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Watching someone wander through an abandoned hospital or a forgotten manor feels like watching a disaster unfold in a horror movie.
Yet, thousands of people eagerly do it in real life. It’s called urban exploration, or urbex — a hobby where thrill-seekers step into vacant, long-forgotten buildings simply for the thrill of exploring and documenting them.
For instance, someone found a nuclear bunker with hospital-style rooms, rows of rusting metal beds, and decaying medical instruments. Another person stumbled upon an abandoned water park with a crumbling dragon-shaped dome.
These explorers have been sharing their incredible finds on r/Urbex, taking us into hidden corners that most people walk past every day. What makes these locations so fascinating isn’t just the peeling paint or overgrown vines… it’s what was left behind.
Each item offers a haunting glimpse into the past, leaving us to wonder what caused people to pack up and walk away.
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#1
Abandoned Hospital. I Broke The Urbex Rule And Took Something Home
I’m sorry I just had too 😓
RELATED:
#2
Thinking About Climbing My First Tower But Saw This Sign. Anyone Know What It Means?
OneSquare9106:
DO NOT. Emitters can be a lot of different strengths. If it can reach waaaaaay yonder you best not step right in front of it, unless you want to liquidate your insides.
While people have explored abandoned spaces for generations, the term urban exploration only officially appeared in 1996 in Infiltration magazine.
However, the practice goes back much further. During the late 18th and 19th centuries, the Romantic movement sparked a massive cultural fascination with fallen architecture.
Romantic poets, such as Percy Bysshe Shelley, frequently wrote about the poetic beauty of nature reclaiming man-made monuments.
#5
Mansion I Found Rather Untouched Still
#6
Found Whatever The Hell This Is
By the Victorian era, this obsession grew so widespread that society coined a specific term for it: ruin lust. It is derived from the German word Ruinenlust, meaning a deep desire to explore ruins.
Across Europe, visiting ivy-covered castles and crumbling monasteries also became a trendy pastime for travelers.
This trend quickly spread across the Atlantic. In 1861, legendary American poet Walt Whitman famously wrote about his own underground adventures inside Brooklyn’s abandoned Atlantic Avenue tunnel — considered the world’s oldest subway tunnel.
In 1920, a group of Parisian artists organized guided tours through abandoned churches and neglected city spots.
#8
Walked Through A Flooded Underground Car Park To Enter This Abandoned Mall
Main entrance was locked with a guard outside so I had to walk through the underground car park (they must've thought no one would willing to go through that lol so it wasn't locked) .
Fortunately the water was pretty shallow so I didn't risk getting any brain eating amoeba in me from the still water. (last image) 🙂
#9
Abandoned House In NY
Abandoned house of a doctor and his wife where everything went wrong.
StrangeOne 12 minutes ago
zachgetsguap said a successful doctor owned home. He married an actress. He got a******d to pills, had some health problems. She decided to leave. He, then, decided to leave everything behind and disappeared.
Whether through 19th-century poetry or 21st-century photos, the urge to peek behind closed doors has always been part of human nature.
Yet despite the eerie environments, the global urbex community operates under some strict, unwritten rules. You should leave no trace behind, commit no vandalism, and take nothing but pictures.
#10
Abandoned… With Electricity?
Question for the hive mind. This building looks totally abandoned – it’s decrepit, totally sealed off, every window is boarded. There may be one point of access through a broken basement window.
BUT, there’s a motion-activated light outside (see 2nd pic). In your experience, does that mean someone is living there? Or just that someone’s paying the electricity bill?
PoofDatBoiGone:
I’ve explored abandoned places that still have the power on. Sometimes the town is paying for it, or the trust of the building, or the electric company simply doesn’t shut it off. Any idea what the building actually was/is? That could give more clues, perhaps it was a pump house and while not in active use, retains its power should it need to be used again. Lots of things to speculate on, I’d try and first figure out what it’s used for and go from there.
#12
Castle In The Woods
Janissary35680 41 minutes ago
Possible candidate for "Great House Revival" or suchlike episode. I can hear Nick Knowles' voice already.
People are drawn to this hobby for different reasons, but for many, it comes down to a pure adrenaline rush. Part of that high naturally comes from entering strictly off-limits places. Navigating a private location under the threat of trespassing charges creates an intense level of suspense.
Avoiding security or law enforcement requires high vigilance, quick speed, and deep trust among teammates. As Chicago-based explorer Kelly Donahue puts it: “Yes, it’s trespassing, and yes, somebody doesn’t want us in there, but our goal is always to get in and then get out without anyone knowing that we were there.”
#13
120-Year-Old Abandoned Mine
Janissary35680 37 minutes ago
What's the reason for the building being on "stilts"? Was there originally something intended to be housed there?
#14
Abandoned Hospital, Middle Of The Night, All Alone
#15
Abandoned School With Working Electricity
For some, urban exploration is also about uncovering the stories of the past.
