Dark Attractions
As mentioned in the beginning, dark tourism is travelling to the sites associated
with death, suffering and tragedy. There can be seen parallels in such historical
activities as gladiatorial contests in Ancient Rome or public executions in the Middle
Ages (Daams 2007.) The present day tourist can visit Ground Zero of the terrorist
attack on September 11 (2001) in New York, London Dungeon or the concentration
camp of Auschwitz. Sites, purpose built or otherwise, which attract paying
or non-paying visitors, and which have real or simulated death, pain or suffering
as their main theme can be called dark tourism attractions. (Stone 2005.)
House of Terror stands as a monument to the memory of those held captive, tor12
tured and killed in the building during the Nazi and the Communist reigns. The
museum presents the horrors in a tangible way and intends to make people understand
that the sacrifice for freedom was not in vain. (House of Terror website
2009.) In this way, the House of Terror fits the definition as a dark tourism attraction.