(Check out our complete collection of Urban Exploration Tips, Tricks and Guides.)
Have you ever been drawn to the calm beauty of abandoned buildings, or even tempted to explore forbidden structures in the urban landscape? For some, urban exploration is a hobby or even a mission. Many urban explorers are also adept photographers who create amazing images showing the beauty of abandoned spaces.
Places: Urban explorers visit and document sites and spaces few venture into. Many of these are expressly off-limits and illegal, from abandoned sewer, utility or transit tunnels to residential, commercial and institutional buildings. Though approaches to urban exploration evolve, related practices date back hundreds of years.
Equipment: Urban explorations can be as simple as bypassing warning signs and ducking under red tape. However, they can also be complex and require varying amounts of equipment. The trick, of course, is knowing ahead of time as much as possible about the site or space you are planning to explore.
More: To learn more, click here to visit a random site in the urban exploration web ring or check out the the UK Urban Exploration Forums. Interested in going exploring yourself? You might want to pick up a copy of of the book: Access All Areas by the late Ninjalicious. Some explorers also visit active buildings. Want a real challenge? You should try hacking your way into this building!
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41 Comments
August 5th, 2007 at 6:50 am
Great post! I had no idea urban exploration was hundreds of years old — I thought it was pretty new.
I’m actually going to an abandoned hotel today with a friend of mine — I’ll be sure to get some pictures.
August 6th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
I’ve always enjoyed urban exploration, especially abandoned places!
August 7th, 2007 at 4:51 am
Very cool blog!
August 7th, 2007 at 5:25 am
Cool site! Neat article, reminds me that I should get out there more often!
Richard
http://www.urban-exploring.com
August 7th, 2007 at 5:26 am
Very nice post, good way to expand the community of urban explorers!
August 7th, 2007 at 5:30 am
For 20 years i’ve secretly explored spaces under and between urban buildings, which I dubbed “urban spelunking”. Nice to read about kindred spirits here. I have some stories to tell.
August 7th, 2007 at 5:39 am
Hi, Web Urbanist maker.
I think you wanted to type transit instead of tranist
in line 3 paragraph 2.
I’m just a Chinese new to your site. I don’t if it is a new word out
of dictionaries.
August 7th, 2007 at 6:19 am
Nice collection of resources. These will come in handy. Thanks!
August 7th, 2007 at 7:12 am
florida urban exploration
http://www.flurbex.com
the home of floridas explorers
August 7th, 2007 at 7:15 am
breaking into buildings would violate one of the 3 codes of ethics.
1. break nothing but silence
2. take nothing but pictures
3. leave nothing but footprints
stating that urban exploration is about breaking into buildings really gives this a bad name. we already have enough issues just taking photos from a public sidewalk or road.
August 7th, 2007 at 7:32 am
Years ago, before they tore it down, the old Cleveland Justice Center was abandoned for years. We used to go in all the time and walk through the prison section. There were old courtrooms, old jury rooms, and even some ‘behind the scenes’ areas that you could tell were places where prisoners used to go hide things. We spent a few days in there taking pictures. It was a VERY cool place, and I’m sick that I lost the film when my car was stolen that summer.
August 7th, 2007 at 8:12 am
Spain is full of huge empty buildings leftover from the Franco era. Is there such a thing as “building infiltration tours?” The best underexplored abandoned structure possibility is the Ryugyong Hotel - smack dab in the middle of North Korea. Google that one and freak out.
August 7th, 2007 at 8:57 am
I used to work security on many abandoned places, and it was such fun, I would spend pretty much my whole shifts exploring, photographing and collecting stuff. I miss those days, damn me for getting a ‘decent’ job.
August 7th, 2007 at 9:17 am
Abandoned building are inherently more dangerous than occupied buildings because regular maintenence has stopped. Should you become trapped or injured inside an abandoned building you jeopardize not only your own safety but also the safety of your rescuers. Most fire departments have a policy of not conducting rescue operations in abandoned building that are on fire. Entering abandoned buildings is a BAD idea.
August 7th, 2007 at 11:57 am
Nice, I wish there was more buildings to explore in Edmonton AB. Well there probably is but I just don’t know where to find them.
August 8th, 2007 at 6:40 am
Woo hoo, lets water Urbex down a little more with cheese ass articles like this. Why dont you send a link to this to your local law enforcement while you at it.
Urbex is ILLEGAL
Why do people sabotage it with articles like this … WHY?
Its articles like this, that get idiots to go out and turn great little spots into Police hot spots.
August 8th, 2007 at 7:18 am
Urban Exploring is dead.
Move on, nothing to see here…
August 9th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
He! The first 4 pics are mine!
Great to find them on this website.
Check my site for more abandoned area’s : http://www.urban-travel.org
Gr, Bart
August 10th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
This is really awesome. I used to do this a lot in California when I was a kid. Didn’t know such a population existed that loved entering the forbidden.
August 21st, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Many of us in the community do not want this hobby to become too popular as to attract undesired attention (graffiti artists, vandals, or the authorities) to some of the locations we explore.
Others, like myself wish to share the beauty of these places but realise the potential danger to the abandonments we cherish.
August 21st, 2007 at 7:12 pm
That’s the difficult balance, CopySix. The reality is there are public forums where people who wish to can easily find abandonments in their area - these things won’t be kept secrets forever. Better, perhaps, to make people aware that they take actions at their own risk - much like mountain climbers or other other extreme sport practitioners. In this case, there is the additional legal danger.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:40 am
Its funny last summer me and a group f friends on the way home from a club decided to try and enter the old hospital which was being reovated at the time. It was fascinating, the place was eerily empty and derelict with only a few building site lights on. The place was enormous and we made it our mission to make it to the roof, eventually we found ourselves on the highest point looking out over the city it was a liberating moment. I can understand why this has become a hobby i have been unintentionally doing it all my life :)
September 12th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
My father used to walk through doorways into hallways and office areas in malls, etc., just because nobody stopped him. He’d always have at least one of his kids with him as we provided the excuse, “The kid needs a bathroom. I think I’m lost.” He would also take us on scenic drives on “off-limits” roads until he came face to face with a group of Army reservists and their tank. This curiosity rubbed off on me. I’ve poked around abandoned buildings, but also in behind-the-scenes places and I’ve strolled around in office buildings to cool off on hot days. That bathroom excuse still works.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:02 am
i have found and gotten into an old abandon hotel along hwy 11, between thunder bay and toronto. anyone here travel that route? i’m wondering if anyone else has found it. e-mail me if you know anything about it, please!
47°10′37.68″N 79°44′6.99″W
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:48 am
In West Texas, Urban exploration of abandoned sites is pretty easy. We have tons of old places out in the country and my hometown’s downtown is a virtual ghostown in certain areas. Best one I can say I’ve explored is an old theater that hasn’t been open for about 5 years.
November 22nd, 2007 at 5:27 am
I’ve just discovered what Urbex is, but I’m still a bit puzzled about how you get started. How do you find those buildings, where do you start? Guess I still need to do some research…
January 28th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Tonight (Jan 28th) on the History Channel, CITIES OF THE UNDERWORLD will be premiering its 2nd season at 9PM! For those of you not familiar with the show, it follows Don Wildman, the host of the show, to the world’s most vibrant cities where he explores the history buried just beneath the streets.
Tonight will feature Jerusalem where Don will explore the origins of the apocalypse underground!
The rest of the season will feature others cities like Japan, Chicago, Vietnam, Belize, Prague, Moscow and many more. It should be a fascinating season!
Don’t forget to tune in Monday nights at 9pm on the History Channel.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:55 am
??, ? ???????????… :)
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