Half the fun of exploring abandoned places is the hunt – stumbling upon obscure sites, or determining the precise location of better-known ones with a collection of vague clues from previous urban explorers. It’s not a great idea to have hordes of curious people descending upon crumbling ruins and dilapidated structures for obvious reasons, ranging from trespassing laws to dangerous conditions. But for abandoned places aficionados who’d rather cut to the chase, the ‘Abandoned’ iPhone app by THE FORM pinpoints locations on a map.
The community-based app relies on user input to determine where abandoned sites are located. And beyond mere maps, the app allows you to post photos and stories of your own adventures. Not only does this help fill out the lore of interesting places, it can help people avoid dangerous areas or give precise instructions for easy access.
GPS mapping automatically locates and displays abandoned sites near you, and you can store a private log of your own locations if you don’t want to share with others. Rate sites from one to five stars, share your comments and contribute to locations submitted by others.
Urban exploration has long relied upon word-of-mouth. In many cases, people in the know share information about certain sites only with others who can be trusted not to damage the site, call attention to themselves, or take risks that could result in injuries. For that reason, this app might receive mixed response from dedicated urban explorers, and those interested in keeping certain sites secret from the public at large. But on the other hand, a lot of abandoned sites are in serious need of attention, and the sooner they’re saved, the more of their history can be preserved. Get it at iTunes.
via Pop Up City; top image via nocturne
