Posted on 11/10/2024 10:39:26 AM PST by SunkenCiv
In the northwestern Turkish town of Mudurnu, a peculiar and ghostly sight awaits those who venture a few kilometers south...
Imagine stumbling upon a town of hundreds of Disney-inspired mini-palaces, complete with turrets and over-the-top glamorous towers. Burj Al Babas was intended to be a luxurious urban development, boasting 732 French-inspired châteaus.
However, economic challenges halted construction at 583 homes, leaving the landscape dotted with abandoned castles that were supposed to redefine opulence in the Middle East...
Sarot Group, the ambitious project developer, envisioned a community where Mediterranean climate and European aesthetics converged nestled in a massive valley at the base of Turkey’s northwestern mountains. The allure was not just in the lavish European architecture but also in the promise of Gothic-style rooftop terraces overlooking the lush Turkish forest.
The mini-palaces, each priced between £330,000 to £440,000, were designed to feature underfloor heating, Jacuzzis on every level, and access to a geothermal spring for a communal spa center. Each castle, veiled in a layer of snow during winter, was designed to offer a fairy-tale-like experience...
Despite investors and buyers pulling out in 2019, Sarot Group initially expressed confidence in completing the £200 million project. However, the pandemic dealt a severe blow, leaving Burj Al Babas in a state of abandonment. While not impossible, the likelihood of the project resuming now seems uncertain...
Despite its current state of disarray, Burj Al Babas, with its unseen interiors and picturesque surroundings, still hints at the European luxury it was meant to embody. As the world’s most expensive ghost town, it remains a sprawling enigma in northwestern Turkey—a testament to grand aspirations, unfortunate circumstances, and the unpredictable twists of fate.
(Excerpt) Read more at ripleys.com ...
The truth is, I had that in the back of my mind when I posted it. What looks like a ridiculous price tag would be tip money or one wild degenerate Hollyweed party to the entertainment industry nitwits. And you know they lurk on FR. :^)
I doubt that it matters, everyone’s in bed somewhere and can sort it out in the morning. :^)
Ok, they were targeting wealthy muzzies. Now I get it. Even they would probably prefer fake and artificial to living on top of a sand dune. But I’m sure word would get out and their hidey-holes discovered. Can’t keep something like this a secret. So the idiot developers over extended their credit and got too many units (aka fake chateaus) started without finishing the previous ones. Not something the “Don” would do.
reminds me of The Village in The Prisoner.
Ah, but they could rely on Erdogan’s heavily armed state and secret police to make it work. The main mystery to me is, $27 million was spent to build 500 units, none of which are finished, and Turkey’s not particularly a high-wage country.
Whoops, I just woke up, $27m was the amount in the hole... $200 million was spent to build 500 units, none of which are finished, and Turkey’s not particularly a high-wage country.
Erdogan’s minions could be bought especially in a low wage country like Turkey, and it is loaded with corruption. If I was looking to hide I’d pick somewhere less conspicuous and not somewhere where the rest of the residents are also trying to lay low. I have to believe the muzzie leaders know all about this place, could have even been some of the investors. Wouldn’t that be a surprise for those new residents?
I now kinda wonder if it wasn’t just the financial problems behind Greece’ decision to lift the ban on foreign ownership of Aegean Islands.
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