AS OBSESSED AS humans are with progress, decline and deterioration seem to similarly fascinate us. The sight of trees growing through concrete, deserted mine shafts reclaimed by nesting birds, and ghost towns in the middle of the desert remind us about the strength and the perseverance of nature.

In a world obsessed with excess, the following beautiful abandoned places are made so by subtraction. It’s the absence, the regression, and the return to nature that make them appealing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQko8sNWfWg


Pripyat, Ukraine


Pripyat was the city most affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. The incident released massive amounts of radiation, forcing the residents to flee. The spot is now one of the most well-known abandoned places in the world, thanks in large part to the ghostly reminders of what used to be: toys in a schoolhouse, clocks all frozen at the exact same time, and the famous decaying amusement park. The park has become so famous, in fact, that Ukraine is making it an official tourist attraction.

Houtouwan, Shengshan Island, China


Houtouwan—a former fishing village located about 87 miles southeast of Shanghai—has been uninhabited for several decades, but this is not your average ghost town. Instead of covered in dust and rubble, these buildings are almost entirely covered with creeping ivy and lush vegetation, creating a green landscape that is more spectacular than devastating. While most of the village's original residents moved inland in the early 1990s, a few people do still live on the island, selling water to curious tourists and photographers.

Dome Homes, Marco Island, Florida


If Luke Skywalker lived in Florida, you could probably find him meditating in one of the Dome Homes off the tip of Marco Island. The alien-looking houses were actually the brainchild of a retired oil tycoon, who built the structures in 1981 to be an eco-friendly vacation home for his family. But Florida will be Florida, and harsh weather and eroding shorelines surrounded the Dome Homes with water and rendered them unlivable. There's no plan to try to re-occupy the futuristic buildings, but it sure is fun to make up legends about where they came from and what purpose they serve—the Stonehenge of Southern Florida, if you will.

Kolmanskop, Namibia


You wouldn't guess by looking at it now, but the town of Kolmanskop was once the spot of diamond mining and extravagance in 1908. But once the fair-weather inhabitants discovered more diamonds south of Kolmanskop, the site instantly became a ghost town. It is now famous for its eerie, sand-filled houses, which have appeared on screen several times, notably in Dust Devil (1993) and The King Is Alive (2000).

Łapalice Castle, Poland


Imposing and ornate, Łapalice Castle resembles many of Eastern Europe's legendary spooky castles. Only Łapalice Castle was built in 1979—and it's not even technically a castle. The grand building was originally built as a studio for artist Piotr Kazimierczak, which for some reason needed a swimming pool, ballroom, ramparts, and a dozen towers. Unfortunately, Kazimierczak had to abandon his project before it was ever completed, thanks to the double threat of not having enough money and not having necessary permits for the land. Now, the "castle" is merely a shell of what could have been, with graffiti adorning the crumbling walls.

Beelitz-Heilstätten Hospital, Germany


If this old German hospital looks disturbing, well, it is. Just check out its chilling resume: Between 1898 and 1930, the Beelitz-Heilstätten complex served as a tuberculosis sanatorium. It also housed mustard gas and machine gun victims during World War I, including a young soldier named Adolf Hitler. The hospital later went on to be a major treatment center for Nazi soldiers during World War II, and it was used as a Soviet military hospital from 1945 until the fall of the Berlin Wall. Today, a few wards are used as a neurological rehabilitation center, although the majority of the complex is abandoned. The surgery and psychiatric wards have both been left to decay and give way to nature (and vandals), and the result looks like something straight out of American Horror Story: Asylum.


Hashima Island, Nagasaki, Japan


Hashima Island was once the most densely populated island in the world; now it's completely empty. People became interested in the island after finding an underwater coal deposit directly under it. As time went on, tightly packed apartment complexes were constructed for the miners and laborers, providing its density record. But folks left as quickly as they came when the coal ran out. It's now a rock and concrete ghost town in the middle of the ocean.

The last pictures is another earth

Anieke77:
The last pictures is another earth

Lol

The second to the last picture is still more developed than many part of Nigeria