40 Incredible Abandoned Structures

By All That's Interesting | Edited By Savannah Cox
Published April 30, 2014
Updated October 3, 2019

Evocative of our own limits, these abandoned structures provide us an opportunity to consider our place--however temporary--in the world.

A building is never just that. It can be a place we call home, a repository for memories, an intimate space where we share even more intimate ideas; it’s one of the ways we as people lay physical claim to the world in which we live.

And just as a building is more than its material components, the same can be said for a building in shambles. Evocative of our own limits, mortality and time’s dominion over all, these abandoned structures provide as much aesthetic interest as they do opportunities to consider our place–however temporary–in the world:

Czestochowa Poland
An abandoned train in Czestochowa, Poland.
Abandoned Structures In Paraguay
Nature asserts its power in Asunción, Paraguay. Source: Imgur
Beelitz Operating Room
This abandoned Soviet hospital isn't exactly where you'd like to get a medical procedure.
Beelitz Hospital
A staircase within the Beelitz Military Hospital.
Abandoned Structures Blade Mill France
A blade mill returns to nature in France. Source: Imgur
Abandoned Photographs Miranda Chateau In Belgium
The exterior of Belgium's Chateau Miranda. The castle was built for a family in 1866 but came under possession during World War II by the National Railway Company of Belgium, where it was converted into an orphanage. The castle has been abandoned since 1991.
Miranda Chateau Photograph
A sleepy, sooty room in Chateau Miranda. Source: David Baker Photography
Chateau Miranda Stairs
A dusty staircase in Chateau Miranda. Source: David Baker Photography
Chateau Miranda Ceiling
The interiors of Chateau Miranda. Source: Panoramio
Empty Church In Canada
Light shines through a barren church in Canada.
Empty Church In Detroit
An empty congregation within an abandoned Detroit church. Source: Flickr
Abandoned Places Dadipark Stands
Decay amid Belgium's abandoned Dadipark amusement park. Source: Pinterest
Dadipark
A filthy slide in Dadipark. Source: Panoramio
Abandoned Places Eastern State Penitentiary
The haunting halls of Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary.
Abandoned Structures Floating Forest
Australia's abandoned SS Ayrfield now serves as a centuries-old floating forest.
Abandoned Places In Gullivers Travels
The larger than life decay in Japan's Gulliver's Travels Theme Park. Source: Tumblr
Hafodunos Hall
The hollowed out interiors of North Wales' Hafodunos Hall. Source: Imgur
Abandoned Places Hashima Island
Japan's uninhibited Hashima Island. Source: Bored Panda
Hashima Island Inside
Hashima Island's interior. Source: Bored Panda
Holland Island Home
An empty home struggles for footing amid Holland Island's expedited erosion.
Abandoned Places Holy Land USA
The ghostly remains of Connecticut's Holy Land USA park, closed since 1984. Source: The Dreamy Idealist
Holy Land USA Sign
The rusted entrance to Connecticut's Holy Land park. Source: 500 PX
Abandoned Structures Kerry Way
A structure overtaken by flora along Ireland's Kerry Way trail. Source: Imgur
Kiev Subway
A derelict subway in Kiev, Ukraine.
Lawndale Theatre In Chicago
Chicago's dilapidated Lawndale Theatre. Source: Imgur
Michigan Central Station
Detroit's cavernous Michigan Central Station. Source: Bored Panda
Mill In Sorrento Italy
An abandoned mill in Sorrento, Italy. Source: Imgur
Abandoned Places Nara Japan
A ghostly ride at Japan's Nara Dreamland theme park. The park was closed in 2006 due to low visitor numbers. Source: Imgur
Abandoned Structures New Bedford Orpheum
The dusty interior of Massachusetts' Orpheum Theatre.
Sarajevo Olympics
Remnants of the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Source: Imgur
Abandoned Places Shi Cheng
Divers explore Shi Cheng, China. Shi Cheng was an ancient city but was ultimately flooded in 1959 to make room for a dam project. Source: Bored Panda
Abandoned Structures Six Flags Ride
Roller coaster cars at Six Flags New Orleans. The park was closed after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Source: Love These Pics
Abandoned Six Flags Bumper Cars
Abandoned bumper cars at Six Flags New Orleans. Source: Love These Pics
Abandoned Structures Six Flags Jazzland
A decrepit stand at Six Flags New Orleans. Source: Love These Pics
Abandoned Structures Balaklava Base
An abandoned submarine base in Balaklava, Ukraine. Source: Bored Panda
Train Station In Georgia
An abandoned train station in Abkhazia, Georgia. Source: Bored Panda
Abandoned Places Wonderland China
Beijing's Wonderland Amusement Park.
Wonderland Hanger
The interior of Beijing's Wonderland Amusement Park. Source: The Atlantic
Abandoned Structures Wonderland Workers
Workers at Beijing's Wonderland Amusement Park. Source: The Atlantic
Abandoned Structures Yacht Antarctica
A sunken yacht in Antarctica.

For more photographs of abandoned structures and places, visit our posts on abandoned photographs, abandoned Detroit, and desolate and deserted former Olympics sites.

author
All That's Interesting
author
All That's Interesting
Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.
editor
Savannah Cox
editor
Savannah Cox
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.
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