nashville Turnpike. Repeated Confederate attacks were repulsed from this concentrated line, most notably in the cedar "Round Forest" salient against the brigade of Col. William B. Hazen. Bragg attempted to continue the assault with the corps of Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge, but the troops were slow in arriving and their multipile piecemeal attacks failed. 
    Fighting resumed on January 2, 1863, when Bragg ordered Breckinridge to assault the well-fortified Union position on a hill to the east of the Stones River. Faced with overwhelming artillery, the Confederates were repulsed with heavy losses. Aware that Rosecrans was receiving reinforcements, Bragg chose to withdraw his army on January 3 to Tullahoma, Tennessee. 

                                Union Casualties:
1,677 were killed, 7,543 wounded and 3,686 captured/missing.

                           Confederacy Casualties:
1,294 were killed, 7,945 wounded and 2,500 captured/missing. 

    Many people report feeling sorrow when they walk onto the battlefield, they also claim to see soldiers walking around, some say they could hear battle cries.







Mississinewa Battlefield, Marion Indiana:
Was an expedition ordered by William Henry Harrison against Miami Indian villages in response to the attacks on Fort Wayne and Fort Harrison in the Indiana Territory. The battle is significant as the first American victory in the war of 1812. The site is near the city of Marion, Indiana.
    Today, the location is the site of Mississinewa 1812, the largest War of 1812 reenactment in the Untied States, which is held every October. The annual festival draws thousands of visitors from all over the world. In 2004, a large memorial was unveiled and is currently on display near the Mississinewa River in downtown Marion.  

                            Miami Tribe Casualties:
38 were killed, 8 men and 34 others captured.

                          United States Casualties:
12 were killed, 46 wounded.

    People who are brave enough to camp over night here claimed to have heard battle cries, footsteps in the water and the sounds of shots being fired, along with the smell of sulfur.










     

Saturday, November 19, 2011

The Most Haunted Scariest Places on Earth










Aokigahara Forest, Japan:
Also known as the Sea of Trees is a 35 km forest that lies at the north west base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The forest contains a number of rocky, icy caverns, a few of which are popular tourist destinations. 
    The forest, which has a historic association with demons in Japanese mythology, is a popular place for suicides; in 2002, 78 bodies were found, despite numerous signs, in Japanese and English, urging people to reconsider their actions. Due to the wind-blocking density of the trees, and an absence of wildlife, the forest is known for being eerily quiet. 
    It is reportedly the worlds second most popular suicide location after San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. This popularity is often attributed to the 1960 novel Nami no To (Tower of Waves) by Seicho Matsumoto, which ends with two lovers committing suicide in the forest. However, the history of suicide in Aokigahara predates the novel's publication, and the place has long been associated with death: (Ubasute) which is the practice of taking elderly people to an isolated area and leaving them there to die either from dehydration, starvation or exposure.) May have been practiced there into the 19th century, and the forest is reputedly haunted by the ghosts of those left to die. 
    There are no reliable statistics counting total or average body count in the forest. In 2002, 78 bodies were found within the forest, replacing the previous record of 73 in 1998. In 2003, the rate climbed to 100, and in recent years, the local government has stopped publicizing the numbers in an attempt to downplay Aokigahara's association with suicide.  In 2004, 108 people killed themselves in the forest. In 2010, 247 people attempted suicide in the forest; 54 of whom completed the act. 
    The annual body search, consisting of a small army of police, volunteers, and attendant journalists, began in 1970.
    It is said to be very haunted by the lost souls, and that if you go there to visit you cant rule out seeing a shadow or the form of a person run by past the corner of your eye. Its even said that through out the whole forest you wont hear one sound from an animal or birds chirping, pretty weird if you ask me.
    It shoud be noted that there are more pictures of this forest, however because of the disturbing nature of them I cannot and in respect to the dead will not post them here, if you are felling brave enough however you can type the forest name in your search box and if you have clicked on the right link you will find the R-rated photos, however if you click on the wrong ones you will find regular pics of the forest.
     Be warned they are very disturbing and you might not be able to forget what you have seen. I know I can't.








