Pleszów is a former village which currently is a part of Kraków (Poland). The first thing which you see when you are here is a great industrial place—Tadeusz Sendzimir Steelworks which makes the area around look grey and gloomy.
The Dr J. Babiński Neuropsychiatric Hospital [Kraków, Poland]
The Dr J. Babiński Neuropsychiatric Hospital, often called by locals ‘Kobierzyn’ because of the place where it’s situated, is the largest psychiatric hospital in Kraków. Apart from playing an important role in the provision of mental health services, the hospital is also a local heritage monument—the whole complex of the one-century old buildings surrounded by a picturesque park is listed in Kraków’s Monument Register.
Continue reading “The Dr J. Babiński Neuropsychiatric Hospital [Kraków, Poland]”
Beelitz-Heilstätten [Beelitz, Germany]
Beelitz-Heilstätten, a district of Beelitz (Germany), is home to a large hospital complex of about 60 buildings including a cogeneration plant erected from 1898 on according to plans of architect Heino Schmieden. Originally designed as a sanatorium by the Berlin workers’ health insurance corporation, the complex from the beginning of World War I on was a military hospital of the Imperial German Army. During October and November 1916, Adolf Hitler recuperated at Beelitz-Heilstätten after being wounded in the leg at the Battle of the Somme.
Tyniec [Kraków, Poland]
Tyniec is a historic village in Poland on the Vistula river, since 1973 a part of the city Kraków (currently in the district of Dębniki).
A Pet Cemetery [Vilnius, Lithuania]
An unofficial cemetery for pets in Vilnius. Several small graves decorated with toys, some candles and pets’ photos, as well as the forest surrounding the place create a really unusual atmosphere there. The place is a bit messy—nobody cared to put graves in a few straight lines instead of spreading them everywhere and toys on graves look a bit weird but, despite this, seeing it one thing is sure—those pets were really important to their owners.
The Port Baikal [Russia]
The Port Baikal in Russia is a settlement located near the Lake Baikal on the left bank of the Angara River. Rare ferry connections mean that Port Baikal remains largely uncommercialised, lacking tourist attractions and also crowds. At the same time it makes the place popular with more meditative visitors. First thing which you see there after getting out of the ferry is rusting watercrafts which make this place look a bit industrial. The view around changes when you leave the port—going further you’ll see a settlement of old wooden houses. Describing this area it’s also hard not to mention the nature there, which together with the great Lake Baikal makes this place especially beautiful.
The Abandoned Church ‘Prinz Wilhelm Gedachtniskirche’ [Pisarzowice, Poland]
When you’re pasing through Pisarzowice, it’s worth to turn onto a backroad and visit a beautiful abandoned Protestant church hidden among trees. It was built at the beginning of XX century on order of Prince Gustav Biron von Curland in memory of his dead son Wilhelm. The church, known as ‘Prinz Wilhelm Gedachtniskirche’, was used by local Protestants. It started getting into worse conditions in 1945, after Polish militiamen had broke the doors to its basement when they had been looking for German soldiers. The church became easy to access for burglars and vandals who turned it into ruin. Despite the bad conditions, the place is really impressive which makes it popular for photo sessions (there was even one wedding photo session during my visit) and video clips (a video clip of Polish death metal band Behemoth was shot here).
Continue reading “The Abandoned Church ‘Prinz Wilhelm Gedachtniskirche’ [Pisarzowice, Poland]”
Żukowice, a Semi-abandoned Village [Poland]
Żukowice is a small village in Lower Silesia (Poland). Once the village was quite big (in 1973 it had 1060 inhabitants, there was a school, library, cinema here) but it became almost abandoned until 1995, as a copper smelter had been built there and the environment became too polluted to live. Now the village has only a little bit more than 30 inhabitants and some abandoned buildings reminding about its good times.
Continue reading “Żukowice, a Semi-abandoned Village [Poland]”
An Abandoned Soviet Hospital [Legnica, Poland]
An abandoned Soviet Hospital in Legnica with the history reaching back the beginning of XX century can be definitely called one of the greatest abandoned places in Poland. This huge hospital complex, built in 1929 by Germans and taken over by the Soviet army after World War II, consisted of several deparments, including Surgery, Infectious Diseases, Psychiatry and other ones.
Continue reading “An Abandoned Soviet Hospital [Legnica, Poland]”
The Chapel of the Tomb of Jesus [Vilnius, Lithuania]
The Chapel of the Tomb of Jesus is situated in Kalvarijos, a part of Vilnius. Its old walls not painted for years inside make impression as if the chapel was abandoned, and some things stored there can make you think that it’s some kind of warehouse but in fact the chapel is still in use and sometimes is open so everyone can go inside.
Continue reading “The Chapel of the Tomb of Jesus [Vilnius, Lithuania]”