Weird And Wonderful Places On Earth That Are Strictly Off-Limits To The Public
Most people have heard the phrase “harder to get into than Fort Knox.” After all, Fort Knox is the most highly protected place in the world, with what’s rumored to be electric fences, lasers, radar, machine guns, and landmines making its gold reserves nearly impossible to access. But the following places also hold secrets and dangers enough for public access to be prohibited. You could try to visit these places, but you probably wouldn't get past security...
30. Surtsey Island, Iceland
A three-and-a-half-year eruption in the volcanic waters around Iceland was dramatic enough to form a whole new island when it ended in 1967. Scientists took an early interest in the rock — located roughly 20 miles off the country’s south coast — even as the mass had barely cooled. They knew early on this wouldn’t become a tourist destination.
A brand new island
Researchers commandeered the island in 1964. Their aim was to study how animals and plants set up homes on newly-formed land. The 348-acre rock eventually attracted more than 330 species of invertebrates and various other birds, fungi, and lichen species. To preserve the study area, then, the island is accessible to only a handful of scientists and was given UNESCO World Heritage status in 2008.
29. Tomb of the Qin Shi Huang, China
In 1974 farmers in China’s Shaanxi region unearthed a sizeable army of terracotta sculptures representing the military personnel of the country’s first serving emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Numbering in the thousands, the detailed figurines date back to around 200 B.C. The find, which filled the ruler’s subterranean burial network, is considered among the most significant in history.
The secret tomb
The grounds where the terracotta soldiers stand are among the most notable tourist attractions in China. However, the actual tomb is shrouded in secrecy. There are rumors of extreme security measures protecting the crypt from interlopers, and deadly levels of mercury have been recorded in the compound. Some 2,000 of the incredible sculptures are visible to visitors. But several thousand more, along with other valuables, could still be concealed in the burial chamber.
