Castles worthy of Disney fairy tales have sprung up like mushrooms in this city which nevertheless welcomes no inhabitants.
Imagine Sleeping Beauty’s castle at Disneyland Paris, in a more modest size of course but reproduced and multiplied as if by the wave of a magic wand! Now look at these perfect little castles, with their pointed towers and roofs, meticulously lined up next to each other… This is what visitors to Burj al Babas can see today.
Unfortunately, the enchanting forest setting contrasts with the total absence of a living soul, a sign that something is not right. And for good reason, everything is abandoned! The project, launched in 2014 by the company Sarot Group, nevertheless looked promising. Building on the success of two neighboring spa hotels, the company invested $200 million in this vacation complex near the Black Sea. The small castles, inspired by Mediterranean architecture with a Gothic touch, were to appeal to a wealthy European, Asian and Gulf clientele, with a unit price of $350,000 to $500,000. Jacuzzi, underfloor heating… each home was full of extras to satisfy wealthy clients.
But quickly, the first pitfalls appear. Residents are protesting against flashy architecture and the destruction of nature, with rare black oaks and pines having been cut down for construction. In 2018, a lawsuit was filed against the developer for environmental damage. The final blow came from the Turkish financial crisis which hit the real estate sector hard that year.
The construction of Burj al Babas was interrupted shortly after, leaving 580 castles unfinished out of the 700 planned. Sarot Group is now drowning in $27 million in debt. Some point out the initial flaws of the project: residences that are too close, without privacy or a garden, with the absence of an individual swimming pool, all elements poorly suited to the expectations of a high-end clientele.
If the ghost complex does not welcome the expected wealthy vacationers, it nevertheless now attracts fans of abandoned places. Despite the access ban for security reasons, bloggers and curious people venture there, fascinated by this “abandoned Disneyland”. A hope of resurrection remains, however. According to several Turkish sources, the project was bought by an American company, NOVA Group Holdings. Burj al Babas could one day rise from its ashes and finally welcome its visitors… A happy ending worthy of the most beautiful fairy tales?