12 Scenes of Horror and Brutality That Were Turned into Basic-Ass Tourist Attractions
![12 Scenes of Horror and Brutality That Were Turned into Basic-Ass Tourist Attractions](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/0/0/892800_320x180.jpg)
Ah, the stories of the past. Of kings and emperors, of gods and goddesses, of wars and conquests, and of sacrifices made in their names.
From the glorious celebration of Emperor Titus’ opening of the Colosseum in Rome to the gruesome sacrifice of 4,000 prisoners of war at the opening of the sixth Great Temple of Tenochtitlan, to the glass jewelry found in the remains of a middle-aged couple and a young woman sacrificed as part of a ritual to protect Wolseong Palace in South Korea, to the long, costly graveyard of the Great Wall of China, to the Inca child sacrifices made to appease the gods, to the grim reminder of death and execution at Dead Man’s Hole.
These stories of the past, though often tragic, are a reminder of our shared history and the sacrifices made by those who came before us... and the fact that the places where they happened are now major tourist attractions. So, let us take a moment to remember these stories and the people who lived them, and the people who now take selfies there.
A long, costly graveyard.
![CRACKED CHINA THE GREAT WALL The Great Wall of China stretches for more than 13,000 miles. It was built over a period of thousands of years, and it's believed that a huge number of people died while constructing it, earning it the nickname longest cemetery on Earth.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/4/6/893246.jpg)
Sacrificing children to appease gods: not cool.
![PERU MACHU PICCHU In Machu Picchu, as elsewhere, the Incas would sacrifice children to the gods in order to prevent disasters. Sometimes, they would take the kids to die of cold in the mountains, but even their so-called lost city has sacrificial altars. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/3/2/892032.jpg)
Death trap: Popular destination
![SAN FRANCISCO GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE Since it was built in 1937, the bridge has seen an estimated 1,600 people take their own lives, making it the most popular spot for suicide in the world. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/3/0/892030.jpg)
Emperor’s deadly decree.
![CRACKED BEIJING THE FORBIDDEN CITY In 1421, Yongle Emperor commanded a huge massacre of the concubines in the palace, resulting in the deaths of more than 2,800 people on the grounds.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/5/0/893250.jpg)
Sacrifices made to protect the palace?
![SOUTH KOREA WOLSEONG PALACE In 2017, archaeologists found the remains of a middle-aged couple and a young woman. It's thought that they were sacrificed as part of a ritual to protect the palace when it was built. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/3/5/892035.jpg)
Imprisonment, torture, and politics: Welcome to the Tower of London.
![CRACKED LONDON THE TOWER OF LONDON For over 800 years, the tower has been a place of imprisonment. During the 16th and 17th centuries, physical torture was used mainly to get information out of people, rather than as a punishment. THE TRAITORS GATE](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/3/4/892034.jpg)
Small island, big jail.
![SAN FRANCISCO ALCATRAZ ISLAND During the Civil War, Alcatraz was used to lock up Union deserters, Confederate supporters, Native Americans, American soldiers who left to join the Filipino side in the Spanish-American War, and others. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/2/9/892029.jpg)
Glorious celebration, gruesome sacrifice.
![CRACKED MEXICO CITY TEMPLO MAYOR In December 1487, a huge ceremony was held to mark the opening of the sixth Great Temple of Tenochtitlan. 4,000 prisoners of war were sacrificed, with their hearts being cut out and offered to the gods. Uh... Enjoy your sightseeing!](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/3/3/892033.jpg)
Burned Witches, Sunk Boat.
![CRACKED SCOTLAND EDINBURGH CASTLE Edinburgh Castle was the place where more than 300 witches were burned in the 16th Century. One of them was a Dame Euphane MacCalzean, who was accused of using magic to make a boat sink in Leith and trying to wreck King James VI's ship.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/2/6/892026.jpg)
King Herod builds, Jordanians use.
![JERUSALEM THE TOWER OF DAVID King Herod the Great built the tower in Jerusalem Citadel. The Jordanians used it as a military base until the Israelis took it over after Jerusalem was reunited in 1967 - so, it was last actively used while the Beatles were still together. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/2/7/892027.jpg)
Grim reminder of death and execution.
![CRACKED LONDON TOWER BRIDGE Dead Man's Hole was a small area in Tower Bridge that was used to keep the bodies of people who had died in the River Thames. It was also used to show the bodies of executed people, so that their families and friends could identify them.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/2/5/892025.jpg)
Emperor Titus: "Party hard!"
![ROME THE COLOSSEUM When the Colosseum opened, Emperor Titus threw a huge party with a hundred days of gladiator fights. Anyway, today you can go take a selfie there and harvest likes on Instagram. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/2/8/892028.jpg)