As the twentieth century recedes farther and farther away from us, many of its most recognizable symbols — factories and public schools, shopping malls and war monuments, diners and movie theaters — fall into disuse. Some decay slowly; others get demolished in one fell swoop.
Before they disappear, however, a few architecture and history lovers are documenting these modern ruins, many of which are still strikingly beautiful even in their abandoned, broken state. Here’s a selection of bloggers and photographers who recently focused on these fascinating structures.
Peeling Walls
At Peeling Walls, artist and photographer Liz shares images and reflections from her journeys across the Rust Belt, whether it’s an old theater in Upstate New York or a defunct aquarium in Ohio. She captures both the grandeur of the architecture and small, intimate details, like coffee mugs left behind in a kitchen cabinet. Behind her quest is a wish to preserve a slice of cultural history:
I think it’s important to document these buildings while they’re here, as quickly as possible, because things are changing so often and many are already renovated or razed, or just damaged beyond recognition and repair. Their stories are what shaped each city to become what it is today. It feels particularly urgent in Detroit, where wonderful things are happening and the population is quickly rising — and where close to 10,000 structures have already been demolished.
Yomadic
For another take on post-communist decay, visit Hristo’s photo essay on the Buzludzha monument in Bulgaria.
Travel blogger Nate Robert has a soft spot for Eastern Europe — especially the countries that were formerly part of Yugoslavia. In a recent post, Nate focuses on the socialist-era concrete monuments known as spomenik, which still dot the landscape from Macedonia in the south to Slovenia in the north. They’re often described as futuristic and cold, but Nate’s photos channel the monuments’ “beautiful crumbling decay” and their connection to human stories of loss and resistance.
Abandoned Southeast
Some of the most fast-disappearing buildings in the US are shopping malls — read about their rapid decline in Paul Mullins’ recent essay, “Boredom in the Ruins of the Mall.”
In its short life — just four months — Leland Kent’s photoblog, Abandoned Southeast, has already become a rich archive of images taken across the southern US, from a shuttered school in New Orleans to a century-old skyscraper in Birmingham, Alabama, soon to be stripped of its patina to become a new boutique hotel.
A long-time architecture and history buff, Leland explains his obsession with decaying structures:
Several years ago I read an article online about the abandoned Six Flags theme park in New Orleans and became fascinated with what people left behind. The more abandoned places I went in, the more I wanted to see. I started photographing abandoned buildings after I noticed them starting to disappear — being renovated or demolished. These amazing buildings were lost to time and forgotten. I wanted to share with the world the things I was seeing and experiencing inside places people rarely go or get to see.
After the Final Curtain
New York-based photographer Matt Lambros has documented America’s most iconic old theaters from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, sharing his work on his blog and in his books — including the upcoming After the Final Curtain: the Fall of the American Movie Theater, which will be published in October 2016. Matt recounts the origin of his interest in crumbling theaters:
I started exploring abandoned buildings in the early aughts. Eventually, I started to wonder if there were abandoned theaters. I did some research and found the Loew’s Kings Theater in Brooklyn, NY, which became the subject of my first book. I enjoy photographing theaters because I find the ornate architecture and rich history fascinating.
Matt’s work channels these theaters’ faded glory, still visible underneath decades-old layers of dust.
Inspired by the work of the bloggers featured here? Write a new post in response to our recent writing prompt, Abandoned.
I love the beauty of abandoned places. What beautiful photography capturing their essence.
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Wow! The pictures are stunning, and the writing is simply beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing! I can’t wait to read more!
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There is something so hauntingly beautiful about these pictures! Love them 🙂
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great photos – all original?
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Yes — all these photos are by the featured bloggers / photographers.
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These pictures take my breath away, bravo!
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These photos are very captivating. I love how beauty can be found in unlikely places💛 thanks for this I really enjoyed reading and looking 💙
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This is great. Absolutely beautiful. I love thinking about the history behind these places.
