Summary

• Haunted churches around the world offer a unique blend of history, architecture, and spooky experiences. From the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in NYC to the St. Michael's Chapel in Hallstatt, Austria, each church has its own haunted tales to tell.
• These haunting churches are still active and open to visitors, allowing you to explore their eerie beauty, attend mass, or witness ancient artifacts. Just be mindful of special feast days and events before planning a visit.
• With a mix of architectural styles including Gothic, Romanesque, and Renaissance, these beautiful yet haunting churches showcase breathtaking designs that add to their haunting allure. But don't forget to be safe and prepared for some goosebumps!

The world is filled with haunted places, from haunted cities around the globe to the creepiest locations on Earth. Whether a ghost hunter, a history buff, or someone who loves architecture, there's nothing quite like being enchanted by an old church, though, especially eerily beautiful yet haunted churches around the world.

From St. Patrick's Basilica in New York City all the way to St. Thomas' Anglican Parish of Mulgoa in rural Australia, each of the churches on this list are still in working order as centers of worship or museums; visitors can tour the sites, attend mass, see ancient artifacts, or visit on a holy feast day.

There's a mix of Christian denominations featured in these various churches, so check your calendars for special days before visiting. Either way, be prepared for some serious goosebumps; here are some creepy old churches around the world!

UPDATE: 2024/01/29 13:26 EST BY NOAH STAATS

Discover Even More Spooky Churches Around The World To Check Out This Year

This article has been updated with two additional spooky churches to witness this year, including one in NYC and another in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We've also thrown in some detailing surrounding each property's architectural styling. Be safe!

12 The Basilica Of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral, New York City

Hauntings of past people and an iconic location make this a must-see in the Big Apple

As one of the many iconic landmarks in NYC, the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral has a troubled history. Besides being on top of a catacomb of mortuary vaults, opened only once a year, this creepy church is where many priests and holy people are buried.

It's rumored a layman, Pierre Toussaint, also regularly haunts the church and surrounding area to this day, as he's buried in the catacombs. The church has seen many names and faces and lived through violent periods in New York City's history. It's eerie yet hauntingly beautiful in many ways.

• Address: 263 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10012
• Architectural style: Gothic Revival architecture

11 The Cathedral Basilica Of St. Francis Of Assisi, New Mexico

As a staple looming over the city, this basilica hosts many spirits

There are many creepy churches in the US, and the next haunted church comes out of Santa Fe, New Mexico: the iconic Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. With many people stepping in and out of this church throughout the decades, spirits do tend to linger.

There are tombs under the church, which occasionally are blessed and opened, which has led to many people seeing and hearing paranormal things once night falls.

Interestingly, the downtown area surrounding the church tends to see the most ghostly action, with many tourists catching shadows, moving, laughing, and sometimes screaming late at night. The basilica is at the center, so beware.

• Address: 131 Cathedral Pl, Santa Fe, NM 87501
• Architectural style: Romanesque Revival architecture

10 Church Of Mother Of God Before Týn, Prague, Czech Republic

An intimidating Gothic church with tombs looms over the city of Prague

Even in daylight, the exterior brick and high Gothic spires are intimidating. A vampire would have to live in towers like these. Take a night tour when the interior is mixed with little more than candlelight, and the place sends chills down your spine.

The church dates from the 14th century, and the old Baroque designs and altar paintings seem to move in the dim light. Like most old European churches, this one contains burials and tombs, the most notable being the one of astronomer Tycho Brahe.

• Address: Staroměstské nám., 110 00 Staré Město, Czechia
• Architectural styles: Gothic architecture, Baroque architecture

9 The Borgund Stave Church, Borgund, Norway

As the most distinctive stave church in Norway, this haunted church feels extra eerie

The unique architecture of this former church and its location in the middle of a medieval cemetery is chilling and fascinating. The only stone you find here is in the foundation. The building is named for the brilliant design it utilizes, consisting of only wood that's cut specifically to fit together without nails or stakes.

It seems to have worked well since the building has stood for more than 1000 years. Some sacred accessories remain, like the altar, and the walls are decorated with various engravings of animals and mystical creatures. The decor even includes Norse runes.

• Address: Vindhellavegen 606, 6888 Borgund, Norway
• Architectural styles: Medieval architecture

8 Norwich Cathedral, England

Architectural styles, ghost stories, and past clergy members' ghosts instill chills

Thousands of curious tourists, many of them keen on paranormal activity, take a tour through this ancient church on a regular basis. The mix of imposing Norman, Romanesque, and ethereal Gothic architecture is only the tip of what makes this church so creepy yet beautiful.

Moreover, the church and surrounding cloisters are almost a thousand years old, and they've seen a lot of turbulent history. The site is also home to various hauntings; some of the former bishops, priests, nuns, and other people who were burned at the stake, along with ancient Saxons whose homes and temples were razed to make way for the cathedral are said to be among the ghosts that roam this scary church.

• Address: 65 The Cl, Norwich NR1 4DH, United Kingdom
• Architectural styles: Norman architecture, English Gothic architecture

Visiting the most haunted Medieval castle in England may also be worth it.

7 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Key West, Florida

Part of Key West's iconic Duval Street, this Episcopal church holds many mysteries

This church proves that Florida is more than just theme parks and beaches; it's a hotspot of historical haunts, too. Interestingly, this church only looks so bright and new because it's been rebuilt so many times. In fact, excavations have determined that the site was once a Seminole burial ground, and that's only the beginning.

