Yungas Road: World's Most Dangerous Route

16°12'15.02"S 67°44'40.67"W

(from Wikimedia Commons)

   Crossing the Andean valley of the same name, Yungas Road offers a spectacular mountain panorama, yet it is reserved exclusively for adrenaline junkies. This is because the road has received the nickname "Death Road", and not without reason. Since its opening in the mid-20th century, thousands have died ---in the 1990s, the estimated number was 250 per year--- due to the lack of proper infrastructure, but mainly because of the harsh geography. Nowadays, the death rate has decreased a lot and the safety guarantees are better, still, the curse of this place isn't completely extinguished. Today in Blind Witnesses, the relevant trade history of the Yungas accompanied by curiosities and historical context.

Rocca Sparvièra Castle: The Cursed Abandoned Castle Of The French Alps

 43°53'34.46"N 7°17'14.56"E

(from Wikimedia Commons)

    Dramatically positioned atop a hill, Rocca Sparvièra overlooks strategically the two surrounding valleys, while offering at the same time a great sight of the Provence's green hills. No wonder they chose this spot to arrange a castle! However, the fortress is now in ruins following a span of centuries which felt like hell; one horror after another led to its mass destruction and final abandonment in the 18th century. The origins of these series of misfortunes are uncertain and probably just coincidental, however, a local legend tries to explain it in a rather bloodthirsty and macabre way. Its truthfulness is evidently very doubted, even if it does mix the pure myth with proved history... Welcome to the cursed Rocca Sparvièra or "Rock of the Hawks".

Bhopal: Where The World's Deadliest Industrial Disaster Took Place

23°16′51″N 77°24′38″E

   In 1984, the Indian city of Bhopal suffered world's biggest and deadliest industrial disaster ever. Thousands of Bhopalis awoke from their sleep when a highly toxic gas called methyl isocyanate leaked from a local pesticide plant, killing instantly 3000 people and disabling hundreds of thousands for the rest of their lives. The night silence suddenly turned into a chaos filled by screams, coughs and sobs of desperate inhabitants, whilst the only thing the chemical workers could do was to watch silently as the gas slowly invaded the buildings. Today in Blind Witnesses, the horrific gas tragedy of Bhopal.

Kigali Genocide Memorial: In Memoriam Of The Victims Of Rwanda's 1994 Civil War

1°55'50.67"S 30°03'37.78"E

(from Wikimedia Commons)

   Despite having been a nation for centuries, Rwanda rarely ever felt like one. When this tiny African state still was a kingdom, it was ethnically divided into two main groups: the Tutsi, who conformed the ruling minority; and the Hutu, who made up the powerless majority. As a result, this injustice was the trigger for one of the bloodiest civil wars of the 20th century which killed over a million people in 4 years. Fortunately, the last marks of this dark chapter are the placid memorials which encourage Rwandans to process their macabre past and to begin a new era of unification. One of the most iconic ones stands in the capital Kigali, serving as the resting place for thousands of people. But before fixating in this memorial site, a bit of history is necessary.

Tophet of Salammbo: Ancient Carthaginian Burial Chamber

 36°50'28.42"N 10°19'22.25"E

(from Wikimedia Commons)

   Who doesn't know Carthage? The ancient civilization that wrote history by becoming Rome's big rival and by dominating the Mediterranean's trade routes! Located in the present-day city of Tunis, it is renowned for its great sophistication at the time, having excellent military officers, numerous trade partners and a fine political structure (Learn more). But what you might not know, is that, despite all this, Carthage had some quite primitive rituals. Therefore, today we're going to learn about the Tophet of Salammbo, which opened a new way of how we viewed this advanced civilization. Now, let us start.

San Juan Parangaricutiro: The Mexican Church That Survived A Volcanic Eruption

 19°37'04.32"N 102°17'07.85"W

(from Wikimedia Commons)

   Some say it was saved by God while others affirm it was coincidence. The point is that the Sanctuary of San Juan is the only remain of a volcano eruption which affected the bustling town of San Juan Parangaricutiro. Its look is really paranormal, emerging from an ashy corner in Michoacan and being encompassed by dry bushes and nothing more. But this is not an usual Mexican version of Pompeii, as this case has a more particular story because the volcano was created just some days before it erupted.

The Catacombs of Paris: France's Subterranean Bone Collection

48°50'09.43"N 2°19'51.70"E

(from Wikimedia Commons)

   Paris is renowned worldwide as the "City of Love" with an estimated number of 9000 marriages registered every year. Some reasons for it are the charming boulevards, the expressive mimes and the imposing Gothic architecture. But beneath the surface, the Parisian atmosphere disappears completely: instead of love pairs and mimes, a shocking amount of millions of lost souls lays there. Welcome to the Catacombs of Paris, the hidden side of the French capital.