35 Of The Most Breathtaking Forgotten Places, Shared In The ‘Abandoned Beauties’ Facebook Page
Article created by: Austėja Akavickaitė
Our fascination with architecture runs deep. We pay attention to the structures around us because of the way it shapes our experiences and tells stories about the culture. To really understand our environment, we can explore cities by strolling down the main streets and learning about history by admiring famous landmarks. For some of us, however, the view from the bottom and from a safe distance is simply not enough.
So today, we’re giving center stage to people who yearn for adventure and choose the path less traveled. We’re talking about urban exploration, often referred to as urbex, that attracts artists and thrill-seekers who wish to document the gradual process of architectural decay. They traverse through buildings full of wrecks and ruin, finding buzz and inspiration in the forgotten structures and the stories they tell.
Let us introduce you to the ‘Abandoned Beauties’ Facebook page, dedicated to sharing captivating images of deserted places and objects. Both past and present. We have gathered a collection of breathtaking photos that capture the essence of the uncanny and undiscovered wilds that aren’t generally seen by the public. So continue scrolling, hit upvote your favorite ones, and let us know if they encouraged you to go on a real-life adventure!
Psst! After you’re done admiring the pictures, be sure to check out Part 1 of this feature right here.
It was built in 1900 by Lafayette Taylor who made his fortune mining sandstone and milling lumber in the Rarden area. Rarden has a population of just 159 people. Top taken in 1973, bottom taken in 2013
Then the marble from the quarry was intended for the construction of St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg. Since then, the history of the factory, full of ups and downs, began. Having lost state orders, at various times the factory produced decorative stone chips, lime and gravel. The owners changed rapidly, for some time it was even rented by the Finns, and therefore marble from this quarry can be found in the facing of several Finnish buildings.⠀
In 1895, the first furnaces for burning marble and getting lime were equipped here. The stone was blown up and then crushed with sledgehammers into small pieces. The marble was lifted up on winches with trolleys and then pushed by hand to the stoves.⠀
In 1960, the factory began to specialize in the production of decorative crushed stone and lime. Crushed stone was used to decorate buildings throughout the Soviet Union, and lime was used by collective farms for liming soils.⠀
With the onset of the 90s, the kilns were extinguished forever, and in the early 2000s, on the site of the former quarry, which turned into a picturesque turquoise lake, the Gorny Park was created, which has become one of the most visited tourist destinations in northwestern Russia. Near the park, the same kilns have survived, the territory of which has now been cleared and gradually beautified, planning to create a full-fledged tourist facility and attach it to the park.
