"The more things are forbidden, the more popular they become"
Mark Twan
mysteriously unknown goose-bumps giving treasures...
ASIA
(Was) Forbidden: 10/10 (1420 – 1912)
Forbidden since: 1420 -1912
WHAT’S HIDDEN:
- imperial palace complex of the 14th Emperors of the Ming and 10th Emperors of the Qing dynasties (1368–1912) in Beijing
- imperial palace of 24 emperors in total of China for 492 years
- China’s best-preserved imperial palace
- the largest ancient palatial structure in the world – 720,000 m² / 7,750,000 sq ft²)
- 980 buildings, 70 palace compounds, and over 8,700 rooms
- 10-meter-high wall surrounding the area – 3.4 km /2 mi long
- symbolism of strength – yellow and red colors, stone and bronze lions
- imperial living and governing quarters, valuable artworks, row of mystical animal statuettes (lions and dragons, phoenixes), and traditional gardens
- only accessed by the emperor, his immediate family, his women/concubines and thousands of eunuchs (castrated male servants) and officials
- was forbidden to ordinary people till 1912 when the Republic of China was established (the last Emperor of China, Puyi, abdicated his authority)
- UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987
Can see?:
it is now a museum that is open to public since 1925 (last emperor resign), one of the most popular tourist attractions in China, perhaps second after the Great Wall. Forbidden city welcoming about 14 million visitors per year (80,000 visitors per day)
ISE GRAND SHRINE, JAPAN
Forbidden: 8/10
Forbidden since: Unknown…
WHAT’S HIDDEN:
- Japan’s one of the most expensive temple, most important and astonishingly beautiful Shinto shrine
- located in the heart of a sacred forest in the Mie Prefecture of Japan
- Ise Grand Shrine was built in around 3rd or 4th BCE
- dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu with a separate shrine dedicated to the food goddess Toyouke
- the holiest site which is spiritually and culturally important to Japan closed for the common public (to go inside) and only the members of the royal family (Japan) are granted access to this ancient representation sacred to the Japanese
Can see?:
Ise Grand Shrine is a strictly limited place but still there is way for public to walk through a complex of 125 shrines across Ise City, just remember the Inner and Outer Shrines are the most sacred sites that hidden behind four tall wooden fences.
Forbidden :10/10 (no one is allowed)
Forbidden since: 1974
WHAT’S HIDDEN:
- named after the China’s first Emperor – Qin Shi Huang
- the tomb in the Mausoleum
- was hidden deep under a pyramid and waited to be found for more than 2,000 years
- the Mausoleum was found in March 1974 and since then have been the one of the biggest discoveries in the history of China
- for historians and archaeologists it is an exceptional discovery full of artefacts and unknown details that may never be revealed to public
- belief that the burial site has been left with clues and items that Qin Shi Huang will need for himself in the afterlife
- the Tomb of Qin Shi Huang is secured by Chinese Government and banned from the public in regards to the Emperor’s wish
Can see?:
Allowed to see the Mausoleum of 8,000 life-sized terra-cotta soldiers
Forbidden: 10/10 (no one is allowed)
Forbidden since: 1956
WHATS HIDDEN:
- place where Sentinelese tribe resides
- Sentinelese tribe trying to keep their isolation still ongoing
- Sentinelese tribe have existed on the island for more than 50,000 years
- one of the most dangerous places due to the Sentinelese tribe’s barbarian intentions against anyone who would dare to come closer to there island
- under the protection of the Indian Government – Indian Navy patrol the island
- do not have the needed immune system to withstand modern and common diseases/ viruses
Can see?:
More likely the island itself from far away… over the Sentinelese tribe’s arrow range distance
EUROPE
Forbidden: 9/10
Forbidden since: 2008
WHAT’S HIDDEN:
- in the middle of the Arctic Svalbard archipelago
- world’s largest secure seed bank – storing the diversity of plant seeds all around the world for long term
- keeping the seeds in an event of an apocalypse or worldwide emergency
- called as ‘the Noah’s Ark of plant diversity’
- protected by the Government of Norway
- granted access to special guests/ scientists only on certain days
Can see?:
Yeah! there is possibility to come closer to the entrance even if you are not a special guest or scientist but only if you come with the official guides who organised your trip to the Doomsday Vault.