When a hospital, factory, or estate shuts its doors, it leaves behind personal items, handwritten notes, and specialized equipment. These items offer an unfiltered look at daily life from decades ago.
By documenting these forgotten sites before they are demolished or collapse, explorers serve as unofficial archivists. Their photos and write-ups preserve local heritage and capture human stories and architectural details that would otherwise vanish from public memory.
“For me, it’s just a different way of learning about your history. Most of the places I’ve been to, I didn’t know their historical significance until after I went to take pictures,” says Tyrell Anderson of the Decay Devils.
Urban explorers share the same deep curiosity for old design and local history as architects and historians. However, urbexers don’t always agree on what should actually happen to these places next.
Some prefer to see abandoned sites stay decayed, believing that peeling paint and rust give a building its soul and character.
But many others advocate strongly for adaptive reuse. They want the old, neglected structures to be turned into modern apartments, community hubs, or offices.
Studies show that adaptive reuse can help maintain cultural heritage, reduce construction costs, and breathe new economic life into surrounding neighborhoods.
#18
Found In The Basement Of An Abandoned Mansion Owned By A Mysterious Russian Dentist
summerperson18 3 hours ago
Imagine if your parents took you there and when you saw the dentist you imeadiatly knew that it was over
Urban exploration has always carried inherent risks. But some experts believe that the rise of social media algorithms has pushed a new generation of explorers to chase increasingly dangerous extremes.
Today, online feeds are filled with “rooftoppers” dangling off skyscraper cranes, daredevils leaping across subway tracks, or thrill-seekers scaling high-voltage power pylons.
“The community has changed drastically. A lot of these kids are putting themselves at greater risk to gain credibility on social media channels. There have been an increased number of (fatalities) in the urbex community worldwide in the past few years, and that’s gone hand-in-hand with the increased desire to publish these exploits on social media,” says Bradley Garrett, author of 'Explore Everything: Place-hacking the City.'
Safety begins with proper planning and never going alone.
Experts always recommend using the buddy system and informing someone outside the group of your exact location and expected return time.
Proper gear is equally critical — trade light clothes and sneakers for heavy-soled boots to guard against nails and glass. Wear heavy gloves, carry a primary flashlight with extra batteries, and a dust mask or respirator to protect against toxic mold and asbestos.
Above all, know when to walk away. If a building shows signs of recent collapse or smells of heavy chemical fumes, leave immediately because no photo is worth your life.
#22
Abandoned Ship
The abandoned ship! This English ship, built in 1952, sailed its last voyage in 1996. In 1997, the ship was seized due to financial problems, and two years later, it was moved and capsized. To prevent it from sinking completely, it was moved to shallower waters. Years later, it still lies abandoned, half-submerged and rusting. It may not look that big, but standing there, it's a massive ship!
#23
Paris Catacombs (March 2024)
Yeah so basically I'm fascinated by urbex but never really done it. I got a bit obsessed by the idea of going to the Paris catacombs, and given I was going to Paris anyway, thought I'd give it a go. I did a lot of research, found an entrance (manhole cover on a street), and just fucking went. I was by myself. Best decision ever.
I met a lot of really cool people. Firstly I met a guy who was by himself and he seemed friendly, he offered to show me round so i followed him for a while (making sure to keep track of where I was on the map I got online). I'll admit I lost track some times but it's so easy to find where you are again when you see a street sign.
He showed me some really cool places! The Cinema was my favourite, a room where all the graffiti is just film characters. Insane.
I went into "la plage" and as I entered there was this weird like, cult religious music blasting. Like deep chanting. I went in and it was just a couple guys chilling. I shared a couple of my beers with them and we hung out for a while. Then I explored some more by myself.
I was about to leave when I saw a little tunnel I could just about crawl through. On the map, I thought it was really short and would lead me to a shorter way out. Nope. It was a long crawl, a very round, even hole, and I ended up in an absolutely massive room I hadn't had time to visit - Marie Rose. That is a cool room. I then met some others that came through the same tunnel - they said my map was old and that tunnel wasn't on it. So anyway then I followed them around, and they showed me more stuff - including the castle room which is insane.
I think I'm going to go back at some point. It's fascinating.
StrangeOne 3 minutes ago
I hear it's very easy to get lost in the catacombs. Be super careful and wary. Probably not the best idea to go alone.
This list of ruins is as exhilarating as it is humbling. It reminds us just how temporary our modern world really is.
No matter how towering our concrete jungles get, nature will always find a way to claim back her land quietly.
Which of these forgotten places fascinated you the most? Would you ever be brave enough to step inside one of these decaying buildings, or do you prefer exploring from behind a screen? Tell us in the comments.
#26
Abandoned Club Still Full Of Alcohol
Janissary35680 29 minutes ago
Beer, mostly not worth it. There does seem to be some interesting stuff over at the right however.