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Photography matched only by prose. Tremendous.
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I’ve always wanted to get into this branch of photography, but wonder how artists get the right to enter these buildings. Do they just trespass?
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Great question — I’d recommend visiting the featured blogs and just asking in a comment there. I’m sure the photographers shown here would be happy to share some tips.
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That sounds like a great idea. Thanks.
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Great question — I’d recommend visiting the featured blogs and just asking in a comment. I’m sure the photographers shown here would be happy to share some tips.
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So stunning! Photography catches things we often forget! 😉
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I am from one of the former Yugislavia republics and those concrete monuments that we have are really heroic. I saw most of them and if you are ever is Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro or Slovenia, go to see them, you won’t regret.
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Awesome work!
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Exploring these haunted places is adventure. And honestly your pictures are amazing all over.💮
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beautiful!
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The pictures are just awesome. These haunting places can look so beautiful — didn’t know.😮
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Amazing shot 👍
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Wwooowww amazing and beautiful
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Nice . reminds me of call of duty zombies lol cool picture….
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What a refreshing and insightful post!
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Great! I like a lot!
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Love this!!
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Both stunning and inspirational
‘How many ‘ghosts’ for how long a duration where shouting silently’ yet nothing was heard’ but upon a subconscious level’ and your finger pressed and you finally took the shot… and whose hair was perfect’ and whose head lay awkwardly bent’ upon fractured vertebrae of neck’. And redundantly’ a distant sound of a spinning projector and a film flapping redundantly around’ yet long rusted in place… how many ‘ghosts’ how many ghosts? …a rat emerges from within a moldering cushioned seat’ a cheek-full for her nest. The wire broken speaker crackles’ “take the shot”…’
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Awesome photographs.
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These photos are amazing! Where was the cover photo taken?
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As the caption states, it’s the Sattler / Broadway Theater in Buffalo, NY. You can find the rest of Liz’s set here: https://peelingwalls.com/2016/04/30/buffalo-sattlerbroadway-theater/
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Breathtaking captures!
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The photography is absolutely stunning! It is amazing how something seemingly ruined, worthy of being destroyed can appear so beautiful.
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Thank you for sharing a beautiful collection of photos! With so many renovation shows teaching us how to make old new, we so quickly forget that the decay represents a history which brought us to where we are. Even renovation shows dedicated to preserving the original style and history fail to remind us that there is beauty in decay.
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I do a lot of photography of abandoned places, but sadly I seem to be running out of places to phograph near where I live.
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Wow, the theatre photos are absolutely stunning. The lighting is what really makes the picture.
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I’d always love to see old ruined buildings. They share lots of stories only the eyes could tell.
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It’s amazingly beautiful.
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I love it.. The pictures just resemble what life is about.. It’s about moving on.. But never forgetting our roots.. These ruins resemble us moving on.. But the post remind us of our roots!
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Wow!!!! This is beautiful! 💛
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These are so hauntingly beautiful, especially the theatre’s to think that these places where once so full of life and now they are filled with emptiness. Quite sad really.
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These photos are beautiful great post 😍
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more like a horror story! 😂
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Amazing & astonishing pics
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Every abandoned place tells a story….beautifully captured each and every story
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Abandoned places are just like antiques
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Beautiful images of beautiful dilapidation. The Alabama Empire door picture contains a close approximation of the golden ratio, which imbues the image with a classical aesthetic.
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Never thought that you could still find those places. Great post mate. The one photo about the monument in Serbia looks interesting as well.
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Abandoned places have an unusual appeal towards beauty. It’s mysterious and interesting 🙂
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The dead’s soul seems to have taken upon abondoned places, to me they speak silently a language that is seen only through the eyes and touched only through sensing organs.
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Abandoned buildings have always fascinated me and these pictures were amazing! Thanks for sharing!
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Seems so empty but its not. This photograph is full of beauty.
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