Hooray, it is some kind of a motivation to become a scientist…
LASCAUX CAVES, FRANCE
Forbidden: 9/10
Forbidden since: 1963
WHAT’S HIDDEN:
- the cave holds pre-historic paintings from at least 17,300 years ago
- set of Palaeolithic paintings over the wall – cattle, stags, bison and more
- treasured gem for top archaeologists around the world
- cave’s ecosystem can be easily damaged by heat, carbon dioxide, humidity and microbes
- in 1948 was opened to 1200 visitors per day that left irrevocable damage to the paintings
- granted access to special scientists to protect the paintings from mould and bacteria and ensure site surveillance and preservation (Chauvet – Pont d’Arc Cave Preservation Office)
Can see?:
From 1983 you can see Lascaux II – painting replica that is exact copy of the prehistoric paintings in Lascaux, almost next to the original paintings (less than a kilometre away).
Forbidden: 10/10
Forbidden since: 1967
WHAT’S HIDDEN:
- an archipelago small island on the south coast of Iceland
- made of a volcanic explosion that continued for four years
- the newest island on Earth
- only few scientists and geologists are granted access
- banned for tourists as human
- interference will upset the island’s “just-born” ecosystem
- ecological sequence is ongoing on the island
- protected by law to minimise the human disruption while geological formation of the Island’s ecosystem could be as natural as possible including colonisation by plants and animals, biotic succession and more..
Can see?:
Strictly prohibited to visit but you can view the island from the new land areas of Heimaey (opened in 1973) and there is a Surtsey Visitor Centre but it is still not like stepping-in on the island, which is pity but its for the sake of complete newbie ecosystem of biological organism…We do believe that no one – I mean it – except scientists in their fully protected isolated wear, wander around the Surtsey. Point made, as yet there are daredevils that aim to be there at no cost.
VATICAN APOSTOLIC ARCHIVES, VATICAN CITY
Forbidden: 9/10
Forbidden since: 1610 (former Vatican Secret Archives)
WHAT’S HIDDEN:
- were named as a Secret Archives for more than 400 (since 1610)
- one of the world’s most important research centres
- contain the state papers, correspondence, papal account books, and other documents dates as far back as the eighth century
- accumulated over the centuries by church
- the Pope owns the archives until his death or resignation – ownership passing to his successor
- no browsing is allowed
Can see?:
Meanwhile only scholars/qualified researchers granted access to the Vatican Apostolic Archives, all the documents dated after 1939 are completely off-limits to public viewing
SOUTH AMERICA
ILHA DA QUEIMADA GRANDE (SNAKE ISLAND), BRAZIL
Forbidden: 9/10
Forbidden since: 1920
WHAT’S HIDDEN:
- world’s highest concentration of venomous snakes
- thousands of poisonous snakes
- about 4,000 golden lanceheads – most poisonous serpents known on entire planet
- dense population of snakes evolved over thousands of years
- Island’s area – 430,000 m²
- prohibited by the law to step onto the island – the Brazilian government strictly controls visits
- biologists and researchers are granted special permission to visit the island to study the golden lanceheads
Can see?:
Well..its only 33 km/21 mi off the São Paulo’s coast (Brazil) so you might see the shape of an island…
NORTH AMERICA
AREA 51, SOUTHERN NEVADA, USA
Forbidden: 9/10
Forbidden since: 1955
WHAT’S HIDDEN:
- The United States Air Force (USAF) facility
- top-secret military base
- Edwards Air Force Base
- Nevada Test and Training Range
- primary purpose is publicly unknown
- development and testing of experimental aircraft and weapons systems
- subjected to conspiracy theories including appearance of folklore about alien/unidentified flying object (UFO)
Can see?:
Highly restricted area, so is it worth it to disobey the rule? Not a good idea … not even food delivery man could cross it 😁
Only certain people, perhaps at most US military, are allowed to enter…