Former Convent of the Desert of the Lions

Although it is currently under the protection of the Mexican government and is part of the Desierto de los Leones protected natural area west of Mexico City, the former convent was actually abandoned by its original inhabitants, the Discalced Carmelites, in 1801 because it was very cold in the area (of course, if you go barefoot, anyway).

It then remained in total abandonment for almost two centuries until 1976.

Teotihuacan

Although these are archaeological ruins, where obviously no one has lived for hundreds of years, the complex of Teotihuacan, the City of the Gods, is a special case. This is because when the Mexica arrived to inhabit Lake Texcoco and founded Tenochtitlan in 1325, Teotihuacan had already been abandoned since at least the year 900.

In fact, to this day we do not know who lived there, what language they spoke, and why they abandoned their city.