What is it about abandoned buildings that’s so alluring? What causes us to be fascinated by the forgotten ruins of structures that once teemed with life? It may have something to do with the original purpose of those buildings. Homes and towns where families once lived are fascinating, but there’s something tragic and amazing about hospitals, churches, hotels and asylums. These homes-away-from-home were often the setting of life-changing experiences. When they’re abandoned and left to return to dust, we can’t help but imagine what used to take place within those walls.
Linda Vista Hospital
(images via: Abandoned but not Forgotten)
Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles has actually enjoyed a full life after closing its doors as a medical facility in 1990. It has been used as a filming location for television shows, music videos, and movies. While it doesn’t have a permanent function at the moment, it is patrolled by security officers and film crews can frequently be seen roaming the halls. Many who have been there claim that the former hospital is haunted; they swear they can hear voices and have seen the specters of deceased patients wandering the halls.
North Wales Hospital
(images via: Opacity)
In 1842, Dr. Samuel Hitch noticed the terrible treatment that poor Welsh mental patients were receiving in English asylums. He drummed up public interest in building a new lunatic asylum to serve Northern Wales, and in 1848 Denbigh Asylum opened its doors. It operated until 1995. Since then, its future has been somewhat uncertain. When Prince Charles visited the site in 2004, he seemed confident that the area could be used for a new housing development. As of today, those plans have stalled. This is good news for the intrepid explorers who long to see inside this historic building.
St. John’s Hospital/Lincolnshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum
(images via: Dereliction)
Penniless “lunatics” were also the main residents of St. John’s Hospital in Lincolnshire, England. Opened in 1852, the asylum was enlarged and expanded many times until its final closure in 1989. It was later converted to apartments, but not before urban explorers were able to get in and have a look around at what is left over after pauper lunatics occupy a building for more than 140 years.
Hotel Sterling
(images via: Opacity)
In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, an imposing building has stood over the downtown intersection of River Street and Market Street since 1897. The impressive interior was once a luxurious hotel, but after a fire in 2000 it was all but abandoned. The land was purchased by a non-profit group in 2006; they tore down the tower portion of the property and plan to develop the main building to include modern homes and offices.
Bokor Hill Station Resort
(images via: Urban Desertion)
Bokor Hill was once a resort meant to provide French immigrants a respite from the harsh heat and humidity in Cambodia. The crowning glory of this small town was the Bokor Hill Station, a large hotel/casino. The entire town was abandoned and now stands as a favorite place of backpackers who want to avoid the tourist scenes in the large Cambodian cities.
Church in Maglarp, Sweden
(images via: Jakob Ehrensvärd)
Abandoned churches are some of the most fascinating abandoned structures. Knowing that crowds once packed in there every Sunday to share a time of worship makes the buildings seem almost mystical. Even more intriguing is the churches which are abandoned with supplies and furniture still in them. This church was abandoned around 1976, but since it was built in 1908 and considered an historic building, the local parish had difficulty gaining permission to have it demolished. The permission was finally gained in 2007; the church now exists only in photographs and memories.
Abandoned Church in Gary, Indiana
(images via: City Eyes Blog)
This church in Gary, Indiana has been closed since the 1970s due to lack of attendance. Today, the interior is falling down and full of decay. Still, it’s not difficult to picture what Sunday services must have been like in this beautiful setting. The destruction of the inside makes the building strangely peaceful while reminding us that, without human intervention, our man-made structures are quickly taken down by nature and by time.
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22 Comments
November 5th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I live like 2 mins away from the old St johns hospital sight.
That was a suprise to see when i booted up weburbanist, i havent seen decent pictures of it before, only rough grainy ones.
November 6th, 2008 at 9:50 am
You might recognise Bokor Hill Station Resort from the Korean horror flick ‘R-Point’… not the finest film but quite amusing nonetheless.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Great photo series!
November 7th, 2008 at 12:13 am
There are a ton of abandoned buildings in Gary; unfortunately, the town’s fortunes were severely impacted by the closing of several of the steel mills that are responsible for the town’s existence. Many of these abandoned buildings are lovely, built around the turn of the century, and even with the windows and doors boarded up, the graceful lines of the architecture are obvious. I dream of being able to refurbish one or more, but alas, I doubt I’ll have the chance.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Decay is beautiful, but I hate to see old places trashed by graffiti and vandalism. Why break a mirror or door that has been quietly in place for over a century? Did it silently witness war, depression, peace, and decay just to be busted by some stupid meth-tweaking teenager? Give someone a chance to save the place without making more work for them. Graffiti art is fine on corporate-owned generica, but not on historic places with character.
November 9th, 2008 at 6:21 am
i love the grand staircases!
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:37 am
i love the look of these old buildings. its a wonder how such decay and wrekage can look so amazing and beautiful. theres somthing peaceful about all these buildings.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:47 pm
The Denbigh Asylum was hit by fire yesterday and the main hall was destroyed:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7744477.stm
November 28th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Couldn’t agree more with Southern Buddhist
Those photos are amazing, by the way
December 7th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Its so strange that these places are abandoned.
It reminds me of the Alameda Military Base in California.
thanks from tony
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:01 am
Bokor Hill, Sterling Hotel, North Wales Hospital and St. John’s Hospital are typical locations for a horror movie supernatural. It seems strange that there is strength in those places, that fascinates and frightens the same time.
The Linda Vista Hospital seems, inside, with the location used for movie Frágiles, from Jaume Balagueró - Spain.
The Bokor appears in the movie R-Point, which is not even a terror, but it is pretty interesting.
Very cool the photos, and the initiative of the post. Congratulations.
March 11th, 2009 at 2:57 am
I currently looking to make use of any abandoned Church, Hotel, Hospital School for Social Economic Purposes, how do I get more information?
March 24th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
This is totally cool!
Why would people want to desert such beautiful buildings?
April 15th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Wow! Lovely. For old, beautiful, abandoned, + creepy, don’t forget creepy…you should take a peek at the old New York State Lunatic Asylum at Utica.
Sometimes it seems to me that more care and artistry was put into these old buildings than ones I see going up now -strip mall anyone?…makes me sad to see them sitting empty.
June 17th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
wow…you have captured my imagination with your pics and description of these places. these old abandoned ghosts are beautiful. your pictures are amazing! there are so many different catagories of abandoned places to look at and so much more besides that including art and furniture concepts.
this is the best website concept i have seen and i am so hooked and addicted to this weburnanist site. The site is one of the most easiest site to navigate. I don’t have to click on a bunch of stuff to get to the next…scrolling down for all those pics and brief description is the best. i really appreciate the opportunity to see all that you have compile and please continue to do so. Thanks!
June 28th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I’m actually writing a book about the Sterling Hotel and when it was in it’s day. One question…did you take the pics of the inside of the hotel?
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