Leap Castle, Ireland:
Built in the 15th century by the O'Bannon family. The O'Bannons were the "secondary chieftains" of the territory, and were subject to the ruling O'Carroll clan. 
    Some where along the line the O' Carroll clan got the castle, which was then inturn partially demolished in 1516 by Gerald FitzGerald, however it was taken back by the O'Carrolls, are you confused yet, cause I am.
    Following the death of Mulrooney O'Carroll in 1532, family struggles plagued the O'Carroll clan. A fierce rivalry for the leadership erupted within the family. The bitter fight for power turned brother against brother. One of the brothers was a priest. The O'Carroll priest was holding mass for a group of his family (in what is now called the "Bloody Chapel"). While he was chanting the holy rites, his rival brother burst into the chapel, plunged his sword into his brother and fatally wounded him. The butchered priest fell across the altar and died in front of his family. 
    In 1659, the castle passed by marriage into the ownership of the Darby family, notable memebers of which included Vice-Admiral George Darby, Admiral Sir Henry D'Esterre Darby and John Nelson Darby. However the castle was burned in the Irish Civil War in 1922.
    While renovating the castle, workers discovered an oubliette, a dungeon where people are locked away and left to die. There were spikes at the bottom of this shaft, and when it was being cleaned out, it took three cartloads to carry out all the human bones at the bottom.  A report indicates that these workmen also found a pocket-watch dated to the 1840s amongst the bones, it is unknown who it belonged to. These series of spikes are now covered with a vast amount of twigs, grass and dirt, to protect anyone entering it. 
      Many people were imprisoned and executed in the castle, and it is supposedly haunted by several spectres. The most terrifying of these beings is thought to have been summoned by Mildred Darby's occult activities. "It", the name given to the creature, is a small grey humanoid, about the size of a sheep, with a decaying face. The apparition is said to be accompanied by the stench of a decomposing corpse and the smell of sulphur. This particular spirit is called an Elemental. "It" is thought to be a primitive spirit. An Elemental is a manifestation believed to occur mainly in country areas and attach itself to a particular place. They are often malevolent, terrifying, and unpredictable. "It" appears to keep itself relatively hidden in comparison with the other spirits at Leap Castle. On occasion visitors will see the creature, and in few incidences be attacked.
    So if you decide to visit the castle be warned and try to stay away from "It" I'm sure you'll be just fine.








Catacombs of Paris:
The Catacombs were created in the mid 1700's. Residents buried their dead in cemeteries near churches as is still customary in most places. 
    But as the city grew, the cemeteries quickly ran out of space. Additionally, improper burial techniques often led to ground water and land near cemeteries becoming contaminated and spreading disease to those living nearby, so city officials moved to condemn all the cemeteries within the city limits and move the bodies in those cemeteries elsewhere. The catacombs currently hold 6-7 million Parisians.
    Bodies of the dead from the riots in the place de Greve, the hotel de Brienne, and Rue Meslee were put in the catacombs on 28 and 29 August 1788. The catacomb walls are covered in graffiti dating from the eighteenth century onwards. Victor Hugo used his knowledge about the tunnel system in Les Miserables. In 1871, communards killed a group of monarchists in one chamber. During WWII, Parisian members of the French Resistance used the tunnel system. Also during this period, German soldiers established an underground bunker in the catacombs below Lycee Montaigne, a high school in the 6th arrondissement.
    The catacombs are reportedly haunted, visitors have claimed that they were touched by unseen hands, others claim to have had the sensation of being followed, cold spots in certain areas a few cases of hysterical breakdowns, few others have claimed to have been strangled.










Poveglia, Italy:
The island first came to be referenced in chronicles in 421 AD, when people from Padua and Este fled there to escape the barbaric invasions. In the 9th century the island started to be intensely populated, and in the following centuries its importance grew steadily, until it was governed by a dedicated Podesta.
    In stark contrast to the beauty of its surroundings, the island is a festering blemish. The waves reluctantly lapping  its darkened shores will often carry away the polished remains of human bones. When the first outbreak of bubonic plague swept through Europe, the number of dead and dying in the city of Venice became unbearable. The bodies were piling up, the stench was oppressive, and something had to be done. The local authorities decided to use Poveglia as a dumping ground for the diseased bodies.
The dead were hauled to the island and dumped in large pits or burned on huge bonfires. As the plague tightened its grip, people panicked, and those showing the slightest symptoms of the Black Death were dragged screaming from their homes. These living victims, including children and babies, were taken to the island and thrown into the pits of rotting corpses, where they were left to die in agony.
    In 1379 Venice came under attack from the Genoan fleet; the people of Poveglia were moved to the Giudecca, and the Venetian government built on the island a permanent fortification, called “the Octagon,” still visible today. The island remained uninhabited in the following centuries. Despite many attempts to offer the island for no price, no one seemed to want it. Perhaps the reason that offers were turned down was that the Romans used the island as a plague station and pit – filling it with thousands of victims over the time of their reign. This was to be the first of the gruesome stories connected to Poveglia.
    In the 1700s the island became a checkpoint for goods and people visiting Venice until two ships arrived with plague on board. For this purpose various edifices were built, including the hundred metre long “Tezon” that still stands. It is still possible to read the writing on the wall by people who were confined there. From that time until the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1805, the island was a confinement station for people with the plague. In the 20th century the island was again used as a quarantine station, but in 1922, the existing buildings were converted into venetian retirement homes. This went on until 1968, when the retirement homes were no longer used, and the island, after being shortly used for agriculture, was completely abandoned. Presently, the island is public property of the Italian state.
    Local legend describes a mental hospital existing on the island which was ruled by a doctor who went insane. The doctor is said to have murdered a number of patients after which he took to the bell tower to commit suicide. Some versions of the legend say that the doctor was strangled by a mist that rose up from the ground at the bottom of the tower. It is believed that as many as 160,000 tormented bodies were disposed of on the tiny island over the years.
    It should be stated that the locals simply refuse to go there.









