Dystopian Disneyland: The Story Behind Turkey’s Castle Ghost Town
Most of us have probably imagined living in a castle at some point, whether during childhood, enchanted by fairy tales, or as adults studying European monarchies. Considering this fascination, what would you think if you had the chance to buy your castle? In mid-2014, you could make that dream a reality in Turkey for just $370,000. Each luxurious 325-squaremeter castle came complete with blue turrets and spiral staircases. The only catch? Your castle would be one of 731 identical ones. But who cares about exclusivity when you have the chance to live in a Disney fairy tale?
It is easy to imagine that the sales pitch for the Burj Al Babas project, launched in 2014 in the Turkish town of Mudurnu, sounded much like these first two paragraphs. Regardless of the commercial appeal, the sales were a success. Prices ranged from $370,000 to $530,000 depending on the location of each unit. Half of the units sold quickly upon the project’s launch, primarily to clients from Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates seeking summer homes.
