A CRUMBLING castle, half-finished attractions and rusting buildings are the chilling remains of what was meant to be China's fake Disneyland.
Left to rot for decades in the outskirts of Beijing, the tourist attraction, once known as Wonderland, now looks more like an apocalyptic hellscape.
Wonderland was designed to generate £80 million in revenue each year by drawing more than three million people annually.
It was supposed to be Asia's greatest amusement park, but the project has faced insurmountable challenges since its inception.
But the incomplete theme park is now home to squatters, trash, and farmers' crops, yet the exterior walls of the Bavarian-style Cinderella castle are still standing.
Eerie videos show the skeletal remains of the abandoned Wonderland, which became an urban explorer’s dream and a symbol of failed ambition.
The unfinished structures, particularly the massive fairytale-like castle, became a bizarre and somewhat haunting sight against the rural backdrop.
Nature began reclaiming the land, with weeds and trees growing through the concrete structures.
The park also became a symbol of the rapid development and economic changes in China, reflecting the risks and uncertainties that accompany such large-scale investments.
In the mid-1990s, developers envisioned a grand amusement park that would rival Disneyland, not just in size but in grandeur.
Wonderland was planned to be the biggest theme park in Asia, covering approximately 120 acres in Chenzhuang Village, near the town of Nankou, just outside of Beijing.
The park was designed to be a fantastical wonderland filled with castles, roller coasters, and various attractions that would draw in tourists from all over the world.
The developer, Reignwood Group, invested heavily in the project.
Construction began in 1998, and by the early 2000s, parts of the park, including a giant castle and other structures, started to take shape.
The promise of Wonderland brought hopes of prosperity to the local community, as it was expected to boost the local economy and create jobs.
But Wonderland's grand ambitions were short-lived.
The project was abruptly halted in 1998, not long after it began.
The reason behind the sudden stop was primarily due to a dispute between the developers and the local farmers over land prices.
The farmers, whose land had been acquired for the park, demanded higher compensation, which the developers were unwilling or unable to meet.
It came as the Asian financial crisis of 1997 had already put financial pressure on many large-scale projects across the region, and Wonderland was no exception.
The series of disputes and financial difficulties led to a complete halt of construction.
The half-built structures were left to deteriorate, with the castle and other incomplete buildings standing as silent witnesses to the ambitious project that never came to fruition.
In 2013, after years of speculation about whether the park would ever be completed or redeveloped, the site was officially abandoned.
By this time, the abandoned park had gained international attention, often featured in lists of the world’s creepiest abandoned places.
In May 2013, the remaining structures were finally demolished.
The land was repurposed for commercial use, and the dream of Wonderland was buried for good.
