The Eerie Story Of Hoia-Baciu, The Haunted Forest Of Transylvania
Padurea Hoia/Wikimedia CommonsHoia-Baciu forest in the Transylvania region of Romania is considered to be one of the most haunted forests in the world.
Several things about Romania’s Hoia-Baciu may strike visitors as unsettling right off the bat. For one, it’s located in Transylvania, the historic region best known as the homeland of Dracula and his real-life inspiration, Vlad the Impaler. For another, it was purportedly named after a shepherd who disappeared within its depths alongside his flock.
However, these are but a few of the many reasons why Hoia-Baciu is considered to be a haunted forest — if not the most haunted forest in the world.
Perhaps the most notorious part of the forest is an area known as the “circle” or the “clearing.” Here, the trees form a circle around a patch of land where nothing grows. This part of the forest has been known to draw both scientists and witches — and it was allegedly the site of a 1968 UFO sighting that was actually photographed by a military technician.
Emil BarneaBelievers argue that the photographer, a military technician named Emil Barnea, had no ulterior motive when he took the photo — indeed, Barnea was swiftly dismissed from his job.
But that’s not all. Visitors to the forest have also been known to spot ectoplasms — a kind of spiritual energy — and to capture ghosts on film. People have also reported odd symptoms like nausea and anxiety, and some find that their electronic devices don’t work well within the woods.
Plus, many of the trees of Hoia-Baciu grow in an odd shape, twisting upwards in a way that defies scientific explanation.
Given all the oddities of Hoia-Baciu, it’s no surprise that it’s considered one of the world’s most haunted forests. But there is one thing that, surprisingly, few people have reported seeing in these Transylvanian woods: vampires.
