Ani, Ghost City of 1001 Churches

Ani is an abandoned city in Turkey near the Armenian border. At one time it had 200,000 residents, but no one has lived there for 300 years. Huge empty ancient buildings remain, all alone in their magnificence. The history of this city is long and bloody, and the remaining archaeological site is in danger of disappearing completely. See lots more pictures at Kuriositas. Link, Via: Neatorama

Ominous Abandoned Six Flags Is a Few Zombie Hordes Short of the Apocalypse

A video adventurer was daring enough to infiltrate this abandoned Six Flags outside New Orleans—derelict since Hurricane Katrina—and record footage. The environs are haunting, to say the least—and we watched with the expectation of some zombie cameos.

The footage is, beyond being the picture perfect backdrop for a post-apocalyptic flick, an eery reminder of the post-storm destruction that has yet to be mended. And some of it won't be—this Six Flags won't ever be salvaged, scheduled for demolition in January of next year. [Reddit], Via: Gizmodo, Via: Youtube

Icebound: 10 Amazing Antarctica Abandonments

Considering the small population of the continent, Antarctica has a lot of abandoned settlements. In such extremely low temperatures, it is much easier to leave structures and possessions behind than to take them with you when you leave. Harsh conditions also preserve what is left, since bacteria and mold that break down materials elsewhere on earth can’t survive in Antarctica. Camps and settlements abandoned 100 years ago still sit, appearing just as they did when they were in use. The hut shown was left by Sir Ernest Shackleton in 1909. See and read about ten of these places at WebUrbanist. Link, Via: Neatorama

(Image credit: Noah Stryker)

Abandoned Russian Churches

Photographer Victor Borisov presents the abandoned churches of the Tula region of Russia. In the sad remains, you can see how magnificent these buildings were at one time.

Link, Via: Neatorama

Abandoned Army: 200 tanks left in Russian woods

The fate of 200 tanks left in woods in the Urals, is raising further questions from the public over mismanagement in the Russian army. This amateur footage reportedly shows locals with unrestricted access to the tanks, walking freely among them, and even climbing inside them. And that's despite claims by the authorities they're being guarded around the clock, and will be relocated next month. Locals say the Ministry of Defence brought the tanks to the woods in November. LINK: Youtube

Photos of rotting, abandoned water park at Walt Disney World

Here's a gigantic gallery of the abandoned River Country water park at Walt Disney World, which has been shuttered for years (I last remember playing there in about 1987). The park was supposed to be kind of rustic and homey, and now the faux-weathered appearance has been augmented by actual slime-filled pools and rotting infrastructure. It's simulation become reality!

River Country

(May run out of bandwidth, try Coral cache mirror), Via: Boingboing

Russian Underground Submarine Base

It was a big underground submarine base and docks once in USSR. After the Soviet Union collapsed and Russian army left Ukraine it was partly abandoned and some of its parts was converted into a museum later.

More photos and information at this LINK.

Amazing Abandoned Bank Vaults

Image by Lori Spindler

Bloc 11 Cafe, in Somerville MA, is in a vacant bank building on Bow Street, including its abandoned vaults in which you can sit and sip your cappuccino. Opened in October 2007 after an extensive renovation of the abandoned site, it has recently been voted as one of the Best U.S. Coffee Bars by Food and Wine Magazine. Enjoy a varied menu of soups, sandwiches and coffees while gazing around at the safety deposit boxes and wondering what secret treasures they once held. LINK

In the apartment I lived in before I moved to where I am now, there was a bank vault. It was really cool using the vault to store your things. If I ever run across the pictures I took I will be sure to post one. Arbyn remembers the vault, we talk about it on occasion. That was back in our dating days. This coming February Arbyn and I have lived together for Two years.

Abandoned bowling alley becomes furniture

An abandoned bowling alley finds a second life in this beautiful series of furniture by LA-based designer/woodworker William Stranger. Crafted from reclaimed strips of wood salvaged from a local defunct Tava Lanes Bowling alley, the collection springs to life in a variety of forms including a series of wall hangings and a low coffee table. LINK: Boingboing

Recycled Bowling Lane Furniture is Right up Our Alley

Abandoned Theaters

Theaters are a relic of the past. Don’t believe me? Look at drive-in movie theaters and the shakespearean stage. They simply don’t exist in modern America anymore, save for a relic or three buried in a small town somewhere. This list pays tribute to the thespians and films of the past century, to their writers and directors and to the actors who made them happen. Link, Via: Neatorama

From Closed-Down Water Pumping Station To Elegant Home

If turning an abandoned nuclear missile silo into a home was impressive, then I don't know what to call this. All I know is that Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset turned an old water pumping station into a stylish home.

It wasn't a cheap project as the property alone cost $700,000, but Elmgreen and Dragset approached it as an art project and enlisted the help of architects Wenk und Wiese to start renovations. A year later the old building still had most of its character, but was now outfitted with a fireplace, embedded bathtub, private workspaces, and all the essentials of a home in a stunning layout. [Inhabitat]. LINK

20 Creepy Abandoned Sites in Europe

Atelier Decor Plaster Workshop in Belgium: This small plaster workshop is nearly a century old and was once used to make all kinds of plaster artifacts including statues, fountains and even elements for fake caves and miniature golf courses. What was once rather kitsch itself now seems somehow solemn and serious with age and disrepair. LINK, Via: Neatorama

Abandoned Missile Launch Site

This is an Abandoned Missile Launch Site. What it differs from other of such kind is that it has launched really big rockets that traveled to orbit, and what else - it was not destroyed like all the other sites left by Soviet army but is left untouched in the desert of Kazakhstan for anyone to visit. LINK

Strange Brick Icicles

These odd formations found inside an abandoned Russian fortress are apparently the result of the Russian Army testing their alternative to napalm. The heat generated from the napalm was so intense it melted the actual bricks in the building, forming these creepy icicle like things dripping from the ceiling.

Link, Via: Neatorama

100 Abandoned Houses

Abandoned houses photographed by Kevin Bauman. LINK

Abandoned Wooden Miracles

Some other masterpieces of Russian medieval wooden architecture were found abandoned.

Some of them look like they are just left - even some furniture stays on its places. The reason they are so undisturbed - it stays deep inside the Russian forests. LINK