The land was privately owned by the Fleming family before the church was built, and the land was only granted after the widow was assured her husband's remains, already interred on the land, would not be disturbed.

Local legend says that the promise was broken, and the ghost of John William Charles Fleming still wanders the site. Other apparitions have been reported in the church graveyard; a ghostly group of children who were killed in a fire set by a jealous Deacon who was trying to take revenge on his unfaithful wife. It's also located on one of the best streets in Key West, Duval Street, which offers much to do.

• Address: 401 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040
• Architectural styles: 19th-century classic

6 St. Michael’s Chapel, Hallstatt, Austria

Filled with bones, this chapel feels ghostly among a seemingly perfect Austrian town

This is where you can find the famous Hallstatt Ossuary, which contains the largest collection of painted human skulls on the planet. Haunts aside, the view from here is heavenly, complete with mountains and an Alpine lake.

This chapel and charnel house date from a time when Catholics had to be buried in the consecrated ground, so they could rise from their graves when the end of time came. The result was that many graveyards were crowded, and storing bones in an ossuary or using them for religious displays was one way to solve this problem. Enjoy the view while admiring the array of human bones.

• Address: 4830 Hallstatt, Austria
• Architectural style: Old European, 12th-century

5 St. Andrew’s On The Red, Selkirk, Canada

Influenza victims, those who died of other illnesses, and lingering spirits give this church a chill

Ancient according to North American standards, St. Andrew's is the oldest stone church in western Canada. It's located in a small suburb of Winnipeg and has stood since 1831. It's located on a lightly forested hill, and the Gothic design is rather imposing.

Both the church and the graveyard that surround the site are apparently haunted. Victims of influenza, diphtheria, typhoid, and tuberculosis from the early colonial era were some of the first to be interred here, and their restless spirits still wander the grounds.

• Address: St Andrews Rd, Winnipeg, MB R1A 3P5, Canada
• Architectural style: Traditional prayer book parish

4 St. Michan's Church, Dublin, Ireland

Mummies are the least of your worries at this haunted Irish church

Before this church was built here in 1095, it was the site of an old Norse Chapel. It was likely a temple or burial site before that. Even in this crowded and modern urban setting, the plain-looking church has some amazing interior features and an even more dramatic history.

What makes this church so unique and terrifying is the collection of mummies. The limestone vaults have kept the air dry, creating an ideal environment for preservation. The crypts are filled with dusty coffins and rough stones, a sight to make anyone's hair stand on end. Don't miss the Crusader and the 400-year-old nun.

• Address: Church St, Arran Quay, Dublin 7, Ireland
• Architectural style: Primitive Nordic chapel

Read up on a quintessential guide to a weekend in Dublin, Ireland, and plan a few extra activities around visiting its haunted spots!

3 The Duomo Of Cosenza, Cosenza, Italy

Home to ancient burials and the bones of the Cathedral's first priest

Like many places in this ancient part of Italy, the city's main cathedral is so old nobody knows exactly when it was built. It was one of the first sites in Calabria to be awarded UNESCO Heritage status, partly for this reason. Consecrated as a cathedral, or Duomo, in 1184, the actual structure is much older than that.

If you visit today, you can see the changes in architecture that have taken place over the centuries, which is one of the features that makes this church so overwhelming. It blends into the surrounding buildings and seems to hide below them.

The low street level is a testament to its advanced age. There are various ancient burials in the church, many of which are on display, such as the bones of the Cathedral's first priest.

• Address: Piazza Duomo, 1, 87100 Cosenza CS, Italy
• Architectural style: Romanesque architecture

2 Cathedral Of The Assumption Of Our Lady, Guadalajara, Mexico

Mummified bodies and the Crypt of the Archbishops make this church chilling

When the sun hits the right angle, it makes the old bricks of this church seem to glow with ethereal orange light. The Spanish Renaissance exterior, framed by Gothic spires, is both romantic and chilling.

The interior has impressive neo-Gothic vaults and houses impressive artwork from the late medieval and modern period, which makes the place seem even more otherworldly. These are just the aesthetic reasons why this building is among the most beautiful yet scariest churches in the world.

Inside, one of the most popular attractions at the Cathedral Of The Assumption Of Our Lady is the Crypt of the Archbishops. If that doesn't give you chills, the mummified bodies on display will. There's one that dates from the 1700s of a child who was killed for converting to Catholicism. Witnesses claim to have seen her eyes blink and watched her hair move.

• Address: Av. Fray Antonio Alcalde 10, Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
• Architectural styles: Gothic Revival architecture, Renaissance architecture

1 St. Thomas' Anglican Parish Of Mulgoa, New South Wales, Australia

Discover striking Gothic architecture in a rural location, with endless ghost stories

This is a quaint church that has a striking Gothic Revival design, but its age and location, on a hillside in a semi-rural area, hide a tragic history. Legend has it that two young boys died in a fire in the bell tower after a prank went horribly wrong. Any kind of light, even candles, angers these restless spirits.

Reports of strange issues with lights flashing on and off have been reported; even drivers cruising by apparently have had problems with headlights. The surrounding cemetery, filled with monuments that date back 200 years, completes the creepy picture.

• Address: 43 St Thomas Rd, Mulgoa NSW 2745, Australia
• Architectural style: Gothic architecture