Bran Castle, Romania:
The first documented mentioning of Bran Castle is the act issued by Louis I of Hungary on November 19, 1377.
    It is situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia.
    It is commonly known as "Dracula's Castle" although it is one among several locations linked to the Dracula legend, including Poenari Castle and Hunyad Castle.
    It is associated with Vlad Dracul III aka Vlad the impaler, who was the inspiration for Dracula.
    He is probably one of the most infamous images of cruelty, due to his preferred method of torture, the impalement. But the cruelty doesn’t end here. Dracula preferred even more gruesome tortures, including hammering nails into the thief’s head, hacking off limbs, blinding, and strangulation, burning or boiled alive, scalping or skinning alive. 
    And even though he never lived in the castle itself it is said to be haunted by the people Vlad killed, even though he is in some cases called cruel the people in Transylvania see him as a hero with justified means to his actions and in some cases I believe he was, lets face it during his reign there was hardly any thieves, so in most cases it was peaceful but then again the people could have been terrified.










Hunyad Castle, Romania:
 This Castle is in Hunedoara Romania, and was built in 1212. This was also were Vlad III aka Vlad the impaler was held as a prisoner for 7 years after he was overthrown in 1462. 
    The castle is a relic of the Hunyadi dynasty. In 1409, the castle was given to John Hunyadi's father, Voyk, by Sigismund, king of Hungary, as severance.
    Some believe this place is haunted not only because of it's history but also for the way it looks as well, you be the judge.  
   
















Chillingham Castle, U.K:
The castle was originally a 12th century fortified manor house, founded by the Grey family. In 1344, Sir Thomas Grey was granted a licence to crenellate and he founded the stone quadrangular castle, which is flanked by square angle towers.
    The castle occupied a strategically important location in medieval times: it was located on the border between two feuding nations. It was used as a staging post for English armies entering Scotland, but was also repeatedly attacked and besieged by Scottish armies and raiding parties heading south. The site contained a moat, and in some locations the fortifications were 12 feet thick.
     This castle is reportedly the most haunted in the U.K. The most famous spirit who inhabits the castle to this day is known as "Blue Boy", who as midnight rings out will cry and moan in agony (or maybe fear). The noises were traced to a spot near a passage cut through a ten foot wall. When the bloodcurdling wails die away a soft halo of light appears around an old four poster bed. Anyone sleeping in the bed even to this day, can see the figure of a young boy dressed in blue, and surrounded by light. Behind the wall the bones of a young boy and fragments of blue clothing were discovered. 
    Another ghost, Lady Mary Berkeley, searches for her husband, who ran off with her sister. Lady Mary, desolate and broken hearted lived in the castle by herself with only her baby girl as a companion. The rustle of her dress can be heard as she passes you by in the turret stairs. 
    Castle also has a remarkable and sinister torture chamber. This is not for the faint hearted, the torture chamber still has on display some of the most vicious and gruesome instruments used for punishments. These include a stretching rack, a bed of nails, a nailed barrel and a spiked chair labelled with a warning not to sit on it, so please bring a torch. The most daunting sight is the calm and serene face of the Iron Maiden with it's sinister and horrible larger than life sized hinged metal casing for a live body. There are also the thumb screws, chains, leg irons, man traps and branding irons. If that is not enough there is the castle dungeon which is lit only by a narrow slit in the thick wall and marked with the crudely cut scribbled letters of previous unhappy prisoners. There is a trap door in the floor through which can be seen the very genuine bones of a child in the vault below.












Greyfriars Kirkyard, U.K:
Is a graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the southern edge of the Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School. Burials have been taking place since the late 16thn century, and a number of notable Edinburgh residents are interred at Greyfriars.
    The Greyfriars Cemetery is reputedly haunted. One such haunt is attributed to the restless spirit of the infamous "Bloody" George Mackenzie buried there in 1691. The Mackenzie Poltergeist is said to cause bruising, bites and cuts on those who come into contact with it and many visitors have reported feeling strange sensations. A schoolboy, hiding in the vault to escape a beating from a master at George Heriot's school, supposedly got trapped here and lost his mind on being confronted by the ghost.