#27
Abandoned Fast Food Restaurant
#29
Abandoned Farmhouse In The Woods
#32
Explored The Abandoned House, Found An Old Milling Machine In The Detach Garage
#34
Local Swimming Pool Closed Because The Water Was Dangerous. Never Opened Again
#36
Nah Bro, There’s Still Water In My School’s Pool
#37
Abandoned Mailbox
Yes, that's a giant Game Boy! Although its function is somewhat different; it is actually a mailbox! Unfortunately, this mailbox is no longer in use and is now left behind in nature, collecting dirt! Even though it is no longer emptied, many people still put their letters filled with wishes for life and sweet words to the deceased inside... A strange sight, something different for a change! I wanted to play a game, but unfortunately, it didn't work... (the last photo is me, so you can see the size of the mailbox better😜)
#41
Abandoned Detroit Church
Uncle Schmickle 3 hours ago
Looks as though it may have been wonderful. A great shame is magnificent pipe organs sometimes left to decay in these buildings too.
#42
Giant Abandoned Complex (Partially Powered)
Just went to this giant abandoned complex today and it was wild, explored a bunch of the big main buildings and even checked out one that had power to a good 90% of it which was insane combined with the fact that barely any of it was touched. Felt like some parts of the buildings even had working heating😭
#43
Abandoned School. Detroit
#44
Abandoned Untouched Hotel In The Middle Of A Big City
Has power and water, there’s even a router with WiFi.
Uncle Schmickle 3 hours ago
Hmm ... with a bit of restoration, this could be housing for homeless people.
#45
Abandoned College
#47
If You Were Born Before 1980, This Abandoned House Is For You!
#51
The Impressive Abandoned Castle
The castle is slowly rotting away, but it's still very explorable!
I had the chance to visit this place after posting on this subreddit where I explained that I was looking for people to explore with since I was alone.
For a first time, it was fantastic.
The place is absolutely gigantic and still very well preserved. I have a map of all the cameras to avoid, and the path to follow to reach the castle.
Janissary35680 12 minutes ago
"A map of all the cameras to avoid, and the path to follow to reach the castle". AKA "aiding and abetting trespass".
#52
Former Archives Of The Bnf In Versailles
These abandoned buildings were built between the 1930s and 1960s to serve as annexes to the National Library of France. They housed, among other things, newspapers, periodicals, patents and duplicate collections.
The site remained in operation until 1998, when the last collections were transferred. Since then, the buildings have been abandoned and have become a popular spot for urban explorers.
If anyone knows more about their history or rehabilitation plans, I would be delighted to learn more.
#54
Found A Human Skull In A House With Power
#57
Abandoned Funeral Home
#63
Giant Hidden Soviet Bunker Complex Near Berlin
Yesterday me and my friends discovered a giant scale bunker on a abandoned Soviet military site we immediately entered to explore, the entrance was just a small hole just enough fit through leading to a tunnel leading down approximately 15-20 meters below the ground revealing a gigantic bunker network ranging from small rooms just high enough to enter to halls so huge that an airplane could park there. Next to one of the corridors we found a small room filled with boxes containing electronic components and other relics.
#64
Strip Club Shut Down For Some Shady Business
#66
Found Some Cars. Are They Rare?
questioncontainer:
The 1st one is a jaguar etype, which looks to be a normal 2 door model (these can fetch about 100k depending on the quality and milage). the second one is a lotus eclat, which fetch anywhere from 10k to 30k in good condition. car in the far back in the second pic looks to be a jaguar xjs.
#67
First Weird Experience
Had my first weird experience at this bando a couple nights ago. While inside this early 1900s farm house, me and my friends experienced a door on the second floor of this house absolutely slam shut. It was a calm night in terms of wind and the house didn’t seem to have much a draft to it. Usually pretty skeptical about this kind of stuff given it’s the first out of 30 some places I’ve been to over the last 2 years. Definitely will be going back to check it out in the near future.
#70
Hello, I'm A Young Urban Explorer With A Passion For The Military, And I've Managed To Find Some Abandoned Military Treasures. Does Anyone Have Any Information About Them? Thank You
GiovannyRGB:
I'd advise you to delete your post if you want to avoid being woken up by the police tomorrow morning.
Clearly, it's ammunition that could also interest malicious individuals, so I'd avoid posting it online...
Especially if the crates are full.
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Uncle Schmickle 3 hours ago
Fascinating for sure, but potentially dangerous. I hope no explorer damages a site including graffiti. Don't take anything ( except that cat ), as it may be harmful, eg. radioactive, especially from hospitals, clinics, etc.
Uncle Schmickle 3 hours ago
Fascinating for sure, but potentially dangerous. I hope no explorer damages a site including graffiti. Don't take anything ( except that cat ), as it may be harmful, eg. radioactive, especially from hospitals, clinics, etc.
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