“Dark tourism” appeals to travelers who are fascinated by death

During the month During October, many people get into the Halloween spirit by putting themselves in spooky situations, such as watching a horror movie or visiting a haunted house. However, some travelers seek this feeling year-round by engaging in “dark tourism.”

Dark tourism refers to visiting places associated with the macabre or historical sites where death and suffering took place. Places like Chernobyl; Auschwitz; Salem, Mass.; and infamous crime scenes are some of the places associated with the darker tales of history that travelers love to visit. Aside from the historical interest, people visit these places to feel a connection with the victims and to come to terms with the injustice they suffered.

Another part of the appeal lies in the physical strain that a state of discomfort often brings. James Giordano, a neurobiology researcher at Georgetown University Medical Center, says fear triggers a specific response in the human body.

“The idea of ​​being in a place that is frightening or frightening and bright is exciting,” says Giordano. “Going to these places is like hanging out a little over the edge.” “Think of that when someone looks intently at a grisly car accident on the side of the road,” he says. Visiting some of these places where tragedy has occurred can evoke similar feelings, but in different ways.

Fear and the adrenaline rush that comes with it are present. This also applies to the ability to relate in some way to the lessons of history that can be learned from visiting a place of historical horror. But there is another key element: security. People expect to be afraid, but they also know that they are safe all the time. As Giordano puts it, the appeal of dark tourism is experiencing “all the hustle and bustle, but none of the reality.”

More than just witchcraft

A museum in the small Swiss town of Ennenda commemorates the last person executed for witchcraft in Europe. Visitors can learn more about the historic site and even see the sword used to behead the impoverished defendant Anna Göldi, who was killed in 1782. Nicole Billeter, one of the curators of the Anna Göldi Museum, says the museum and its presentation are intended to educate visitors about incidents that occurred hundreds of years ago in a way that defies historical misinterpretations of witchcraft counteracts the 19th century.

“There are so many false images surrounding witchcraft, dating back to the 19th century,” Billeter says. “Everyone has this historical image of it [what people who are condemned for witchcraft did] which is really wrong historically. We want to correct it.”

The story of Anna Göldi is discussed at school in Switzerland, says Billeter, and so local tourists come looking for a connection to the story. “In Switzerland we have all kinds of young people,” she says. “I was amazed that teenagers were coming.”