It seems odd, but there are tons of buildings and structures in the world that have become totally abandoned. What is even weirder is that there are also plenty of abandoned towns and cities around the world. There are some towns that were once filled with life; now they have been left to decompose. From stores to malls to churches and tons of houses, these towns are eerily quiet these days.

It is unusual to see these normally high-traffic places and well-used buildings so empty and silent. They raise questions pertaining to how the place ended up abandoned at all, what used to go on when it was not abandoned, and what might come of it in the future. There is sometimes a lot of history behind these places, such as floods, wars, or crime. Other times, there is nothing to be known about them.

Many people who go looking for these abandoned places to explore choose to share photos of them online for all to see. Here are 25 images of abandoned towns, buildings, and more to discover and ponder about.